CGI or rubber suits?

[TokyoVigilante]

Despite what fans like to think, Serkis was only used as a stand-in on set for the actors to work off of, and motion-captured some facial expressions. The amount of data a fully motion captured Serkis made during action sequences became incredibly difficult to manage and almost impossible to animate. Sure he had input into characterization, but Kong (the character) would've been just as good Serkis or not.

[goji1986]

Using an actor would give Godzilla a personality

HOW? Who's to say he can't be purely computer generated and have personality? I didn't get any 'personality' from the actors inside the Godzilla suits. From Godzilla, yes, only because that's what the director(s) happened to be going for. He could have just as easily lacked personality like in the original and Godzilla (1984).

Perhaps personality was the wrong word to use. I'm not saying he wouldn't have a personality as a fully CGI character, it's just if you wanted to retain the spirit of "it's a guy playing the monster", mocap is a logical direction to go. Mix the old with the new is all I'm suggesting.

And Godzilla's lack of a personality in '54 and '84 was due to suit issues, i.e. too stiff or not specifically built for the suit actor. I'm also not exactly sure what you mean by "I didn't get any 'personality' from the actors inside the Godzilla suits". Have you never seen the documentary Bringing Godzilla Down to Size?

Despite what fans like to think, Serkis was only used as a stand-in on set for the actors to work off of, and motion-captured some facial expressions. The amount of data a fully motion captured Serkis made during action sequences became incredibly difficult to manage and almost impossible to animate. Sure he had input into characterization, but Kong (the character) would've been just as good Serkis or not.

My bad on that one. You're quite right, although I do remember either reading or seeing something about Serkis having to wear something to extend his arms for mocap. Can't remember exactly what they said, it was over 5 years ago (already!).

Still, doing mocap for Godzilla may be considerably less difficult with today's technology (again, see District 9), and also due to the fact that his arms and legs are better proportioned to human limbs unlike Kong.

[TokyoVigilante]

For sure, I do think it's a perfectly reasonable way to get some more subtle, really organic facial expressions or to figure out a unique method of locomotion (I know the Heisei suit-actor tried to express Godzilla's emotions through hand gestures and movements with his fingers, for example). But the attitude of "Guys, mo-cap = problem solved!" is just oversimplifying something that is relatively complex.

[goji1986]

For sure, I do think it's a perfectly reasonable way to get some more subtle, really organic facial expressions or to figure out a unique method of locomotion (I know the Heisei suit-actor tried to express Godzilla's emotions through hand gestures and movements with his fingers, for example). But the attitude of "Guys, mo-cap = problem solved!" is just oversimplifying something that is relatively complex.

I'm not saying that mocap is the simple, or only, solution. It's probably even more complex than traditional suitmation. All I'm saying is that it's a good way of maintaining the the old-fashioned spirit behind creating the character while moving forward with the times and technology. Personally I'm all for the old-fashioned way, but outside of the fandom there are few who would agree.

[HeiseiGodzilla117]

I'm also not exactly sure what you mean by "I didn't get any 'personality' from the actors inside the Godzilla suits". Have you never seen the documentary Bringing Godzilla Down to Size?

Allow me to reiterate. The actors didn't provide any of this "personality" for Godzilla, that's all writing and directing. Writers and Directors decide what kind of personality they want Godzilla to have, and let the actor... well, act it out. Yes, I have seen that documentary. Also, I apologize if my reply sounded hostile, I just reread it and it seemed that way to me.

[GMK Godzilla]

What whould be cheaper: suits or cgi godzilla?

[Gojira-Fan]

I'm almost certain suits would be cheaper.
They won't be used in this movie, however.

[phaz0ngoji]

CGI + Motion capture = Perfect way of utilizing modern special effects technology and still paying homage to the suit.

[Rockzilla]

"This CGI bullshit is the death knell of cinema. If I'd wanted all that computer game bullshit, I'd have stuck my dick in a Nintendo."
- Quentin Tarantino

I felt like bumping this since the Thing prequel trailer got me thinking about how much I really hate CGI.

I would really like to see what costumes and practical effects would look like on a big American Budget.

[DeadpoolsbetterThanU]

I don't have anything against CGI, but it's getting out of hand. CGI for most movies is an excuse to make it 3D to charge audiences more. CGI's great in somethings, but movies should put in the extra effort and make a suit/motion capture/stop motion style for certain things.

[Tapkaara]

"This CGI bullshit is the death knell of cinema. If I'd wanted all that computer game bullshit, I'd have stuck my dick in a Nintendo."
- Quentin Tarantino

I felt like bumping this since the Thing prequel trailer got me thinking about how much I really hate CGI.

I would really like to see what costumes and practical effects would look like on a big American Budget.

Tarantino is right. CGI as sucks. As the main special effect, anyway.

God zilla should ALWAYS be a man in a suit. A good suit. With CGI to animate his breath, the lighting up of his dorsal spines, etc. I don't want Godzilla to look like a cookie cutter special effect from every movie made today. The magic and personily of Godzilla is in the suit. Literally.

[Chris55]

Get the Godzilla suit actors to do the motion capture. There ya go

[ZillaEra]

Regardless of whether it sucks or not, even Toho from here on out will be using suits at a minimum, as evident in Godzilla's CGI cameo in Always 2. And while Legendary may possibly use models, replicas, and "suits" (for lack of a better word) for certain scenes, this will be minimal, with CGI the dominant form of special effects in the movie by far.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

"This CGI bullshit is the death knell of cinema. If I'd wanted all that computer game bullshit, I'd have stuck my dick in a Nintendo."
- Quentin Tarantino

I felt like bumping this since the Thing prequel trailer got me thinking about how much I really hate CGI.

I would really like to see what costumes and practical effects would look like on a big American Budget.

Tarantino is right. CGI as sucks. As the main special effect, anyway.

God zilla should ALWAYS be a man in a suit. A good suit. With CGI to animate his breath, the lighting up of his dorsal spines, etc. I don't want Godzilla to look like a cookie cutter special effect from every movie made today. The magic and personily of Godzilla is in the suit. Literally.

Godzilla suits are magic artifacts? Holy shit, I need to get my hands on that! World domination, just a step closer!

[Ethan]

"This CGI bullshit is the death knell of cinema. If I'd wanted all that computer game bullshit, I'd have stuck my dick in a Nintendo."
- Quentin Tarantino

I felt like bumping this since the Thing prequel trailer got me thinking about how much I really hate CGI.

I would really like to see what costumes and practical effects would look like on a big American Budget.

Tarantino is right. CGI as sucks. As the main special effect, anyway.

God zilla should ALWAYS be a man in a suit. A good suit. With CGI to animate his breath, the lighting up of his dorsal spines, etc. I don't want Godzilla to look like a cookie cutter special effect from every movie made today. The magic and personily of Godzilla is in the suit. Literally.

Godzilla suits are magic artifacts? Holy shit, I need to get my hands on that! World domination, just a step closer!

So you are a terrorist.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

Godzilla suits are magic artifacts? Holy shit, I need to get my hands on that! World domination, just a step closer!

So you are a terrorist.[/quote]
No,he is an average american.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

So you are a terrorist.

Terrorists are boring. Idiots, also.

I'm a world conqueror. There's a difference. Mostly, after the world, the solar system. After the solar system, the the galaxy....Eventally, I'll have the entire universe...


MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

[shinmattiathekaiju]

So you are a terrorist.

Terrorists are boring. Idiots, also.

I'm a world conqueror. There's a difference. Mostly, after the world, the solar system. After the solar system, the the galaxy....Eventally, I'll have the entire universe...


MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!

OF COURSE!!!

[Godzilla 1995]

Legendary Picture's Godzilla is gonna be CGI. That's been confirmed. You will go on.

[Living Corpse]

Who cares as long as he looks and acts like Godzilla? I think we can all agree that CGI was not what made GINO a giant mistake.