Tron

Computerworld has a great interview with visual fx guru John Knoll, on the film “Tron” and its impact on the field of special effects (particularly CGI) over the last 25 years! Knoll is an ILM veteran, and also one of the original developers of Photoshop!

“Tron” was a very big influence for me, and even though the look of it might seem clunky or crude compared to todays virtual worlds, they all owe something to it.

I’ve been in visual effects for 10 years now, and I’m amazed how much its changed in just that time. The tools just keep getting better, but I can’t wait for holographic/immersive-type interfaces. Imagine sculpting your 3D world with your hands?

Alas, those will probably toys be for our kids or grandkids to play with. Or maybe Ray Kurzweil is right and those days will come along sooner than we think… See, for instance, this handy gadget.