Welcome to PAINTED SKIES, a season showcasing and celebrating artificial backgrounds in film. Although matte paintings and backdrops may seem antiquated techniques, their recent use in films like BARBIE, BEAU IS AFRAID and ASTEROID CITY demonstrate an appetite for these explicitly fake worlds.
These paintings and other VFX tricks were designed as invisible cost-cutting measures - ways of "filming the impossible" while remaining inside - but the skill and style of these VFX become an art of their own. Some push past the 'Naturalism' of the form into an 'Impressionistic' alternative to reality. BARBIE's director Greta Gerwig discussed her affection for the "authentically artificial" skyline of THE WIZARD OF OZ (full interview here).
These charming techniques reveal the method of making the horizon tangible. It's the 'reality' of these effects - no matter how obviously fake they are - that renders them so satisfying. Their creative labour pushes past the boundaries of the canvas, even if by sometimes painting directly onto it.
Discussion about VR, AI and Immersive Worlds remind us for the instinct towards escapism, changing the environment around us to emerge somewhere else. But the artwork showcased here reminds us of the labour behind these alternate worlds, and that recognising the handmade craft invested in their creation does not diminish but only enhances their appreciation.
Alongside screenings showcasing such films, this website will allow post regular SPOTLIGHTS on the often neglected art of Matte Painting. While films are often conceived of as a singular vision, such showcases will hopefully demonstrate the collaborative talent involved behind-the-scenes and artists often pushed into the background. Although records remain incomplete about matte painters - particularly from earlier eras - hopefully these posts will shine a light onto worlds and skies rarely appreciated for what they are.
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