by G. E. Uke, Reporter

As the summer of 2023 draws to a close, I find myself looking back on its highlights. 2023 was a big year for a lot of people, and San Diego Comic-Con was no exception. A number of memorable movies came out this year, marking the beginning of several great series that I’m sure will entertain the public for years to come. 

But some things also end. I grew up watching Indiana Jones on my living room floor in the 80’s, and it holds a special place in my heart. So when I got the offer to interview several prominent members of the production staff of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at SDCC, I leapt at the chance. It is, after all, the last movie of its kind. And I’m very glad I did, because I learned some interesting things about the movie I’d never have known otherwise. 

According to visualization supervisor Stuart Alan, the guiding philosophy of Dial of Destiny was to use minimal CGI to prevent it from feeling too modern or artificial. They were trying to capture the old fashioned feel. The only green screen the artists used was in the beginning of the film when they were doing the mountain and forest backdrops for the train scene. The action sequences were animated by computer, using 3D software in a storyboard format. As these models rolled out, they were presented to production and evaluated a whole season before any shooting actually took place. This worked out because it saved time and money: the actors could see exactly what things were supposed to look like and behave accordingly. 

The visualization team did a great deal of remote work during COVID. Artistic productions always require a high level of communication, so perfecting the process of managing a team of artists remotely was a new experience. 

The Tuk Tuk chase was also an absolute bear to film. It was originally slated to take place in a city in India, and a significant portion of the chase was already planned and filmed before the decision was made to move in to Morocco. Everything had to be scrapped and redone, which prolonged the completion of the movie considerably. The variety and complexity of camera placement during the Tuk Tuk chase was the most difficult part, and the production team was particularly proud of it. 

Finally, and most interestingly, the casino scene in Morocco was not a set at all. It was an actual building they decorated and transformed, down to the last stick of furniture. There were moments when the camera passed by side rooms for a split second, and these were legitimate fully furnished rooms. I found that impressive. 

Looking at reviews of Dial of Destiny, I was surprised to see so many people condemn the movie as overly artificial. When one sets out to build upon a legacy that has been dormant for many years, it’s natural to run into purists for whom the paradigm is already cemented. But I found it to be a worthy conclusion for a great series of films, and knowing these things about the production makes it all the more satisfying in my eyes.

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