#Robocop & Amiga
20 messages in this thread
I seem to remeber that the representation of "nuke" on the video screen in
the drug lab was done on an Amiga. They digitized a ball of tin foil with
Digi-View and then did some colorization and smoothing out with digipaint
3. Someone correct me if I'm wrong…
Oh, I don't think you're wrong…I'm just saying the Amiga wasn't mentioned
in the end credits.
Steve
I also did not see the Amiga listed in the end credits. I was just trying
to add a little info to the conversation. No offense taken. I just
remembered the article in Info and couldnt remember exactly what they said
about the "NUKE" pic and its use. Later… Chris
Seeing as how I work for MicroSearch Computers in Houston and we are the
ones that did the Amiga graphics for RoboCop II (Well, Mike Ribble, one of
our employers did), let me jump in here and try to set things straight.
We were contacted by the producer of RoboCop II to provide computer
graphics for the film. We were told they had previously contacted CBM
directly for computer support and were turned down. This is why there is no
reference to Amiga or CBM in the credits. This is also why Apple is in the
credits. They provided machines and support for some of the graphics
(specifically the programming of RoboCop2).
However MicroSearch Computers and Mike Ribble are listed in the credits.
P.S. A lot of the graphics we did were left on the cutting room floor along
with the plot lines they referred to.
P.P.S. Early on the during the production we were told that the Amiga
graphics looked "too good" and not "computer" enough. So Mike had to reduce
the number of colors he was using, make them more garish and make the
graphics blockier. So go figure.
Greg
Greg White / MicroSearch 72230,1617 We listen to our customers..carefully
Greg,
Thanks for clearing that up! I was beginning to think that they *did*
leave you guys out of the credits….I'm glad you were credited!
Steve
CBM turned down providing support for Robocop II? That should go down with
other great decisions like the guys who make M&M's refusing to let them be
used on "E.T." (so Reese's Pieces were used instead).
<sigh>
Kevin,
Please mention that the people working on ET did ask for a LARGE
amount of money to have the products shown. (If I remember correctly is was
about $2-5 million). Now, if you could look into the future, it might
hoof been a good idea, but M&M/Mars did not want to put that much cash out
to something that was not a sure thing.
Rumor has it that CBM was going to provide Star Trek:The Next
Generation with machines early on, but Apple got their machines in
there…how?…the sold them to em. So, it is hard to always know whats
going on without the full story. (I just got finished with some wierd
negociations for a TV show…so I just wanted to put my 2 cents in..heheh)
Now, I wonder in RAID got into sponsoring with Arachnophobia (a new
movie out on July 18th….means Fear of Spiders…hehehe…going to see a
screening tonight.)
RAD Moose
"'o.o'"
(I just HATE spiders!)
/\/o.o\/\
RAD – I know that many times companies do pay large amounts for getting
their products shown on TV/movies, but I didn't know that was the case with
E.T. All I'd read was that Mars didn't want to have M&M's associated with
an "alien creature" movie <grin>, and refused.
Some of the computer props used on SF movies kill me too. How many times
have we seen C64's being used as "military keyboards"? Just the other
night I watched a B-grade "Alien" ripoff which used a TI-99 as the main
computer "keyboard"…. talk about cheap props!
Kevin,
Many companies are doing placements. If you look at pictures such
as Days of Thunder, Back To The Future I/II/II and even Penn & Teller Get
Killed…you see cans of soft drinks with the labels showing right to the
camera. The companies that own the label will pay from $0 (very rarely) to
$40-100,000 (or at least that is the range I hoof been seeing lately). I
just worked with a friend who does video games, and the movie wanted to
know if his game would like to be in the movie…only $10,000 for a 15sec
max shot. He instead is doing a specific game with the same basic design
for the movie, getting it placed free, getting name in credits and should
get upto 4 15 sec shots. (I am trying to get him to put a moose on the
screen. hehe) It should be released 1991-92. (Fun stuff, huh)
BTW, did you notice that all of the games in the arcade were Data
East..the license of the RoboCop video game. My guess is the payment was
just an exchange for use of the games..but I dont really
know.
RAD Moose
"'o.o'"
\_/
Rad – you might be interested to know that a NewTek person came to our
booth at the Chicago AmiExpo; we talked about a number of things, and your
name came up as NewTeks voice on CIS. This fellow told us you were "no
longer with the company". Care to comment?
Another example of a company turning down movie publicity is the late
American Moters of Kenosha car company turning down offers to be the
company appearing in the movie 'Gung Ho.' Lets hope the consequences of
CBMs mistake aren't as dire as they were for AMC!
Bri>
]] "Please mention that the people working on ET did ask for a LARGE amount
of money to have the products shown."
That is not true. I worked on a book about Spielberg around 1982, and was
told by Amblin's Cathy Switzer (Spielberg's assistant) at the time that
Universal wanted $20,000 for the product placement fee, plus tons of free
candy on the set. No more than that. M&M's stodgy mangement turned 'em
down–the dunces. They've kicked themselves ever since.
As to CBM's PR people: they've been awfully nice to me, through their
agency in Washington, D.C. Never called the company for press info,
though. Apple has a person working full-time in LA getting product
placement, and while (to my knowledge) they won't PAY to get stuff in
movies, they do provide free computers and software for several films and
TV shows. –MFW
Mark,
Thanks for the information on the M&M story… the information I
had was wrong then…but $20,000 is $20,000 and when you are on top, some
people don't see the wisdom on product placement fees.
My favorite product placement is still all of the Pepsi cans in
Marty McFly's bedroom in Back To The Future (part one). It is just so out
of place having just about all of the diet cola brands that PepsiCo
produced in one spot..hehehe
B C N U
RAD Moose
"'o.o'"
\_/
Greg,
I actually sat all the way thru the credits of RoboCop2 to see who
would get credit. Glad to see MicroSearch did get credit. (And for the
person who mentioned Digi-View and Digi-Paint3, I believe Mike used them
for his work on RoboCop2, as mentioned in a INFO magazine.) What I thought
was funny was the mention of Apple Computer, but with the typical Apple
Copyright notice, (Portions (C) 19xx by Apple Computer, Inc. or something
like that)…hehehe
I was told that the "trajectory" sequence at the beginning was done on a
MacII with ElectricImage (which was overkill.)
RAD Moose
NewTek,Inc.
"'o.o'"
I think Apple got a special credit in ROBO II because the title creature's
"interface" was modeled very closely on that of the Mac's finder, but with
a "Death Skull" in place of the Apple logo in the upper left. That shot
had me on the floor laughing, but just about nobody else in the audience
got it. 🙂 –MFW
I thought that was funny too… and I think you are right that no one got
it, since I saw RoboCop II with about 30 people total in the theater and
was the only one laughing when it showed up. But then again, it could hoof
been just about any GUI.
I wonder where the mouse interface plugs in?
"'o.o'"
I say the modified Finder also, and was rolling around on the floor. No
one else in the theater got the joke. Nice touch!
— Lord Zero
Greg,
I was HOPING someone like you would show up here!
I saw Robo II today and could not find Amiga graphics, and after reading
your message I now see why. You said that most wound up cut. Not all of it?
Which graphics were Amiga? I'd love to know. I thought perhaps some of
Robo's visor stuff may have been it, but I don't think so.
Do you know who did the animations of Cane's face (once he was in the
machine)? That was pretty intensive graphics. Pixar? ILM? I didn't see
anyone but you guys in the credits, but I'm a slow reader. <grin>
Glad you got the credit, though sorry we couldn't see it!
Karl
Karl,
I am not sure what exactly was Amiga graphics (I do know one shot
that was MacII), but it seemed to be many of the background monitor shots
when RoboCop was in the police station "work" area.
(My guess). The weird thing about Caine's face was that I thought I had
seen that animation before, but I can't remember where.
RAD Moose
"'o.o'"
\_/
Having not had a chance to see the movie yet myself, I am passing on this
stuff from the graphics designer.
There was one scene that shows the rotating particle of NUKE and early on
in the movie where RoboCop was computing a trajectory for firing was done
on the Amiga.
I don't have any info on the animation of Cane's face. I'll check it out.
Later, Greg
Greg White / MicroSearch 72230,1617
We listen to our customers..carefully