Page 73 - Star Wars Insider - The Last Jedi 2018

SHOWDOWN ON CRAIT

4 /
4 / Snowtroopers
storm the base.
5 / A defensive
trench reveals the
red mineral beneath
the surface. (See
opposite page)

6 / Soldiers man
the trenches. (See
opposite page)

7 / The battle takes
its toll on the tired
army. (See opposite
page)
8 / A tiny spark of
hope regained for
the Resistance?
(See opposite page)

“
The story was so

compelling that I
immediately knew this

could be great.

”

beautiful images we found of female foxes. The team shorter, softer hairs to fill in any gaps. All in all, there
assigned to the project worked through three or four were about 25,000 CG crystals on each fox.
iterations of what they might look like. Rian kept Next came giving the foxes movement. Referencing
pushing us toward making them sparkle, with a more real animals such as Arctic foxes, ILM’s animation
crystal-like appearance.” team keyframe-animated the CG foxes, rigged
The design by ILM’s Art Department features with an internal muscle system and face-shape
crystal foxes with prominent horns and signature controls. Individual crystal movement relative to their
crystal whiskers. Their bodies are covered in a size/weight and surrounding environment ensured no
sparkling iridescent coat of clear crystal fur. Hero collisions occurred as the skittish creatures moved
crystals on the face, back and tail were positioned by around their alien world.
hand in the computer. The rest of the body was covered Summing up his experience on The Last Jedi, Neal
by procedurally growing thousands of curves over the Scanlan says, “I can only describe it as being given
surface of the creature and then replacing them with an opportunity a second time around. It was as if

“crystal shards and quills” of different shapes and the first time around was practice. First you practice,
sizes at render time. Finally, ILM’s groom artist applied and then you put that practice into practical and

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