Page 64 - Star Wars Insider #177

JOHN DYKSTRA

04

photographing the miniatures could control a single-axis
at deep f-stops [focal lengths] move. The joystick helped give
for depth of field, so we needed shots a sense of having been

sharp optics that had a deep operated by a human hand—
stop.” Dykstra opted to use off- rather than mathematically
the-shelf Nikon optics, some of programmed—bolstering the
which Edlund customized with sense that these shots were

even deeper f-stops. actually filmed by a combat
The Dykstraflex camera ran pilot, at the controls in the 05

on a modular track that could midst of the action.
be rearranged for different The movements for each
shots. At its longest, the track axis were recorded on cassette, 04 John Dykstra separate camera motion from
inspects
could carry the camera 40 creating a “map” of distances, object motion. But they did it!”
X-wing props.
feet—as required for some of speeds, accelerations, and the Not every element of a shot
the Death Star trench shots. corresponding frame on which 05 Dykstra’s called for the Dykstrafl ex’s full
most recent
Motors controlled the camera’s each would occur. After a credit was as array of capabilities, of course.
tracking and booming for shot’s completion, the cassette Visual Effects Background starfi elds were
Supervisor
frame-accurate positioning in would be filed in case any of meant to exist at a distance

on Ghost In
relation to the subject. “The the elements might need to be The Shell that wouldn’t register whether
motors gave us precision and re-created for any reason down (2017). the camera tracked in or out,
repeatability,” Dykstra says. “All the line. so these were shot on another
06 (Left to
of the motion-control stuff was Dykstra estimates that the right) John stage to save time. For these
based on numeric control that Dykstraflex system could have Dykstra, shots, a less complex sister

Richard
was being done at the time for gotten up to 12 frames a second, Edlund, Rose camera to the Dykstrafl ex
the nascent robotics industry.” but in order to maximize the Duignan, was used, working from the
George Lucas,
depth of field it was most often and Joe cassette maps to match most

ROLL CAMERA set for much longer exposures, Johnston of the axes on another custom-
The team completed the design in the region of one frame every discuss the built system.
storyboard

for the Dykstraflex in July 1975. three seconds.
layout for
Over the next six months, they For the Dykstrafl ex’s an effects 40-YEAR LEGACY

assembled the system on-site operators, including sequence. The Dykstraflex cannot be
at ILM, and in December it was Edlund, Dennis Muren, and claimed as the progenitor of
ready to roll.. Douglas Smith, the trick was motion-control photography
As a shot was programmed, remembering that each camera or even complex, multiple-
the operator could view the move was making the miniature element and multiple-axis
scene through the lens via the spacecraft appear to fly. “It was visual effects. What it should

camera’s viewfinder. A joystick almost Cartesian coordinates,” be celebrated for, however, is

offered control over multiple Dykstra says. “There was a lot of making such shots signifi cantly
axes, while a potentiometer mental calculation required to easier to execute and repeat
64 / STAR WARS INSIDER

27/10/2017 15:55
SWI177_060-065_FEAT_Dykstraflex_v9DF.indd 64 27/10/2017 15:55
SWI177_060-065_FEAT_Dykstraflex_v9DF.indd 64