This film was directed by Martin Scorsese and featured Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role. Suitably, this project had an approved budget of $100 million. But it didn’t mean they could just pack their bags and travel to every location the memoir by Jordan Belfort entailed. Sometimes, Scorsese had to rely on green screen to bring certain locations to life.
The story has its characters traveling from the US to Italy, Switzerland, Monaco, and more. Imagine all the expenses they were able to save, thanks to CGI. Green screen was used to show the money-hungry bunch setting sail on a private yacht.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Aren’t we always fascinated by flying scenes? Here is one of the most difficult parts of the filming of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:" the quidditch event. Actors shoot individually as they are surrounded by blue and green screens. Everything else is created by computers, imagery, and all.
Pretending to be up in the air while they are moved by rigs, the challenge of the actors is to react to attacks, and carry out the swerves, all with perfect timing. The ability to portray movement and urgency is important. And it’s difficult because, in reality, they are merely surrounded by blank walls. And there were no brooms used!
300
This photograph captures what it was like to be a ruler during the Persian Wars. The feel of the time was masterfully recreated, so modern viewers could truly appreciate its historical value. As for the film "300," there is no denying that Zach Snyder had a clear vision of how he wanted the tale to look on the big screen.
To work on the scenes, effects specialists had to be very precise with their artistry to reflect how advanced the period was. And when Gerard Butler's character kicks that messenger into the bottomless pit and yells "This is Sparta," you just know that the real pit wasn't actually bottomless.
Life of Pi
This fantasy adventure movie is popular for its unique way of conveying spiritual discoveries and lessons through its shipwrecked character. Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, the protagonist in the story had to survive in the middle of the ocean for 227 days with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker, whom he initially feared.
Luckily for Pi’s actors, including Suraj Sharma, they didn’t have to shoot the film in the deep dark ocean or around a real Bengal tiger that could easily slice a neck in one swipe with its sharp claws. Blue screen to the rescue! They still used some water though.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Bill Nighy’s acting has been fundamental to the success of the character, Davy Jones, in the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" series. We all had certain prior expectations of what the captain of the Flying Dutchman should look like, but we never expected him to have a cephalopod-like head.
And to think the end result looked so realistic. Bill Nighy must be relieved he didn’t have to wear an icky mask to shoot. Thanks to CGI, all that tentacled animation was well taken care of without a smudge on his face, and he only had to focus his efforts on acting out his role.