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Joon-ho’s The Host (2006) was also recognized for its use of the technology. In
essence, CG has grown to become a “secret weapon” that can make almost any image
into reality.
However, the use of CG is not some effortless, quick and simple wave of a magic
wand. CG is only a part of VFX, which functions as a means to artificially portray extraordinary
scenes normal cameras are unable to capture. The increasing incorporation of CG
in Korean films means VFX supervisors are playing a more important role than ever. As
Jeong Seong-jin of EON Digital Films (the VFX supervisor for Take Off) puts it, “For the
last 30 minutes of Take Off, the whole crew had to make a huge collective effort.
Creating an explosive finale, while at the same time giving viewers a sense of realism,
was important to us. It was also vital that CG supported the dramatic emotions of the
main characters, who were facing the risks of ski jumping in spite of bad weather, while
delivering a sense of real speed.”
Jeong underscores that CG is not simply a device used to buttress movies on a technical
basis; it’s a catalyst that enables more effective drama, but is an addition that
should not interfere with the overall flow of the film.
Jang Seong-ho, president of Mofac Studio (the VFX supervisor for Haeundae), also
said, “We could have achieved a better quality of CG than we did if the production company
had told us to look for ways to create CG with our own technology from the beginning
of the project. [Furthermore,] we could have done it for half as much as was spent
in the US (when we outsourced the material). In any event, it’s a relief that we were able
to bring the level of CG up to a point that viewers found acceptable, though I would not
be honest if I said the project was completed with total satisfaction.” In fact, the quality
of the computer-generated data in Haeundae’s water scenes bought from the American
company was originally so bad, in part due to a lack of budget, that Jang completely
reworked the data he was given. Mofac Studio ended up changing the texture and lighting
of the CG cuts, rendering them over and over, and adding extra details. They spent
roughly two months focusing on the final composition of more than 640 CG cuts.
before
A still from the movie
Haeundae (opposite), CG
works from the TV drama
Legend (left, right above)
and also from the TV
drama Tamra, the Island
(right below).
after
before
after
KOREA
FEBRUARY
2010
07