Made in Hollywood

In addition to editing and dubbing, the focus of post-production is CGI synthesis. Duke used a lot of green screen scenes in shooting. As a director who prefers technology flow, he doesn't care whether it is live shooting or computer technology synthesis. This method saves time and effort, and he will choose which method.

With the development of science and technology and the advancement of computer technology, cgi generation technology has long been different. On the contrary, the cost of model shooting has been increasing due to the increase in the price of labor and raw materials.

There is also the digital technology used by Duke, which has gradually become the mainstream of Hollywood. The number of directors using film is declining. It is said that the life of Kodak, the main manufacturer of motion picture film, is not easy, and it has even been reported that the production of motion picture film will be discontinued. news.

The reality is the opposite of the last century. The cost of film shooting is getting higher and higher, and the previously expensive digital technology is declining.

Although directors such as David Fincher insist that film is irreplaceable, no one can stop the development of new technologies.

"I don't need a clear bat image."

The Industrial Light and Magic faction was stationed in the studio of Warner Studios. Duke told the head of the computer special effects group, "Joe, the samples you drew are just the opposite of what I thought."

Joe? 4★, Hart looked at the sample sketch in his hand. It was a very clear image of a bat and a very orthodox Batman logo.

Without waiting for what he said, Duke reiterated his request, "At the beginning of the film I imagined, a large number of bats were flying all over the screen, but the image of a big bat appeared faintly."

Simply put, this is a symbol of Batman.

Go deeper. Without prompting, most viewers will feel a sense of psychological fear when they first see this situation. This is also one of the themes that the movie wants to express. The reason for the formation of a large bat image is to express a kind of "available fear", which is actually to pave the way for the plot after the film.

Of course, the most important thing is to match the dark picture at the beginning, which can directly bring the style of the movie to the audience.

Although the realism style of the film sounds completely out of tune with cgi technology, technology has always been the server of the film. In Hollywood, technology never determines the style of a film.

Since it was late January when post-production was started, the Super Bowl, the annual carnival day in North America, was just around the corner. If "Batman: Hour of War" wanted to enter the Super Bowl midfield commercial, Duke had to cut out a commercial. In the next few days, almost all of this part of the work was busy, until the final submission time of the five days before the Super Bowl, a short thirty-second notice was submitted to the Super Bowl Organizing Committee.

Different from the past. The trailer doesn't have much content. After all, the post-production of the entire film has just begun. Most of them are the entanglement of Bruce Wayne and the bat. The most important thing is the release date. Now the summer time is not far away.

In addition to the routine Super Bowl ads, Duke and Warner Bros. also launched a series of publicity campaigns for the rebirth of the Batman series.

"Decades have passed since the comic character Batman first appeared in "Detective Comics" magazine. But this character has not faded out of people's sight with the changes of the times. Instead, it has become a baptism with the years. More fuller, with the vitality of the times."

"So far. Batman's story has been revised many times. Not only his image and equipment have changed, but his style is also very different. In the past, he was a smiling justice friend and a knight who easily won. As the times change, His reality and limitations have been strengthened, and his enemies are stronger, more cunning, and crazy than before. Batman’s trauma has been repeatedly emphasized. He has become more hesitant and lonely, and increasingly paranoid and dark."

A large number of retrospectives of Batman's past and present have appeared in many print media and online media. Warner Bros. is obviously using this method to reawaken the public's attention to this famous superhero.

no doubt. Superman is the most influential superhero of dc comics in the world. Batman is the only comic hero in dc comics who can compete with Superman in popularity. In the past few decades, dc comics' parent company, Warner Group The two superheroes Superman and Batman alone occupy half of the Hollywood animation film market.

Although the films of these two heroes have sunk for too long, there is definitely no lack of attention.

The retrospective is to promote the movie, and it will definitely be based on the tone of "The Hour of War". Since the plot cannot be revealed in advance, Warner Bros. simply used Frank Miller's "Batman: Year One" comic in a chronological situation, against Bruce Wayne. 'S life was reviewed.

Whether it was once or now, "War Hour" is born out of Frank Miller's "Batman: First Year".

"The first year; Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham City and started fighting crime alone, and dressed as a bat to intimidate the enemy. James Gordon was transferred to Gotham City as the deputy sheriff..."

In addition to the various promotional measures of Warner Bros., Duke’s personal website and instant sharing account have also continuously introduced movie characters and some posters, and even used the video sharing function to share just a dozen seconds of clips, which triggered Many people responded.

"Although I am a little worried about the Batman series, I firmly believe that Duke's products must be a boutique. I will definitely go to "Batman: Hour of War"."

"I think Duke will give Batman a new life!"

"The shapes of the characters and the pictures of the posters seem to be darkened. I am curious what Duke's Batman will look like."

Although there are many people who support it, the negative influence of "Batman and Robin" is still there. Even for Duke supporters, some people don't like this series very much.

"I don't like superheroes like Batman, especially after the two films of Joe Schumacher, he doesn't have the slightest impression of Batman."

"The same is true for me. Although this is a Duke movie, I don't want to enter the theater. If he makes "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin", how can I face it?"

This is normal. There has never been a movie in the world that can please everyone, even its own supporters.

A movie is always liked by someone, someone watching, and someone disgusted.

What Duke has always done is to win the support of most mainstream audiences. In his inherent knowledge, only such films can be regarded as successful films.

Some types of movies, even if the media and film critics blow them to the sky, they cannot be widely circulated, and the audiences are often insurmountable.

Everyone is affected by fame and wealth, and Duke is no exception. The name he wants is similar to James Cameron's style and spread around the world, rather than Stanley Kubrick, which is limited to only one. In small circles.

Batman’s previous failure brought not only the disagreements of fans, but also the doubts of the cinema. Even if the director of the film was changed to Duke, it would not be able to completely offset the negatives brought about by "Batman and Robin". influences.

This is a normal situation. The North American Cinema Alliance is a profitable business alliance and has never been a public welfare organization.

In "The Return of the King", they did give Duke their maximum support. That was because the first two films were successful, and anyone with a good head knew that the third film would surely be a big seller, and a failed series. Restart, it is absolutely impossible to enjoy the treatment like the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The film market has received mediocre response and cannot bring enough profits. Even Duke's works will be forced to downgrade.

And looking at the most successful batch of commercial directors in Hollywood, there are endless examples of capsizes after their success. Spielberg's "Happy Terminal" and Michael Bay's "Jedi Men 3" have just passed.

To put it bluntly, the basis of any commercial activity is interest.

"The theater requires a trial screening."

In Warner Bros’ office, Doug Walter said to Duke, “Warner Bros. also needs to use trial screenings to accumulate audience reputation.”

Duke was never an arrogant person, nodded in approval, "How many trial screenings are you planning to hold?"

"At least three times." Doug Walter thought for a while, and then said, "As usual, representatives of the media, audiences and theaters."

After the rise of online media, the position of professional film critics in summer vacations has become more and more embarrassing. Nowadays, Hollywood rarely sees summer commercial masterpieces that invite professional film critics to participate in auditions and charge corresponding public relations fees.

This is the root cause of Duke's antagonism with professional film critic groups.

However, Duke has completely ignored the professional film critic group after the Oscars for best director Jin Jin.

Roger Albert, who contradicted him most sharply, reported that his old illness had relapsed. Although he saved his life because of timely treatment, he could no longer walk or talk. He could only lie on the hospital bed and survive the few remaining. years.

Without him as the leader, other film critics are just a mess.

Just like Sean Connery retired early, Duke intends to end here, and he will not bother with a dying person.

Of course, Roger Albert still wanted to leave a name on the Avenue of Stars on behalf of a professional film critic as before. That was impossible.

"Duke, time is very tight." Doug Walter was still a little worried and exhorted, "Be sure to finish all the post-production work of "Batman: Hour of War" before late April."

Warner Bros. is going to conduct three rounds of trial screenings, and there must be enough time. Duke thought about the current progress and schedule, and said seriously, "Doug, rest assured, I promise to complete it on time."

His words also let Doug Walter breathe a sigh of relief, and Warner Bros. absolutely didn't want to see a son like Batman have any more accidents. (To be continued...)