Cregger says some Resident Evil visual effects started as Shane Mahan's practical builds
Director Zach Cregger told Bloody Disgusting, ahead of the film's September 18 release, that some effects that ended up as visual effects began as practical builds by Shane Mahan. He also described a puppet he put at about 2,000 pounds.
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A director's recollection rather than a production record: it says some effects began as practical builds and names one large puppet, but not how much of the film's effects work was practical.
Zach Cregger told Bloody Disgusting, ahead of the film’s September 18 release, that some of Resident Evil’s effects that ended up as visual effects began as practical builds by Shane Mahan. They were filmed first, he said, with visual effects then used to help with the animation. Bloody Disgusting credits Legacy Effects and Mahan as the film’s creature designer.
Separately, Cregger described one puppet that he put at “like 2,000 lbs” and said took four people to operate. He said it was built in Los Angeles and shipped in pieces to Prague, where the film shot. Working with it, he said, “was a treat because you’re acting with the thing.”
Dread Central reported on September 28 that Cregger told Collider about a creature it says featured prominently in the trailer. Dread Central says it came from Legacy Effects, with Cregger singling out Mahan, and quotes him saying the rats were digital while “the man and the breathing” were real. It also quotes him on a puppet of the same weight and crew size, and does not say whether it is the one Cregger described to Bloody Disgusting.
Chain of custody — sources
- Bloody Disgusting
Resident Evil is going big on practical monsters from SFX legend
Primary - Nintendo Wire
Resident Evil movie has a huge, 2,000-pound practical creature puppet made by an SFX icon
Secondary - Dread Central
Resident Evil monster was a 2,000-pound practical puppet
Secondary