In an exclusive online PreVIEW event, VIEW Conference has assembled a panel of accomplished VFX practitioners and filmmakers to re-visit the visual effects of Twister, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Free to attend, the PreVIEW panel ‘CG tornados, jet engines and cows—the VFX of Twister’ takes place on Thursday, 8th April at 8:30pm GMT. The expert panel will be moderated by visual effects journalist and befores & afters magazine editor Ian Failes.
In 1996, Jan De Bont’s Twister showcased an incredible collaboration between practical and digital visual effects to place its characters directly in the path of terrifying tornadoes. Starting with an early test that would help get the film green-lit, Industrial Light & Magic produced a range of VFX for the film, developing new simulation techniques that enabled tornadoes to interact and destroy buildings, and make trees, tankers and even cows fly.
Meanwhile, on set practical wind, debris and mechanical effects—including a jet engine—ensured that the actors ‘felt’ the fury of these weather events.
The film would go on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, and now each of the Oscar nominees for Twister are returning for this special VIEW Conference PreVIEW panel. Stefen Fangmeier was the film’s visual effects supervisor. Habib Zargarpour and Henry L. LaBounta were credited as ‘digital tornado designers’. John Frazier was Twister’s special effects supervisor.
The panel will discuss all the breakthrough effects used to help make Twister, and include an audience Q&A where you can ask questions directly to the team. The 2021 PreVIEW season will deliver a range of inspiring events every month through to the official launch of VIEW Conference on October 17.
Register now for “Twister – 25th Anniversary Conversation with Four VFX Masters”:
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