This is the place for discussion and voting on various aspects of werewolf life, social ideas, physical appearance, etc. Also a place to vote on how a werewolf should look.
Winter wrote:Had strange idea. Was picturing something like this:
A person voluntarily records him or herself acting like he or she was changing...theln the cg people wold take that and use it for a test transformation...ect
...oohh. You mean like what people did to the footage of the Star Wars Kid? (Poor guy. )
Not gonna happen. At least...the professional movie crew won't. I would advise against putting video of yourself doing anything strange on the internet. You never know WHAT someone may do with it..
Please Forgive the Occasional Outburst of my Inner Sage ... for he is Oblivious to Sarcasm, and not Easily Silenced.
I think they meant submitting a tape to the film-crew itself, to help with a motion-capture rig for any CGI transformational effect that would be difficult to do with prosthetics in a one-shot cut-free scene; things like limb-changes and muzzle/tail growth.
Vuldari wrote:... At least...the professional movie crew won't.
I know that is what was implied. Again...not gonna happen. As cool as that wold be for the person who submitted the video...I doubt ReQuest has the free time or the budget to do special requests like that.
...would be cool though.
Edit: If it was for the purposes of a test, it would be alot more useful for them to use the same person the final effect will be applied to...not a random fan.
Please Forgive the Occasional Outburst of my Inner Sage ... for he is Oblivious to Sarcasm, and not Easily Silenced.
An American Werewolf in London defined a lot of the modern shapeshifting conventions; it's become the standard to which we compare all other shapeshiftings. I think this has been the case because it's the most believable transformation scene done to date. There are better-looking wolf forms out there, but the shapeshift itself was spectacular.
One of the main complaints my wife and I both have with a lot of shapeshifting scenes is the fact that everyone else seems to stand around and watch while the guy transforms. No one flees in a panic during the shapeshift. As soon as the shift is done, then they get the idea and run, but while the person is transforming, they have to stop and stand while the spooky music plays, the guy writhes about, and the unfathomable metamorphosis unfolds. The idea may be that "you're riveted to the spot, petrified by the horror of the experience," but flee and run usually overtakes deer in the headlight in my book.
So, one approach to the first transformation scene could be to see the lycanthrope starting to shapeshift, followed by scenes of running away, glancing back to see the already transformed thing chasing after.
But, in the case of American Werewolf in London, the story was told from the werewolf's perspective--something most of us fans prefer, since we tend to identify with the creature rather than the beings running away or hunting the beast. In that case, a drawn-out shapeshift makes more sense. But, if there are any witnesses, they should be long gone by the time the paws hit the ground.
Taking a Gestalt approach, since it's the "in" thing...
A person running away? That makes sense in the real world. All humans fear what they do not understand. A werewolf transformation ranks right up there with aliens landing. Their first instinct (espically when alone) is to run and cower in fear. This would be difficult since the camera would have to track both the transforming werewolf and the fleeing human. If you don't track the one who is running, it almost leaves the audience with a empty hole wondering where is that person going to run to, what is he/she going to do?
In this movie, a werewolf transforming in the movie would be a HUGE "no-no" amonst werewolf society since it reveals to the witnessing human right there that werewolves are real. But maybe thats where the story line would come from this? Our werewolf pack will need a problem, perhaps thats it right there. Though, for effects sake, keep the human in the room for the entire transformation so the audience and camera can remained focused on the transformation itself.
Yeah, even if someone was watching their friend transform into a werewolf they would most likely run away in horror. Aww, that would make a sad scene, a transforming werewolf reaching out and crying for help, and their friend or loved one runs off freaked out.
Well i would think change is something that werewolves would need to do. Not in the sense of painful or curse griping. Something that they don't do every could of weeks they get an itch more irritable shorter temper if they aren't free to get out and experience the wolf within. As for camera angles i don't know much about things but in a way to make it seem beautiful almost i don't know if that is the right word. But to have the audience in awe when they see it not in fear or grossed out but just to get goosebumps when they see that tranformation. I think that is what you want to go for.
The little girl who always wanted to fly an x wing and be raised by wolves... Come to think of it she still does.
It's surprising how often we see in movies the people sticking around without a specific reason to stay put. If we can't have someone running away, we should have reasons for any untimely witnesses to stay put. So, here goes.
1. The petrified with fear: implied and overused, but plausible in the right context. A variant I confess to using myself is having the characters watching in hiding. They know what they're seeing is incredible and horrific, but they also know that they dare not be seen by the creature, and to scream or run would reveal themselves. So, while watching the whole thing, the poor person has to gasp, try not to scream, and pray the wind doesn't blow the other way.
2. The person has overriding issues. The person may have a serious disorder, and while still being frightened, might have just enough state of mind to think it's part of their internal problem. ("I took all my meds. They must not be working!") Generally, it's surprising how seldom schizophrenics in the middle of an episode think of how bizarre stuff is hallucinations rather than real. But, drug users on hallucinogens might make the mistake of "confronting their fears." ("You're not real! I dare you to bite me!" "Oh, great, another spiritual therianthrope.")
3. The person can't run away. He or she could be cornered, injured, or tied down. OK, that last one--I can't be the only one who thought about it in my batchelor days...
4. The person is also busy transforming...
Taking a Gestalt approach, since it's the "in" thing...
I think that there'd be no problem with having at least a _couple_ transformations that show stuff happening in more detail, but if there's a lot of transformations, not bothering to "zoom in" on each one.
I'd think that having one good trans scene would satisfy the "wow! cool!" aspect, of that.
This one is a very hard one to answer, I think that is up to the director, I voted (not saying how I voted this time, ha, ha), but basically I would have to say whatever looks best on film, so my real vote should probably be not to vote at all and let the director make the call, but I voted on what was given in the poll here. I loved "The Howling 1" and "American Werewolf in London" transformation scenes, if you have seen the movies (I'm sure all of you have), then you know that you will never, ever, ever forget those scenes as long as you live (unless you go scenile or something of course). So the directors did pretty great jobs artisticly (I own both on DVD).
So something that someone said totally made me think of the Incredible Hulk . . . but instead of a nice guy trying to help everyone and turning into a big green monster every time he gets hit, hurt, angry, upset, electrocuted, thrown over a car . . . you get the point, we now have a werewolf. Hehehe. Anyway.
Ahh.. But with the Hulk you have fogotten one thing.
The Hulk wears clothing (And this is a warning to any shifting werewolves)
You start to shift. Grow taller.. larger.. and suddenly your comfortable fitting jockstrap/boxers have turned into fabric vices crushing your malesness...
Hence my patented theory on the Grouchy Monster Syndrome. They not viscious.. they just have their nuts in a vice
Take Care
Marc
Walk Quietly Through This Earth
Leave Nothing But Smiles and PawPrints
Marcwolf wrote:
Ahh.. But with the Hulk you have fogotten one thing.
The Hulk wears clothing (And this is a warning to any shifting werewolves)
You start to shift. Grow taller.. larger.. and suddenly your comfortable fitting jockstrap/boxers have turned into fabric vices crushing your malesness...
Hence my patented theory on the Grouchy Monster Syndrome. They not viscious.. they just have their nuts in a vice
Take Care
Marc
Yes, I'd be a very grouchy monster if my nuts were trapped and smashed inside of a cotton-shrink-wrapped package.
"I was all of history's great acting robots: Acting Unit 0.8, Thespo-mat, David Duchovny!"
-Calculon
Tigerwolf wrote:Others could have a more balanced mix of shots, but the goal should be a realistic transformation rather than a 'look what nifty effects we're doing with models and CGI' kind of scene.
Agree.
Scott Gardener wrote:
I'd be afraid to shift if I were to lose control. If I just looked fuggly, I'd simply be annoyed every full moon.
I kinda like the way they've done it in the Ginger Snaps movies, but I'm not too happy about the Underworld way.
.? That is the problem with you mortals, you die too easily. You hardly fight back. A couple of pitiful screams and a little squirming and you are done. I can hardly call it satisfactory."
What's the point? They got their Keanu Reeves now...
I havent been here in like forever..probly forgotten but thats ok...
So werewolf movie it is then...nice title...like the paw print...hopefully the get to more then just showing off a paw... X_x and glowy eyes from th trailor.
Blah in all that..i guess whatever happens, happens.
Time and time again, I ask people "Why?" and following that word, I get confussed looks, then I just walk away.
I dont know about you guy's but i actually like the werewolves in underworld, ofcourse id never consider it as a true werewolf but, more like a cross between a werecat with werewolf.but it look kinda cute and i would love to have it as a pet.
Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories. - Thomas Jefferson
I think at least one transformation should involve some clothing-ripping. It kinda makes the whole thing a bit more agressive, and I think thats a good thing when you see somebody transform in a werewolf.
Scott Gardener wrote:
I'd be afraid to shift if I were to lose control. If I just looked fuggly, I'd simply be annoyed every full moon.
I'll agree that the visual effects in Underworld actually were pretty good. Just don't call the things werewolves. They look more like gargoyles or something. They're immortal, and they walk on ceilings.
The acting was good, given that they were given almost nothing with which to work. I'm going to give the uncut DVD a try, to see if it's any better, as I've read at least one "criticism" that it dwelled "too much" on back story. The theatrical release was very skimpy on plot. The poor lead guy hardly had any chance to dwell on his newly acquired lycanthropy, and the lead vampire lady gave most of her dialogue while running or jumping.
That, and as great as its imagery was, it was painfully implausible. Her outfit was quite sexy, but, come on. Is someone really going to hunt werewolves in latex battle gear? Even if she's dead and has no metabolic activity outside of extracting vitae out of blood, it's still not the most practical attire for either stealth or combat situations.
And, she was one of the MORE believable vampires. Most of them were loafing around, pruning themselves. I could hardly believe that they could get away with that for centuries. When the lead lady came to them with a real problem that threatened their existance, they tried to execute her. I can see short-lived humans doing that, but not people with centuries of experience. Stupid people shouldn't live long competing against a society of ancient immortals. If anything, she should have been having them waiting on her hand and foot. Then, maybe, I might believe her dominatrix attire.
Taking a Gestalt approach, since it's the "in" thing...
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