Overuse of 3D Effects

[Cosworth]

Hello, all. I've been a fan of the original show for as long as I can remember, and it's nice to see the possibility of a movie coming out. Now, I know that there will probably be some 3D work done for the movie, and I don't have anything against that. But I do feel that at some point, the 3D aspect can take away from a video rather than add to it. Yes, there is a limit to what can be done with a physical car, but unless it's absolutely necessary, could 3D be left out/limited? It's nice to watch the old episodes and see the stunts being done by a real car, as it helps to complete the illusion of reality. The same is true for dialog and acting while driving around somewhere. Yes, it may be easy to do green screen stuff and put a video of the scenery behind them, but doing the filming in a real car that's really driving and turning through real roads.... Well, it just helps make things feel.. real.

I know it's not my place to tell a studio how to do the special effects for a movie, but I feel that despite the advancements in special effects over the years, the majority of those done in the old show hold their ground much better than the new show. (flames, long chase scene through a twisty road yet no movement of the passengers in the car, changing into a pickup, etc, etc)

Good luck with the movie, and I hope it comes into fruition!

[KITTfan]

When I hear about green screen driving scenes, it always brings in my mind those old tv-series & movies that has similar "virtual" driving scenes, the road in the background has curves but the driver turns the steeringwheel in the wrong direction or turns it when the road is straight and the dusty stock footage running in the background & studiolight reflections on the car just doesn't look good to me at all.
I don't know what the technique was in the days before modern "green screen" but I don't know how they could avoid for instance the wrong steeringwheel action or the reflections on the car surface regardless of the technology being used?

In the original Knight Rider the real driving scenes looked really great and it feels kind of step backwards if the driving scenes are done only with green screen these days. Ok I admit there was small mistakes in the original series too with driving scenes, for instance in No Big Thing the scene when Michael reversed in front of the truck. Exterior shots had desert area and in the interior shots, there was trees next to the road but still it was real driving anyway.

[Cosworth]

My guess for how they did it in the old days, was they had a screen behind the studio car that they projected the road footage onto.

[bige12]

Did you know in the orginial series when KITT drove by his-self there was actually a stunt person that had to wear a costume to blend into the seat and the interior so it looks like no one was driving just the car

[Sky_Blue_Civic]

I've heard about that when they filmed the show...

[bige12]

I forgot to mention the new version KITT is actually a real life remote control car. Compared to the orginial series

[Cosworth]

I, as we all have, have seen quite a few hands appear out of nowhere inside KITT. Though, there was one episode that it didn't really make sense to me. Knight got out, and a hand appeared out from below the rear of the drivers seat, as though it were reaching for the door. But nothing happened with it. There was no driving to be done, or anything.

A little off topic, but sorta related. Personally, I think the DARPA Urban Challenge is pretty cool. I just wish that a team would get a little inspiration and enter a copy of KITT. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4177060873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; No hidden hands nor any RC here.

[Crumbling Down]

yea I saw this mysterious hand as well. It almost seemed as if they were trying to keep the door from slamming hard. Maybe it was a sound guy?

[henrygrik]

Hi,
There are some shots with 3D effects, which are extra ordinary. I am not against 3D effect but they should be used such that the picture looks real rather than over focused. Off course 3D effects are necessary and they should be used but with the limit as when necessary.