==course no. 40 === 

Computer Graphics in the production of "FernGully: The Last Rainforest."

course level: intermediate / half
day offered: Tues - PM

Chair(s): Bill Kroyer - Kroyer Films, Inc.

==Lecturer(s)===  
Bill Kroyer
President, Kroyer Films, Inc.

Brian Schindler
Technical Director, Kroyer Films, Inc.

Mark Pompian
Senior Technical Director, Kroyer Films, Inc.

Steve Wright
Co-found and Exec VP of Technology
Sidley-Wright & Associates

==Course Description=== 
This course will illustrate the extensive and innovative applications of 
computer graphics in a major studio animated feature film.  Using slides, 
artwork, and both test and final film footage, speakers will discuss the use of 
wire frame character animation, plotter art, integrating hand-drawn art with 
3-D environments, computerized colorization of 2-D art, digital compositing 
and filming, etc.

==Who Should Attend=== 
Anyone interested in applying computer graphics technology to art, 
including Computer Graphics Software Designers, Technical Directors, 
Systems Engineers, ARt Directors, Animators, Producers, Directors, 
Illustrators, and Students.

==Recommended Background (Prerequisites)=== 
A basic understanding of both traditional animation production processes 
and terminology as well as computer graphics terminology would be useful 
for attendees.

==Course Objectives=== 
This course will illustrate the problems and potential of using computer 
graphics in areas of production that have long been the exclusive domain of 
hand-done art processes, and will emphasize the philosophical and practical 
issues involved in exploiting new technology without compromising artistic 
concepts.  FernGully, The Last Rainforest is a $22 million feature film that, 
from its conception, planned to utilize extensive computer technology to 
produce a "traditional" fully-animated cartoon film.  The unbreakable rule 
of production was to keep use of computers invisible within the design style 
of the film.  Computers were used: to build plants, animals, machinery, 
forest environments, and characters: to animate characters, props, and 
camera moves; to create special effects impossible to do by traditional 
methods; to colorize 2-D imagery; to digitally composite varied film 
elements for effects never seen in a cartoon film.

==Chair Biography=== 
Bill Kroyer is President of Kroyer Films, Inc.  He received an Academy 
Award nomination in 1988 for the animated short " Technological Threat".  
" Tron" , in 1982, marked his introduction to computerized image-making as 
the "computer image choreographer," directing the production of 15 minutes 
of high-resolution computer graphics.

He has directed " FernGully, The Last Rainforest" , a major theatrical feature 
film to be released by 20th Century Fox, Spring of 1992 and directed the 
animated title sequences for such films as " Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", 
"Troop Beverly Hills" , and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" .