They used every trick out there at some point. They even invented a new technique for 2 shots in Bag End where they had motion-controlled cameras, tables, and benches synched up so they could do the only ever forced-perspective shots with moving cameras ever really used.
Everything since then went digital in the following years, the technique was never really used again.
In the Hobbit films, they had to lean more into digital because they were in 3D, so forced perspective shots wouldn’t work.
The fact that Jonathan Rhys-Davies is 6’3 actually made it so shots with him and the hobbits could just be normal shots. They needed the camera tricks only when he was with others.
They replaced the hobbits with doubles who were little people on some scenes.
Not that I disagree with what you’re saying. I’m pretty sure most of it was camera trickery, but my earlier comment was more about three specific scenes where doubles (halves?) were used.
Honestly seeing the camera shift in a MAKING OF clip for some of the angles made my brain work overtime, because when watching the movie so many times over the years, my brain just goes “yeah, hobbit next to man riding on a wagon” or “hobbit and man at a table across from each other” but then you see them from a different angle and it’s just… Wrong.
This is one of the reasons why I love love love cinema history. The lengths that the crew and creative team went to in order to make an illusion work is just mind-boggling. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was watch the DVD extras about Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Labyrinth, all that.
One of my favorite forced perspective tricks ever was Darby O’Gill and the Little People. That old Irishman playing a fiddle above a cavern full of leprechauns, galloping around a pile of ancient treasure on tiny horses, and then rushing off to hunt foxes through a magical crack in the wall?
Literally, one of the most incredible feats of practical film illusion ever concocted, right up there with the velociraptors of Jurassic Park and the chest-burster from Alien.
I used to love this show called Movie Magic where they went really in depth into SFX, it was when CGI was just becoming a thing so most of the episodes really focus on practical and in-camera effects.
You could also play with camera angles, but dimensionally, yeah, no substitute for a big dude.
Or a little dude to make a normal dude look big like in LotR.
I thought a lot of their work was camera tricks. Jonathan Rhys-Davies was 6’3.
They used every trick out there at some point. They even invented a new technique for 2 shots in Bag End where they had motion-controlled cameras, tables, and benches synched up so they could do the only ever forced-perspective shots with moving cameras ever really used.
Everything since then went digital in the following years, the technique was never really used again.
In the Hobbit films, they had to lean more into digital because they were in 3D, so forced perspective shots wouldn’t work.
The fact that Jonathan Rhys-Davies is 6’3 actually made it so shots with him and the hobbits could just be normal shots. They needed the camera tricks only when he was with others.
They replaced the hobbits with doubles who were little people on some scenes.
Not that I disagree with what you’re saying. I’m pretty sure most of it was camera trickery, but my earlier comment was more about three specific scenes where doubles (halves?) were used.
Or both little dudes and big dudes to make the big dudes look even bigger. Worked well in The Odyssey.
See: Hagrid’s behind-the-scenes.
And Lord Of The Rings in Bilbo’s house
Honestly seeing the camera shift in a MAKING OF clip for some of the angles made my brain work overtime, because when watching the movie so many times over the years, my brain just goes “yeah, hobbit next to man riding on a wagon” or “hobbit and man at a table across from each other” but then you see them from a different angle and it’s just… Wrong.
Is that the porno remake?
“Oh no! He’s entering my chamber of secrets.”
VFX artists react look at these things all the time:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Wf8NgICk3ng
Some really cool 90s tricks with forced perspective.
This is one of the reasons why I love love love cinema history. The lengths that the crew and creative team went to in order to make an illusion work is just mind-boggling. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was watch the DVD extras about Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Labyrinth, all that.
One of my favorite forced perspective tricks ever was Darby O’Gill and the Little People. That old Irishman playing a fiddle above a cavern full of leprechauns, galloping around a pile of ancient treasure on tiny horses, and then rushing off to hunt foxes through a magical crack in the wall?
Literally, one of the most incredible feats of practical film illusion ever concocted, right up there with the velociraptors of Jurassic Park and the chest-burster from Alien.
I used to love this show called Movie Magic where they went really in depth into SFX, it was when CGI was just becoming a thing so most of the episodes really focus on practical and in-camera effects.
Looks like it’s on youtube!
I sort of think everyone should have a chance to play with an Ames Room at least once in their life.
Yep, lots of clever camera tricks to accomplish making the hobbits in LoTR look much smaller than their fellow actors.
https://youtu.be/MACsFQRQufc?t=14