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May 25, 2008

BSG Prehistorical Blogging: Thirteenth Colony Edition

As my friend Mike points out via e-mail, NASA’s Mars-landing animators have been way too influenced by Ron Moore shakycam esthetics.

Posted by Jim Henley @ 3:13 pm, Filed under: Main

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4 Responses to “BSG Prehistorical Blogging: Thirteenth Colony Edition”

  1. Comment by colin roald —
    May 26, 2008 @ 12:46 pm

    Hah! Yeah, there’s a debt there, but it’s not just aesthetics — it *works*. Rapid zooms help convey scale; juddering in the atmosphere conveys some violence; yanking the lander out of frame when the parachute conveys deceleration.

  2. Comment by Brett Peters —
    May 26, 2008 @ 7:16 pm

    I kept hearing the Serenity theme playing in my head as I watched that landing.

    I agree, it’s used because it works.

  3. Comment by Thomas Nephew —
    May 27, 2008 @ 2:32 pm

    Thing that bugs me about this landing: if it’s looking for water a robot-arm-scooper length away from where it lands, how much sense does it make to use retro rockets in the final descent? Seems like the bouncy ball idea would have made even more sense this time than last time with the two rovers.

    I anticipate Gary Farber will have the answer for me shortly, and thank him in advance.

  4. Comment by Thomas Nephew —
    May 27, 2008 @ 2:35 pm

    Also: prehistorical? Is that established? I just watch on DVDs so I’m into the 3rd season now. I’d been imagining we’re in BSG’s future somehow.

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