Riding the Gimbals - Warner Brothers Stage 16

For 'The Perfect Storm' Director Wolfgang Petersen had the challenging task to orchestrate big-scale water tank effects 
of physical effects Supervisor John Frazier and ambitious computer generated background storm effects of visual effects 
supervisor Stefen Fangmeier (ILM) for a dynamic experience.
The ILM boys even had to develop new programs and software tools for the daunting task.
The crew of John Frazier built a six-axis computer controlled motion base gimbal in the watertank on Stage 16 at Warner Studios.
A slimed down full-size replica of the swordfishing boat 'Andrea Gail' was mounted on the gimbal in the tank.

Promotion photo shot in the water tank with painted backing. The boys stand on the full-size replica of the 'Andrea Gail'.

Warner Brothers Stage 16.
The 'Andrea Gail' replica mounted on the gimbal is waiting for the prominent storm.
'The Perfect Storm' Marine Coordinator Doug C.Merrifield found and bought the sister ship of the 'Andrea Gail', the 'Lady Grace'.
The construction crew turned the 'Lady Grace' into the 'Andrea Gail'.
The real swordfishing ship was used for all the live-action harbor and ocean scenes.
Director Wolfgang Petersen ('Outbreak', 'Air Force One') filming a live-action scene near Gloucester.
The pool was surrounded by large dump tanks, wavemakers, giant wind machines and nasty spray cannons are drenching the cast.
Director Wolfgang Petersen filming in the water tank on Stage 16.
The state-of-the-art gimbal of John Frazier allowed various quite realistic-looking movements of the 'Andrea Gail' replica.
It was actually possible to let the ship dancing on the waves.
Behind the hydraulically-powered motion base stands a complex technical effort.
It's a tricky thing to handle electronic devices placed over twenty feet deep in an underwater position.
Filming is hard work - Thousands of gallons of water were 'shot' onto the extremely wet set.
The 'Andrea Gail' replica surrounded by large bluescreens (matte area), erased in post-production and replaced with digital 
background images of the ILM Monster storm.
Wham! Dump tank waves are breaking on deck...
Mark Wahlberg and Skipper George Clooney in the worst storm ever...
Both have signed the contract (in very small print font) ...with no exit clause.
All the pool scenes are pretty well staged and carefully married with the CG storm.
An almost perfect seamless connection between pool water and a digital storm. These scenes have a great momentum.
A plaything of the waves.
Director Wolfgang Petersen discusses a scene with George Clooney. It seems as if Wolfgang had to take a hit by the spray cannon...
Captain Clooney - Director Wolfgang Petersen.
This looks like the bridge section of the Coast Guard Cutter 'Tamaroa', or is it the bridge of the 'Andrea Gail'?.
The 'Tamaroa' is a 3D ILM creation, except for a small bridge set built for some live-action filming.
Another ship riding the gimbal was the sailing ship 'Mistral'.

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