Fantastic Reality: The Magic and Mystery of Movie Matte Painting
by Andre Soares
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences‘ Science and Technology Council will showcase the art of matte painting on Monday, December 10, at 8 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.
As per the Academy’s press release, "Fantastic Reality: The Magic and Mystery of Movie Matte Painting," hosted by Oscar nominee and Academy Visual Effects Branch governor Craig Barron, "will explore the long history of the traditional method of creating ‘virtual sets,’ in which oil paints are brushed and daubed onto a few square feet of glass or wood to be composited later with live action footage. The recent transition into the new frontiers of software and pixels will also be examined."
In conjunction with "Fantastic Reality," the Academy will open the new exhibition "Playing God: The Art and Artists of Matte Painting" in the foyer of the Linwood Dunn Theater. The exhibition will profile the life and work of Peter Ellenshaw, Albert Whitlock, Matthew Yuricich, and others, with displays of their "tools of the trade," including several of the matte paintings created for such films as The Wizard of Oz (1939), Forbidden Planet (above, 1956), Spartacus (1960), and The Birds (1963).
Tickets to "Fantastic Reality"are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets are available for purchase by mail, at the Academy box office, or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 7 p.m. All seating is unreserved.
"Playing God" is open during Academy events at the Dunn Theater only. No ticket purchase is required. Admission is free.
The Linwood Dunn Theater is located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood. For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call (310) 247-3600.
Photos: Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library
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