Teacher's Guide for ODYSSEY ^TM Techno Theater

Format:
Article, Page
Summary
Skills

"Computing Movie Magic," pg. 2

The computer graphics (CG) revolution in moviemaking began with the sci-fi classic, TRON.

Critical Thinking, Extrapolation

"Gollum: Techno-Magic!," pg. 4

A team of more than 40 designers, sculptors, and animators brought the computer-generated character Gollum to life in The Lord of the Rings. This article traces the process from the beginning sketches to the computer-animated meshing of a live actor with a digital model. One sidebar explains how rendering changes animated scenes to real-looking ones (pg. 7). Another is a profile of one of Gollum's developers (pg. 8). A third describes the animation process for Gollum's body (pg. 10).

Vocabulary, Applications

"Yoda: 'Many Steps a Character Make,'" pg. 11

As Yoda moves to confront Darth Sidious, he waves his hand and slams two large guards into the wall. That six-second shot took five artists one week to create. This article tells how. A sidebar (p. 15) discusses George Lucas""'s fast and flexible computer-editing system.

Applications, Deductive Reasoning

"'Squinching' Spider-Man," pg. 16

High-tech special effects and heavy-duty calculus work together to bring the Spider-Man ride to life at Universal Studios Florida's Island of Adventure.

Mathematics, Deductive Reasoning

"Now Playing at a Theater Near You," pg. 18

The modern movie theater uses technology to enhance the viewer's experience. Stadium seating, digital sound systems, and trivia games built into the armrests are among the latest options for moviegoers. A sidebar (pg. 19) explains developments in projection techniques, while a companion piece (pg. 20) explores the advantages of home theater systems.

Applications, Vocabulary

"I, Robot" (Activity to Discover), pg. 21

This activity explains the science of bionics: creating machines that imitate living organisms. Using these directions (pg. 22), the reader can construct and operate an android arm.

Following Directions, Critical Thinking

"The Forest of Pixels," pg. 24

In this short story, a filmmaker generates a film using biological pixels. A crisis occurs when the interpretive hub of the program shuts the process down.

Vocabulary, Inductive Reasoning

"I Have Seen the Future, and It Is in 3-D!," pg. 28

IMAX 3-D, virtual reality, and holography bring depth to the viewing experience. A sidebar (p. 30) explores how 3-D got its start. Another sidebar (p. 31) examines how virtual reality works.

Process Analysis, Deductive Reasoning

"Great Movie - Bad Science!," pg. 32

Some of the most memorable scenes in special-effects movies are based on flawed science - from the sudden, massive floods of The Day After Tomorrow to the meteor shower in Armageddon. Exceptions appear in films such as Apollo 13, which stayed true to the laws of physics. A sidebar (pg. 35) exposes the truth behind some other flawed special effects.

Critical Thinking, Cause and Effect

"Feat of Clay" (Activity to Discover), pg. 36

Using a lexicon of movie terms, fill in the blanks in the story of Clay and Annie Mation's adventure.

Vocabulary, Context Clues

"A Spooky Sky" (What's Up & Planet Watch), pg. 40

The October sky offers many sky-gazing opportunities: a full moon, all five bright planets, and two meteor showers.

Following Directions, Observation

"Zoom into Astronomy: The Haunted Sky," pg. 42

Get to know two autumn constellations, Perseus and Hydra, and uncover their legendary secrets.

Observation, History

Think Tank: (Discussion Starters to Use Before Reading the Magazine):

1. Do you enjoy special-effects movies? In your opinion, are they better than films without computerized special effects? Why or why not? Are there older science fiction and adventure movies that are effective without high-tech tricks? If so, why?
2. What high-tech thrills can you predict for the future in movies? In television? In live theater? In music?

Classroom Syzygy: Talk, Connect, Assess

Pg. 4 - "Gollum: Techno-Magic!"

Talk It Over:

1. One movie reviewer suggested nominating Gollum for an Oscar as "Best Supporting Actor." Why? Was the Gollum character merely good special effects, or was more involved?
2. Members of teams working on special-effects movies have very specialized jobs. They may perform one small task within the massive project, never seeing the results of their efforts until the film is finished. Would you like working in that way? What problems might arise? How would you solve them?

Connections:

1. Photography/Art: How well can you read the emotions of a human face? Take photographs or make drawing of human facial expressions. Group the images into collections to identify what makes a face look happy, sad, or angry. In your library and on the Internet, find research reports to determine whether the experts agree with your judgments.
2. Creative Writing: In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gollum often argues with his alter ego, Smeagol. Without copying a scene from the film, write your own argument scene. Use scriptwriting format for your scene.
3. Graphic Communication: Reread the sidebar "The Render Wall" (pg. 7). Make a diagram or flow chart to explain the process of rendering. Test your graphic by asking someone who has not read the sidebar to explain what it shows.

Student Assessment:

1. In a brief essay, describe the main stages in the process of creating a CG character. Organize the stages in chronological order.
2. Create a PowerPoint presentation to explain one step in the creation of a CG character. Use clips from films or still photos from the Web to augment your presentation.

Pg. 32 - "Great Movie - Bad Science!"

Talk It Over:

1. Do movies need to be scientifically accurate? What is the harm in presenting bad science? What movies were wrong scientifically but highly entertaining? What movies were more entertaining because the science was accurate?
2. Science fiction often predicts real-life changes. What modern, real-life devices first appeared in science fiction stories, novels, or movies? What devices or ideas do you see in today's special-effects movies that you think might become real someday?

Connections:

1. Web or Library Research: Select one of the movies mentioned in the article and visit the "Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics" Web site. Review the film and do some research to identify the bad science in it. Present your findings to the class, either through a poster or through a "guided tour" of scenes from the movie.
2. Creative Writing: Write a parody of a "bad science" scene from a movie mentioned in the article. Write your parody to mimic the original, but make the science accurate. (For example, write a scene from the The Day After Tomorrow warning citizens that New York will flood in a few thousand years.) Remember that the goal of parody is to evoke a humorous effect.
3. science (Physics): Work the idea of this article in reverse. Begin with a specific law of physics. Once you understand that law, study movies and TV shows to see how they violate it. Make a poster to explain the law and expose its violators.

Student Assessment:

1. Select one of the movies mentioned in the article and present an award to the director for either good science or bad science. In your presentation, refer to specific scenes from the film and make clear why the science is notably good or bad. Present your award as a formal speech or an informational essay.
2. Consider the following statement: "Moviemakers should make movies as scientifically accurate as possible." Do you agree or disagree? Organize your thoughts and present them, either as a speech to persuade or as an opinion essay.

Far Out!: Moving Beyond the Magazine (and a sad tale in limerick. . .)

A director was looking for greenery

Large-Group Collaborative Project: Organize the class into four groups. Ask each team to research and present to the class the highlights in the history and development of special effects in the following categories: clay figure animation, traditional animation, virtual reality, and computer-generated images.

On the stage with his movie machinery.

Whole-Class Survey/Project: Develop a questionnaire to use in surveying people in your school about their favorite nonhuman characters in movies or television. (For simplicity's sake, omit characters that are merely people in costumes, e.g., Superman or Big Bird, from your survey.) Tally your findings and hold a "People's Choice" awards ceremony.

But with no C.G. clue,

One day he wore blue

Small-Group Activity: Work with a partner. First do some research to find out how filmmakers age their characters using makeup, masks, computer graphics, and animation. Then choose a favorite character from television or film and make a drawing or alter a photograph to show how the character might age. Explain how you altered the image and why your changes aged the person's appearance.

And disappeared into the scenery.

Community Connection: Call a local print shop or copy shop to find out who's an expert in computer graphics in your community. Then invite the expert to class to talk about techniques and applications.

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Updated: 8/20/08 10:56 am
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