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  • Oppenheimer’s non-CGI nuclear bomb explosion sequence requires real-life science experimentation -TGN

Oppenheimer’s non-CGI nuclear bomb explosion sequence requires real-life science experimentation -TGN

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  • Oppenheimer’s production used real-life science experiments to recreate the explosion sequence of the Trinity test without CGI. Tricks such as dropping silver particles into powered aquariums and illuminated metal balloons were used.

  • Scanning the IMAX film for VFX reduced the resolution, so the emphasis was placed on capturing everything in-camera. They also experimented with different techniques such as slow shutter speeds and color manipulation.

  • The Trinity Test sequence also used miniature models overseen by Christopher Nolan, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, special effects supervisor Scott Fisher, and visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson.

Oppenheimer cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema reveals the types of real-life science experiments the production used to extract the detonation sequence of the explosive nuclear bomb from the film. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer describes the life and career of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. Played in the film by Cillian Murphy, he was one of the key figures in the creation of the first atomic bomb, the power of which was first demonstrated during the 1945 Trinity Test, as depicted in the film.

Oppenheimer‘s Trinity test is being recreated without CGI, and Hoytema, a frequent Nolan collaborator, now tells Variety how the production came up with the sequence. The cinematographer explains that he worked closely with Nolan, special effects supervisor Scott Fisher, and visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson to conduct a variety of interesting science experiments to capture the explosion and reactions on camera at the atomic level. Watch Hoytema’s full response below:

“Obviously we couldn’t make an explosion the size of the actual explosion, so we used trickery. We’re suckers for this absolute depth of resolution that IMAX gives us. But when you go to VFX, you have to scan it, and the moment you do, it loses half its resolution. We made scientific experiments. We built aquariums with electricity in them. We dropped silver particles into it. We had cast metal balloons lit from the inside. We had things that banged and banged together, like ping pong balls, or just objects that spun around.

“We had slow shutter speeds, fast shutter speeds, wide negative colors, negative overexposure, underexposure. It was like a giant playground for all of us. The Trinity Test was something that came together and was paved from the miniatures of that science experiment, under the guidance of Chris and my guidance, that we slowly pushed in certain directions to serve specific functions in these sequences.

How Oppenheimer’s Trinity Test Was Filmed

Rather than merely depicting the Trinity Test as a nuclear bomb explosion captured in a wide shot, OppenheimerThe weapon’s big explosion also uses representations of what is actually happening inside the weapon at the atomic level. It’s for shots like this that Nolan, Hoytema, Fisher, and Jackson had to get creative, with their science experiments involving ultra-close-ups of ping pong balls, metal balloons, and other items combined with camera tricks.

Related: How Much of Oppenheimer Is Real vs. CGI

However, in addition to these atomic-level shots that appear throughout the film, the explosion itself is also shown Oppenheimer. Fisher has previously revealed that production for these shots relied heavily on miniatures. “We do them as big as possible, but we scale down so it’s manageable,” he told SYFYexplaining that they then placed the camera as close to the blast as possible to make it appear larger.

As for the actual explosive elements, Jackson used a combination of gasoline, propane, aluminum powder, black powder, and magnesium flares. To continue Oppenheimer‘s big explosion true to what a real atomic blast looks like, the production then layered frames of these miniature sequences on top of each other, creating walls of red, pluming flame. Although it sounds like it certainly would have been easier to create Oppenheimer‘s atomic explosion using CGI, the film proves that Nolan’s adherence to practical filmmaking is worth it to audiences.

Source: Variety