Register  |   Log In  |  
Sign up to our weekly newsletter    
Search   
Empire Magazine and iPad
Follow Me on Pinterest
Empire
Trending On Empire
Two free posters with Empire magazine
Subscribe: Get Dead Island: Riptide
Empire's Soundtrack Celebration
90 Years Of Warner Bros.
Your chance to win a Blu-ray every day!
Cannes Film Festival 2013
News, photos and more from the Croisette
Movie News

LATEST HEADLINES
TODAY
The Hangover Part III Premieres In London
A big welcome to the Wolfpack!
Star Trek Into Darkness Spoiler Podcast #2
Damon Lindelof and the rest of the writer/producers speak...
J.J. Abrams Picks New Star Wars' Costume Designer
Trek veteran Michael Kaplan gets the gig
We're The Millers Trailer Drives Up
Jason Sudeikis' drug smuggler needs a fake family...
Universal Wants to Reboot Timecop
But will Van Damme cameo for a Dammeo?
New Trailer For Grown Ups 2 Online
Nothing but a good time...
Stallone Talking To Seagal For Expendables 3
And confirms Wesley Snipes' casting. Again.
More Movie News

RELATED NEWS
31 January 2012
Joel Silver's Ben 10 Finds A Writer
Albert Torres gets the gig
More Movie News

RELATED REVIEWS
Speed Racer (2008)
Empire Star Rating
More new cinemas releases
DVD & Blu-ray releases

Emile Hirsch Talks Speed Racer
It's going to be all green screen

22 November 2007  |  Written by Olly Richards  


Maybe we were left out of a memo somewhere, but until we spoke to Emile Hirsch recently we were under the impression that Speed Racer, the Wachowski brothers' adaptation of the cult cartoon about a boy who wants to be the best racing driver in the world, was going to using green screen elements for its reportedly groundbreaking racing sequences, but using old fashioned sets and props for much of the rest of movie. We'd heard rumours that much of it would be filled in later (John Mathieson, who was Director of Photography on Gladiator, apparently turned down the chance to shoot this because of the glut of green), but no concrete confirmation that it was taking the full 300 approach.

"Nope, it's all green screen," Hirsch told us. "There were no sets, just us and the green background. I haven't seen anything of it finished yet, there was a lot of trust [in the Wachowskis] involved. It's going to be crazy. Was the monkey real? Yes."

So, what does this mean for the look of Speed Racer? Are the brothers going to try to stylize this to look just like the cartoon – though presumably without the characters mouths continuing to move after they've finished speaking?



Have Your Say
To comment on this, and all articles, register for free or login now.

World Exclusive: The New Wall-E Trailer
This kicks shiny metal butt!
Christensen Talks Beast Of Bataan
Exclusive: Vader on his WWII movie

Your Comments

RE:
L: Adrian we know for a fact that all car chases in the Bourne movies were done for real. and so actual cars were actually driven. and yet, from th sound of things... in this, a film which is much more focused on that element, none will. no vehicle in this will even have to be a driveable model. they'll just be trussed up on gimbal or something like the fantasticar in Fantastic 4 2.here was valid reason for doing it with that. not averse to green screen by any means, but in this c More

Posted by adambatman82 at 21:45 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post

RE:
L: CameronJames Awh common, yeah green screen movies are a nice novelty, but for the love of god, does every action movie have to do this now sp; what action film, aside from 300 is completely green screen? beowulf doesnt count because its motion capture, not normal actors. i think this could be really good. More

Posted by adambatman82 at 21:42 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post

we know for a fact that all car chases in the Bourne movies were done for real. and so actual cars were actually driven. and yet, from th sound of things... in this, a film which is much more focused on that element, none will. no vehicle in this will even have to be a driveable model. they'll just be trussed up on gimbal or something like the fantasticar in Fantastic 4 2. only there was valid reason for doing it with that. I'm not averse to green screen by any means, but in this case.. More

Posted by Adrian at 18:11 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post

Not every film, but it sure does help the budget. It's interesting though when filmmakers do experiment with this technique: this is the Wachowski's turn. But I do feel this should be an exception rather than the norm, but let's face, animation and live action are just distinctions now, not genres. More

Posted by doctorolorinbats1975 at 17:29 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post

Awh common, yeah green screen movies are a nice novelty, but for the love of god, does every action movie have to do this now More

Posted by CameronJames at 17:21 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post

I am really looking forward to seeing the look of this one. More

Posted by doctorolorinbats1975 at 17:18 on 22 November 2007 | Report This Post


CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS
Empire's Great Gatsby Video Interviews
Leonardo DiCaprio! Carey Mulligan! Tobey Maguire! Baz Luhrmann!

Cannes Film Festival Videblogisode #3
Featuring Justin Timberlake, Marion Cotillard, Clive Owen and Carey Mulligan!

The Biggest Doctor Who Jaw-Droppers
The Time Lord's biggest surprises over 50 years of TV

Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch: A Beginner's Guide To The Avengers 2 Newcomers
Your primer on the brother and sister joining the A-team

Clint Mansell On Making Requiem For A Dream
'Darren had to edit at night because he could get access to the studio for free then.'

Arrested Development Video Interviews
Say hello to Jeffrey Tambor, David Cross, Tony Hale, Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat

Empire's Favourite Music Moments
From The Pixies to Burt Bacharach via Audioslave

Subscribe For Only £20
Get Dead Island: Riptide and six issues of Empire for only £20! Subscribe now
Steven Spielberg iPad App
Hollywood's most beloved director in this unique iPad special. Download now
Empire iPad Edition
The world's biggest movie magazine available on iPad Download now
Home  |  News  |  Blogs  |  Reviews  |  Future Films  |  Features  |  Interviews  |  Images  |  Competitions  |  Forum  |  iPad  |  Podcast  |  Magazine Contact Us  |  Empire FAQ  |  Subscribe To Empire  |  Register
© Bauer Consumer Media  |  Terms And Conditions  |  Our Data Promise To You  |  Bauer Entertainment Network
Bauer Consumer Media. Company number 1176085 (England). Registered Office: 21 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DY