Can't see it coz there is no Space Jockey in these shots.
It's a human in a suit.
Quote from: ThisBethesdaSea on Dec 12, 2011, 05:13:48 PM
Ah...I don't know about all that
Spaceships entering atmosphere twice. - could be a model (ridley still loves his models)
Digital mates of environnement. - They were on location in many places, so this isn't holding up
The 3D holographic Earth map. - yes
Sandstorm.- maybe
The Engineer's ship. - a model perhaps
The Exploding in flight Engineer's ship - another model maybe
The Crashing Engineer's ship - see above
Doubt they used models for the entering atmosphere shots.
Maybe for the landed ship shots but even that i doubt it.
Ships and vehicules are the things that do work in CGI
Even if they shot on location, those shots have probably been enhanced by digital mates to make them more otherworldy.
Sandstorm is clearly animated.
As for the crashing and exploding ship they also look animated to me.
First because of the angles and the way debris and particles are flying around.
Maybe like the enhanced location thes shots are a mix of different techniques but if you check previous making of recent Ridley movies he embraced the CGI for vehicules, sets, crashing explosion and such...
Mostly for the wide and epic shots.
Keeping always a small portion of the set actually build so the actor can act toward something.
Scott is just carefull to not overuse it especially when there is interraction with actors or when it needs to be organic and lifelike.
The creatures in the movie will be probably suit and animatronics for all the close up shots but when they will be in action or wider angle i have no doubt he will use cgi doubles.