TERROR IN TEXAS - DONNER'S SCENE RECREATED:

The second version is a complete recreation of the missing Donner scene, achieved by a combination of new live-action footage, and motion capture technology.

The opening parts of the scene, where the Texas Rangers are parked behind a billboard in their car, and ignore a speeding driver, could be filmed easily enough.

Examples:

For all the wide shots featuring Zod, Ursa and Non, look-alike stand-ins could be filmed in-costume. For close-up shots, motion capture tracer points could be attached to the stand-ins' faces, and the scenes filmed in front of a green screen.

The tracer dots could then be scanned into a computer, to create an exact simulation of the stand-in's facial movements.




A 3D computer model of the character's face would then have to be created. Like this one from the new version of King Kong.



Luckily, the original life casts taken by Stuart Freeborn of the faces of Terence Stamp, Jack O'Halloran, and Sarah Douglas in 1977 still exist, along with a face cast of Christopher Reeve.








So it may be possible that these life casts could be scanned to build-up an accurate computer-generated likeness of each of the characters' faces. These could also be used to create entirely CG 'Synthespian' versions of the characters, for inclusion in the later Metropolis battle scenes. Similar to the fully CG shots of Obi-Wan Kenobi, for example, seen in the Star Wars prequels:


Computer models:


Final rendition:


They would then need to combine all of these elements into a final shot.

Green screen photographed stand-in, with tracer markers:

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Computer generated composited face:

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Background plate:

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Final composite:

Then dub the scene with new voiceovers for Zod and Ursa, provided by Terence Stamp and Sarah Douglas.


An explanation of the basic techniques involved here, with video footage, can be seen on the Virtual History website.

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/virtualhistory/_pages/making_of/believeable_faces.shtml

In addition, some shots from the Sheriff scene could be rotoscoped, and incorporated into the new scene.

Zod walking towards the car. Non walking up to the car, about to crush the roof in, etc.

392-393 - AS SHOT BY DONNER

- Fortress of Solitude

Example:


Example (Lester footage):

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