Puppeteering Project Hail Mary

Puppeteering Project Hail Mary

When I interviewed Andy Weir in 2021 about his novel Project Hail Mary, he told me that the movie adaptation was already being planned starring Ryan Gosling. The big question was how would they bring the alien character of Rocky to life. Would they use CGI or practical effects? Now that the film is in theaters, we have the answer. While there is some use of digital effects, Rocky is mostly performed by the puppeteer James Ortiz. James has a deep background in theater but he had never worked on a film before, let alone a sci-fi blockbuster. I talked with James about the delicate balance of operating an incredibly sophisticated five-legged puppet while giving Rocky a distinct personality and building a rapport with Ryan Gosling, who relies heavily on improvisation. This episode is sponsored by IngramSpark and Audible. Get 15% off your first order of 15 more books at IngramSpark using the code IMAGINARY15. This offer expires at the end of the year. Listen to the audiobook of Project Hail Mary at Audible.com/hailmary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(304)

Han Shot Solo

Han Shot Solo

In 1997, the Star Wars trilogy was re-released in theaters. Longtime fans were excited to see the new digital effects, while younger fans couldn't wait to experience Star Wars on the big screen. But G...

16 Des 201518min

Slave Leia

Slave Leia

The gold metal bikini that Princess Leia wears in Return of the Jedi has become the dominant image of her from action figures to Cosplay. But the context of that costume -- being a sex slave for a gia...

2 Des 201519min

Empire vs Rebels

Empire vs Rebels

The epic battle between the Evil Empire and the Rebel Alliance has become a metaphor we love to use in sports and politics. But what happens when you realize that you're the Empire in someone else's s...

18 Nov 201522min

1977

1977

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire... Before those words crawled up movie screen screen in May 19...

4 Nov 201525min

Great Scott! It's The Future!

Great Scott! It's The Future!

In this bonus episode of Imaginary Worlds, I look at how Back to the Future Part II might have been a better movie if it took place in our 2015 -- yes, the one without flying cars. Learn more about yo...

21 Okt 20156min

First Contact

First Contact

They arrive out of nowhere in shockingly large ships, brandishing weapons we've never seen, offering false promises of peace when they really want our land, our resources and our labor. The alien inva...

20 Okt 201514min

The Truth Is Out There

The Truth Is Out There

FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are reopening The X-Files in January. And the Internet couldn't be more excited. Every casting update, every on-set photos has sparked a dozen tweets or blog post...

7 Okt 201521min

Rolling the Twenty Sided Dice

Rolling the Twenty Sided Dice

I spent the last two months learning how to play Dungeons & Dragons. That's right, I never played as a kid. But I've been reading so many interviews with interesting creative people who credit D&D wit...

23 Sep 201532min

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