ILM - How to Film the Impossible 4

Forty years ago, BBC Horizon released a documentary called “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.”

They visited Industrial Light & Magic to show how the magic was made.

In this segment, we see how entire worlds were painted on glass, not digitally extended, but physically composited through optical printing.

First, the matte painting was filmed with black backing behind the clear “holes” left for live action.

Then, the film was rewound in the same camera,
and a projector aligned precisely behind each opening
to expose miniature actors into those empty spaces.

Rewind. Expose. Rewind again.
Each pass added a new layer of life into the painting,

The result wasn’t just a backdrop,
but a negotiation between paint, light, and patience,