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Starship Troopers (1997): Arachnid Warrior Bug, animatronics testing by Amalgamated Dynamics

An effective use of the full range of tools available at the time: animatronics, practical models, CGI, stop-motion... The DID (Dinosaur Input Device) armature by @tippettstudio.bsky.social enabled stop-motion animators to produce computer animation without learning animation software programs.

How it works? Like Harryhausen, but with 1997 tech. Btw that Nolan's Odyssey actually makes me want to track down all the Harryhausen movies, so I can watch all those extraordinary classics again. 🗡️🦴

It's also one of the last great films featuring plenty of practical spaceship models. If you're interested, I've written all about it here:

This infamous "Bug Test" by @tippettstudio.bsky.social was used to pitch the effects to producers. It was shot by cinematographer John Hora (Gremlins) on July 21 1994 in Vasquez Rocks, California, and allowed to determine the overall size of the warrior bug. Not final effects ☝️

Then there was a dream creative team. Brain Bug, art by Steve Burg ↖️

King Phil Tippett (on the right).

Port Joe Smith on the planet Dantana, art by Jim Martin↙️

↙️ YOU ARE HERE

This is the perfect time to post this:

It also echoes the tests conducted by Stan Winston Studios to create the Alien Queen a decade earlier. This prototype was nicknamed Alien "Trash Bag" Queen. Because it really was. Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis also worked on Aliens (1986); they founded Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. (ADI) in 1988.

Filming the Rodger Young bridge at the Battle of Klendathu. A rare opportunity to see how a camera movement, combined with a play of moving lights, enhances the sense of motion.