There’s only one “real” shot in the new CGI version of The Lion King. Did you spot it? Well, if you didn’t, film director Jon Favreau gave everyone a hint on Twitter this weekend.
Of the 1490 “rendered shots created by animators and CG artists”, Favreau tweets, “I slipped in one single shot that we actually photographed in Africa to see if anyone would notice”.
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And that scene is the very first scene of the movie.
This is the only real shot in #TheLionKing. There are 1490 rendered shots created by animators and CG artists. I slipped in one single shot that we actually photographed in Africa to see if anyone would notice. It is the first shot of the movie that begins The Circle of Life. pic.twitter.com/CO0spSyCv4
— Jon Favreau (@Jon_Favreau) July 26, 2019
Yep, when you were all singing aloud to “Circle of Life” this was the only non-rendered, real life capture of Africa in a movie made using computers.
And that’s not a slight at the latter either. It’s testament to the power of technology, and perhaps the genius of the creative directors of this movie, that we barely even noticed.
Since its debut, The Lion King has been making huge waves globally, racking up half a billion dollars, and claiming the third biggest ever opening locally.
It’s likely to continue gathering cash as the sun rises and sets on the continent’s grasslands.
Feature image: Disney Enterprises
