Cataclysmic Annihilation via iPad in Noah: An Epic Water Production
Summary
In the production of the biblical epic Noah, the filmmakers required a significant amount of rain and water. The team constructed a massive light and rain rig hanging from three 300-ton cranes, which were controlled using a specially developed iPad app. The entire system rained out approximately 5,000 gallons of water from a hundred large rain bars and mist sprinklers by using two distinct rain sprinklers – one that produced big droplets known as the goose drowne and another small mist sprinkler. The script was filmed at night using the iPad to backlight the rain as front light snow, providing an outdoor set with rain effects covering two football fields’ size.
Table of Contents:
- The Challenge of Filming Rain and Water Effects
- Filming Night Scenes to Control Rain Effects on Camera
- Building a Light and Rain Rig Using 300-Tonne Cranes
- Controlling the Rain and Water Using an iPad App
The Challenge of Filming Rain and Water Effects
What are the difficulties of filming rain and water effects?
In terms of manhandling water and rain over a crowd of people, what made Noah one of the largest of its type ever done?
What is the adage for filming special effects?
Filming Night Scenes to Control Rain Effects on Camera
Why was the team required to shoot at night?
What was the significance of backlighting the rain?
What are the benefits of front light snow, and what is the reason behind this lighting technique?
Building a Light and Rain Rig Using 300-Tonne Cranes
How was the entire system designed?
What were the specifications of the massive rain bars?
What were the sizes of the balloon space lights?
Controlling the Rain and Water Using an iPad App
What was the role of the iPad app in controlling the rain and water effects in Noah?
How did the app help the team to achieve the desired backdrop lighting?
What other features did the app provide to control the large-scale water production?
Conclusion:
The production of biblical epic Noah required massive rain and water effects to simulate a catastrophic flood. However, producing such effects on camera is challenging; thus, the team employed a unique approach to manipulate rain and water using a specially designed iPad app. The app allowed the team to backlight the rain as front light snow and simulate a massive water deluge digitally added by IL. The result was spectacular, contributing to the movie’s quality and achieving a level of authenticity that is both thrilling and captivating.
