Special Effects Storyboards From Blade Runner
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Oh, Blade Runner. Considering how well Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi noir classic holds up, it’s amazing to think that the film is now 30 years old. A loose adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner’s influence can be spotted in nearly every sci-fi movie that followed. An aesthetic homage is especially prevalent in 2012 releases like Cloud Atlas and the Total Recall remake.
This collection of special effects storyboards, hoarded by Ridleyville, gives you a unique glimpse at a part of production that most of us don’t usually get the opportunity to see. These are primarily stills taken from the film after it has been shot, and the sheets note how the filmmakers want the FX artists to change and alter the images. Check the link to see even more. Seriously, there’s some incredible stuff hanging out there. You might want to have something handy to clean up the drool.
Some of these pics are definitely more on the conceptual side than others. This one of Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) flying car is, by necessity, mostly a composite instead of live action footage.
As are most of the sprawling cityscapes of Los Angles circa 2019…
…and the massive pyramid-shaped structure that is the Tyrell Corporation headquarters.
In others, like this one taken from the infamous scene where Leon (Brion James) shoots Holden (Morgan Paull), the notes say things like “laser effects.” Adding a few red lines to an image seems like it would be a much simpler task than creating the entire imaginary skyline for a metropolis.
