Decades before the film industry was regularly burning through VFX workers in making CGI magic, the effects minds at work on 1993's Free Willy were burning gun powder, using a rocket launcher to create the film's iconic final scene.
The tidbit comes from director Simon Wincer in a new interview with The Guardian. While he does admit to the outlet that "large mammals are easier to work with than many actors," the director and crew faced a challenge in having the film's aquatic star, the male orca Keiko, leap over a breakwater to freedom.
"I remember saying to my agent: 'If I can deliver the finale — where the whale leaps to freedom — we've got a movie,'" Wincer reflected, adding, "We had so many meetings about how the hell we were going to do it."
Breaking down their chosen method, Wincer continued, "It was the early days of CGI so we shot at high tide in a small harbour — and literally built a rocket launcher with an animatronic whale on it. It would fly out of the water and come to a stop then CGI would take over.
"Like any pivotal movie moment, it was sound, emotion and picture coming together to lift you to your feet."
Sure, we're betting the animatronic whale rocket rig didn't resemble the RPG-toting killer whale above, but what the "pivotal" scene went on to inspire is something to marvel.
Lori Petty, who played trainer Rae Lindley in the film, shared with The Guardian, "Free Willy made people aware that whales don't belong in tiny pools. They belong in the ocean — and the film incentivized children. They sent in their piggy bank money to free him. The highlight of the film is when he escapes. It was beautiful."
The tidbit comes from director Simon Wincer in a new interview with The Guardian. While he does admit to the outlet that "large mammals are easier to work with than many actors," the director and crew faced a challenge in having the film's aquatic star, the male orca Keiko, leap over a breakwater to freedom.
"I remember saying to my agent: 'If I can deliver the finale — where the whale leaps to freedom — we've got a movie,'" Wincer reflected, adding, "We had so many meetings about how the hell we were going to do it."
Breaking down their chosen method, Wincer continued, "It was the early days of CGI so we shot at high tide in a small harbour — and literally built a rocket launcher with an animatronic whale on it. It would fly out of the water and come to a stop then CGI would take over.
"Like any pivotal movie moment, it was sound, emotion and picture coming together to lift you to your feet."
Sure, we're betting the animatronic whale rocket rig didn't resemble the RPG-toting killer whale above, but what the "pivotal" scene went on to inspire is something to marvel.
Lori Petty, who played trainer Rae Lindley in the film, shared with The Guardian, "Free Willy made people aware that whales don't belong in tiny pools. They belong in the ocean — and the film incentivized children. They sent in their piggy bank money to free him. The highlight of the film is when he escapes. It was beautiful."