Shot 15: South Metope 30 Returned to the Parthenon

The final sequence is a continuous shot with five cross-dissolves between the sculptures in the museum and their original locations on the Parthenon, made possible by having three-dimensional models available for all of these elements.

The sculptures of the metopes, frieze, and pediments, were all scanned from casts during the Basel Sculperhalle scanning trip. The critical challenge of this shot was matching the textures and lighting of the sculptures with their new environments on the Parthenon and in the British Museum. Since the Basel casts were all made of plaster, their texture had no correlation to what the sculptures should look like either on the Parthenon or in the British museum.

Trying to depict the sculptures back on the Parthenon presents a unique problem, as no photographic record still exists of what the sculpture surface should have looked like two hundred years ago. Furthermore, any remaining sculptures on the Parthenon have since been weathered and marked by weather and pollution. The coloring of sculptures in the British museum have also changed as they underwent a drastic and controversial cleaning in the 1930s, so we can not use an unlit version of the British textures. Our solution was to choose a generic marble texture based on existing marble samples at the Parthenon.

The south east colonnade shown in this shot was high enough up so even the highest resolution scans did not have the desired detail for producing a close-up rendering. Instead we used the Facade modelling system (link) to model this section of the Parthenon from photographs. The photographs were then projected onto the model and provided baked-in lighting and texture. To maintain illumination consistency we used a simultaneous light probe from Athens to light the metope and provide the sky background.

Previsialization of the shot: This image shows an early playblast previsualization of the shot. The metope is placed back on decimated scan geometry of shot. The geometry shown here represents only 2% resolution geometry; however even at full resolution there were significant occlusions and noise in the scans. In the final verson, we used photometric modeling techniqes to provide clean geometry.

Source photograph: In order to create reasonable textures for the colonnade, we had to combine multiple photographs. This photograph is one of two images taken with the Canon 1ds camera using a 50mm lens. Additional high-frequency detail was superimposed from a Canon d30 camera using a 200mm lens. The lines shown, represent the projected geometry blocks generated by photometric modelling.

Projected texture:. The UV coordinates for the collonade were applied using Maya. This shows the final blended texture.

Shot 17: East Pediments to East Frieze Parthenon Flyby

As we transition back to the Parthenon, we also travel back in time. This is one theory as to what the Parthenon would have looked like over 200 years ago, before Lord Elgin cut down the Pediments and the East frieze.

The outer facade texture is based unlit textures described in Sequence 2. Since the frieze and inner colonnade required reconstruction, we painted the sections to match the surviving architecture.

Previsialization of the shot: This image shows an early previsualization of the shot. The inner colonnade was modelled in Maya based on architectural diagrams drawn my Manolis Korres, professor of architecture and engineering at the National Technical University of Athens.

Lighting 18th century Athens: While in Athens a high-resolution panorama was taken of the surrounding city. However the Athens of today, has changed greatly from that of two hundred years ago. Using HDRShop 2.0 and Photoshop we were able to digitally paint out smog and urban sprawl to try to depict Athens of the 18th century. This panorama was used as a background and lighting environment for this shot.

Shot 18: Duveen Gallery, East Frieze to West Frieze Pan

This shot pans across the Duveen gallery from the east frieze to where the north frieze meets the west. This shot illustrates the challenges faced in animating a camera path that seamlessly travels between the Parthenon and the Duveen gallery.

The arrangement of the sculptures in the British Museum is far different from how they were originally positioned on the Parthenon. The original frieze formed a 524 foot continuous loop decorating the outer wall of the Parthenon cella. Of this a total of 420 feet of survive. In London, the loop faces inwards and is split in two to fit the two main parallel walls. One enters the gallery facing the east frieze, which is centered on the opposite wall. The north and south friezes are both broken into two portions on either wall of the gallery. The west frieze suffered the least damage in the 1687 Parthenon explosion and remained in Athens as Lord Elgin took only casts.

This film chose to highlight some of best preserved sections.

Previsialization of the shot: This image shows an early playblast previsualization of the shot.

Shot 19: 432 BC Parthenon Flythru

In this transition, the coloration of the frieze is restored to its conjectured painted coloration based on archaeological reconstructions, and the Parthenon is seen amongst its neighboring buildings on the ancient Acropolis.

This scene was modeled in Maya based on archaeological diagrams by Professor Manolis Korres, and checked against our laser scan data set of the modern parthenon. Still it is impossible to know with certainty how the Parthenon appeared in its original glory in 432 BC. The model of the west pediment is based on the reconstruction in the Acropolis museum. .

As we pull away from the Parthenon, we pass over the several other temples of the classical Acropolis. On the right is the Chalkotheke, which served as the Athenian treasury. Beyond this is the Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia, and finally the Propylaia entrance temple.

Previsialization of the shot: This image shows an early playblast previsualization of the shot

Sculpture layout: This cutaway of the east facade sculptures shows their original layout on the Parthenon.

Shot 20: Duveen Gallery Glass Case and Leaving the Duveen Gallery

As visitors admire the Elgin sculptures of the Duveen gallery, it is often hard to visualize the scale of the monument. Unless they have been to Athens itself, the closest glimpse available is a small model in a glass display case. In this shot we juxtaposed this model with a full scale recreation of the original Acropolis.

Previsialization of the shot: This image shows an early previsualization of the shot. The inner colonnade was modelled in Maya based on architectural diagrams assembled by Minolas Korres, professor of architecture and engineering at the National Technical University of Athens.

Modelling the case: At the center of the Duveeen gallery is a glass case explaining layout of the Athenian Acropolis. This image shows how we modelled the box using Facade

Shot 21: The Parthenon Scanned Model

For the final shot return to present day Athens, as the sun sets on the Parthenon. This is the end of the time-lapse data set shown earlier in the second sequence.

Sunset storyboard: As we wanted to bring the film in a full circle, we decided to return to the time-lapse sequence and show the Parthenon at sunset. This was also in keeping with our original concept of the film as we while we wanted to demonstrate the technology and captured data, the film was truly about the magnificence of the Parthenon monument. This picture shows an artistic visualization of the Parthenon at sunset used during storyboarding.

Shot 22: Ending Credits and Thanks

The final credits list the names of our team as well as the many individuals and organizations who helped make is possible for us to acquire the models, perform the research, and make the film. Our principal sponsors included TOPPAN Printing Co. Ltd., the USC Office of the Provost, and USA RDECOM. We hope you enjoyed this shot by shot journey into the making of The Parthenon.