The Anatomy Of A Prometheus Alien
This article is more than 2 years old
There are many questions surrounding the film Prometheus. What does it all mean? Why are we here? Where do we come from? One of those questions refers to the origins of man by the mysterious Engineers. In this video, literally, breaks down the opening sequence of Prometheus from a visual effects point-of-view. It also details what went into creating the spaceship, Prometheus, itself as well as the alien planet that serves as its final resting spot.
Martin Hill was one of the Visual Effects Supervisors from the Academy Awarding visual effects house, WETA Digital. He describes what Ridley Scott wanted from them in terms of the opening sequence of Prometheus. What Scott was looking for was the effects to look like a war between the DNA and humanoid alien. The new DNA would rip through the Engineer and then re-assemble in the water. Hill and his team modeled the alien DNA after decaying fish bones aligned with silicone and black ink. It’s still creepy to watch this scene.
As for the spaceship, Prometheus, and the alien world most of the film is set on, Visual Effects Supervisor Charley Henley of MPC was in-charge of creating the look and feel of both. He states in the video that Ridley Scott wanted Prometheus to act like both a spaceship and a harrier jet when landing. He also goes on to talk about the Engineer’s ship, which they called Juggernaut and the spectacular collision these two ships have in the film’s climax.
I’m still waiting for someone involved with the movie to admit that the Prometheus looks a lot like the Serenity.
