As a seasoned special effects artist who has worked on some of the most iconic films in Hollywood, I can confidently say that creating Rook for ‘Alien: Romulus’ was one of my most challenging yet rewarding projects. The lack of reference material and the initial hesitance from Ian Holm’s wife to use his likeness added an extra layer of complexity to our task.
SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains minor spoilers for Alien: Romulus. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!
In many aspects, Director Fede Álvarez’s film “Alien: Romulus” serves as a heartfelt tribute to the entire “Alien” series. Upon closer examination, there’s one specific nod that stands out: the character of science officer Rook, who shares the same model as Ian Holm’s Ash from Ridley Scott’s original “Alien”. This character is intentionally woven into the new film to forge a more robust connection with the 1979 masterpiece. However, what you might not realize while watching him in action on the big screen is the immense effort and dedication that went into his creation behind the scenes.
Last Saturday, Beyond Fest organized a unique double screening of Alien and Alien: Resurrection, which was concluded by a discussion with the filmmakers. During this chat, Shane Mahan, an animatronic puppeteer from Legacy Effects, shared the intriguing tale about the genesis of the character Rook. Initially, there was a plan to make Rook resemble Ash earlier in production, but that idea was changed at a later stage.
Alien: Romulus Originally Had A Totally Different Science Officer Character That Got Replaced Late In Production
If particular deals and arrangements had not occurred, the wounded science officer found on the retired research station Renaissance in Alien: Romulus would have been a completely different character. As revealed by Shane Mahan, the original plan was to cast the role with an actress using makeup, implying that he wouldn’t have played a part in that specific production aspect.
The concept emerged towards the end of our production timeline, yet it proved to be exceptional. Originally, our character was envisioned as a female science officer. Instead of using an animatronic figure, we would have opted for an actress dressed in makeup and a partially designed costume beneath the set.
The situation shifted dramatically when Mahan and Lindsay MacGowan from Legacy Effects received a pressing Zoom invitation from Fede Álvarez. They worried that he might be letting them go from the project, but instead, they found themselves faced with an intriguing dilemma: bringing Ian Holm back to life as an animatronic character.
Today turned out to be quite the thrilling day when Lindsay [MacGowan] and I received an unexpected emergency Zoom call from Fede [Álvarez]. It felt a bit like a casual Sunday, but this call was anything but ordinary. A sense of apprehension washed over us as we speculated whether our jobs might be on the line. But then he dropped the bombshell: “We have an idea,” he said, “and we want Rook to resemble Ash.” My initial reaction was a mix of excitement and fear. After all, embodying such a beloved character is both a dream come true and a daunting task!
A major source of fear was the absence of suitable resources for the task at hand, as the project didn’t include appropriate reference materials. Unfortunately, Ian Holm passed away in June 2020, preventing the filmmakers from collaborating with him directly, and there were no existing physical models or digital copies to work with.
Enthusiasts of the film “Alien” might recall the existence of a replica of Ian Holm’s head created for the 1979 production. However, it turns out that this model was not accessible for use in the movie.
In approximately 1979, Ian [Holm] was around 43 years old. However, there was no preserved mold of his face, despite one being created for the scene where Yaphet [Kotto] smashes his head with a fire extinguisher. No such record or digital scan existed back then. Therefore, we faced the challenge of reviving a man who had passed away in 1979 and making it convincing, creating a character that could interact authentically with other talented actors in multiple scenes. How would we achieve this?
With Visual Effects As A ‘Bridge,’ Legacy Effects Built Rook As A Complex Animatronic
In contrast to conventional methods of creating animatronics, Shane Mahan and his team lacked standard reference materials. However, they had an abundance of photographs at their disposal. Shane then detailed the process by which the face of the science officer was crafted.
“When faced with the challenge, you responded by suggesting, ‘Alright, let’s push it to the limit using an animatronic figure. We might need some visual effects now and then to fill in the gaps.’ What resulted was a sculpture created from photos, scanned, and then digitized. This was further refined with a silicone face, which was paired with advanced animatronic mechanisms hidden beneath.
The mechanical components hidden beneath the rubbery mask allow the operators to intensify emotions portrayed and match lip movements with speech, which is another crucial aspect.
In the production of Alien: Covenant, actor Daniel Betts was chosen to portray the role of Ian Holm, and his dialogues as the character Rook were recorded. This audio was then synchronized with the movements of the character’s face.
They discovered an actor who delivered all their lines during filming, and subsequently, we set up all the scripted lines to be played back via a pre-recorded system. This system was designed to repeat the performance consistently, focusing on maintaining the same facial expressions.
As a devoted admirer, let me share an intriguing detail I picked up about Rook in the captivating film, Alien: Romulus. Shane Mahan mentioned that Rook’s head and body were animatronics he managed from below the table where the android stood. However, if you pay close attention to his right hand, it appears strikingly human. This is no coincidence; it’s because one of the movie’s puppeteers lent their real hand for that specific scene.
The robotic figure’s left appendage had been completely devoured, leaving only its torso exposed and illuminated. My right hand, belonging to my friend Chris Swift, was positioned beside me, while I, the fool, was buried up to my arm inside his mechanical head, controlling it. We were hidden under a desk due to set design constraints, necessitating collaboration with the construction team. Our act combined advanced animatronics, traditional hand puppetry, and a real human hand. The real hand deceived the audience by manipulating keys and picking up objects.
Ian Holm’s Wife Was Initially Hesitant To Give The Alien: Romulus Production Permission To Use Her Late Husband’s Likeness, But She Ultimately Agreed
Following a detailed account of the labor and technological aspects behind creating Rook in Alien: Romulus, Mahan additionally shared why the concept initially failed to secure approval when Legacy Effects started working on the blockbuster. To incorporate Ian Holm’s likeness, the production team needed to obtain consent from his family, but they didn’t immediately receive a positive response.
As per the special effects artist’s account, he had some valid apprehensions regarding the utilization of his likeness. Protracted discussions led to a postponement in working on the animatronic, however, Mahan felt immense satisfaction with the final outcome.
As a gamer, I found myself in a nerve-wracking situation due to the tight deadline. His wife had been hesitant about it for quite some time, understandably so, as she wasn’t sure if this would turn out to be harmless fun or something else entirely. This uncertainty cost us a few months, but looking back, I feel nothing but pride in what we achieved. Frankly, I don’t think many people truly comprehend the challenges we faced when trying to execute this idea.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-22 03:37