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» Forum Index » Straight photography and off-topic » Topic: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.

Posted on 29/01/19 2:32:32 PM
DavidMac
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Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
Gordon's animation instantly put me in mind of this. It's been around a long while so I expect you've probably all seen it - but if not, it's fun and fascinating. Steve if by any remote chance you missed this before you're going to love it. The perfect Steve machine!!

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Posted on 29/01/19 3:08:50 PM
GKB
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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
I remember seeing this some time ago and am just as fascinated by it now as I was then. the intro suggest that it was made with bits of tractors etc but this is definitely cgi.

Not too sure that she who must be obeyed has the patience to let me spend the time doing something like this when there is painting to be done, grass to be cut ..... etc

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Posted on 29/01/19 8:20:55 PM
DavidMac
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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
"the intro suggest that it was made with bits of tractors etc but this is definitely cgi."

You are the first person I have ever come across who has questioned whether this is real or not. Every post I have every seen of this machine presents it as real. Bits of irrigation equipment I think mostly. I don't think for a second it is CGI. If it was CGI it would be far more perfect!

That being said you could always be right .... even if I don't think so personally. One to research more deeply maybe ...... ?

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The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......

Posted on 29/01/19 9:19:55 PM
GKB
Magical Montagist
Posts: 3703

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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
Hi David

Sorry to disappoint but it is actually cgi. The ‘fact’ of it being an actual machine made from tractor parts is a hoax. The animation was created by a company called ANIMUSIC and featured at SIGGRAPH back in 2001.

Follow this link and scroll down to #5 entitled ‘Pipe Dreams’

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animusic

This link takes you to the YouTube page where the video has the ANIMUSIC logo

http://youtu.be/hyCIpKAIFyo


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Posted on 30/01/19 09:15:04 AM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4902

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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
Well I'll be damned. I would never have guessed!! Thank you for the education - even if it is a disappointment. I would have really liked it to be real.

The second link you sent me is the first time I have seen it in decent quality. The CGI signs are there to be seen once you know. I had never seen this before in anything but the very poor quality I posted here. Something about the rough home made handicam looking quality made it seem all the more real. Why go to all the work of animating something in such poor quality? Well ...... copied and re-copied, posted and re-posted ....... I should have realised.

Seems in my case they get the Penn & Teller "Fooled Us" trophy.

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The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......

Posted on 30/01/19 09:55:10 AM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4902

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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
The funny thing is I suspect the scam has made it more popular.

As an animation it becomes just another 'made by computer' thingy. Real it would be truly wondrous. People like to believe this kind of thing.

Now I know, I have discovered a number of their 'instruments' of varying kinds.

However, unless it's a very clever fake or green screen onlookers added to an animation, it seems someone did build it for real. Sadly not as funky as the animation.

And finally, please don't tell me this wondrous fantasy is animation too!

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The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......

Posted on 30/01/19 1:05:44 PM
Steve Caplin
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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
You can tell it's not real by the camera movements, which are too smooth and too integrated (especially the flyover towards the end). Splendid, nonetheless.

Posted on 31/01/19 5:24:36 PM
DavidMac
Director of Photoshop
Posts: 4902

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Re: Apropos Gordon's Toccata - Especially for Steve.
Well yes and no. It could be easily done on a motion control rig which could equally easily be cued to the music. I have done lots of stuff like that myself. I presumed this to be the case here. But if had given even a bit of thought I should have realised the chances of a supposed 'university project' having access to something as costly as motion control is small.

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The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it .......
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