As the Oscars quickly approach, one film has been predicted to take home the lion’s share of the awards. With its stunning cinematography and captivating storyline, the Sandra Bullock/George Clooney hit, Gravity, has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, along with American Hustle. Behind the scenes of the film that’s captured the hearts of so many viewers was 3DPI’s favorite technology.
Thanks to the quick turnaround time of rapid prototyping, movie makers can rely on the technology to produce props fast. On the set of Gravity, the filmmakers relied on 3D Systems’ Quickparts on-demand printing service, specifically the company’s UK division (formerly British rapid prototyping firm, CRDM). After receiving the CAD data, Quickparts was able to print the film’s helmet props using 3D Systems’ SLS 3D printing technology and get them to the set in just a few days. Utilizing one of the key benefits of 3D printing, the helmets were perfectly fit for the actors’ heads. All of the white portions of the helmets were actually 3D printed! Take a look below:
Nick Lewis, General Manger at Quickparts UK, relayed, “It was a straightforward and satisfying job. We love showing customers how usable and strong these parts are, straight out of the machine.” This, of course, isn’t the first time that 3D printing has been used in film making (see The Wolf of Wall Street, Pacific Rim, and Paranorman), but it is the first time that the technology was featured in a film nominated for so many Oscars.
Source: 3D Systems
