Ron Howard, Angels and Demons, and Computer Graphics

Anybody who saw the trailer for Angels & Demons probably remembers how excited they were to see that movie when it came out. The skill and computer graphics work that went in to creating that opening sequence was quite good, as the entire pan of Vatican City as viewed from the clouds is completely computer generated.

Ron Howard, the man who directed the movie, was on the Larry King show when he was asked the question about whether or not the movie is too intense for some audiences. This movie and the CGI trailer have become blockbuster hits, and most of this success is due to advanced computer editing work that can blur the lines between actual video footage and renders created with computer graphics software.

So what is this amazing software that can create such amazing action sequences? One of the most popular pieces of software in Hollywood is called Lightwave 3D, and this software has been used on many of the best movies that have been recently released such as The Dark Knight, Eagle Eye, Iron Man, and 300. Lightwave 3D is advanced animation and rendering software that can give true-to-life CGI action sequences.

Another popular computer graphics software used in big movies is called Maya, which was used for the Lord of The Rings movies during the large fight sequences. Maya tends to be the software an artist will use to create a brand new character, and Lightwave will be used to create a finished final render.

Ron Howard’s trailer for Angels & Demons was one in a long line of a new type of entertainment that is becoming like animated music videos. An animated trailer which is put to an epic soundtrack can deliver more powerful perspectives and emotions than can sometimes be captured with just a video camera. I think everybody got a little bit scared when the angel statue turned evil!