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John Gaeta interview about third Matrix movie

John Gaeta interview about third Matrix movie. I heard Gaeta is a typical Hollywood prima donna putz

Reader comments

anonymousOct 20, 2003 at 11:15AM

If you look at the photo, you'll see he's wearing sunglasses. Indoors.

RyanOct 20, 2003 at 11:26AM

Plus, his hair is always really stupid looking. and what's with the little line o' face hair thing, I can't stand that.

R.Oct 20, 2003 at 1:14PM

To be fair, he appears to be wearing the shades at a conference, potentially under intense lighting; but yes, the fade cut and chin strap are problematic, and I've heard he's a tool too.

jcaOct 20, 2003 at 2:55PM

You only need to listen to his commentary on the first Matrix DVD to confirm everything mentioned so far.

AnthonyOct 20, 2003 at 4:14PM

Hate is a strong word that I hesitate to use about someone I've never met, but I have really despised him since the first time I heard him open his mouth. This was mostly because he really acts like he invented the "bullet time" effect, but really all he and his team did was enhance it from a stopped-time-lapse effect into a variable-time-lapse effect. The stopped-time version was used in tv commercials (and possibly a music video) prior to the first Matrix. Gaeta constantly stands on the shoulders of those that came before him (and his team of hard-working artists) and gives them no credit. He got a big head very fast as has yet to prove his vision outside of the Matrix universe. I'm glad to find out I'm not the only one annoyed by him.

brianOct 20, 2003 at 4:31PM

didn't jet-li use the bullet time effect in some hong kong kung fu movie before the matrix?

GluttonOct 20, 2003 at 5:27PM

Woah, Jet Li does special effects?! Who knew? I thought he just beat Danny Glover's ass!

TonyOct 20, 2003 at 6:32PM

The stopped-time version was used in tv commercials (and possibly a music video) prior to the first Matrix.

I think the music video was Radiohead's Street Spirit. Perhaps.

tomasOct 20, 2003 at 8:39PM

As far as I know, the stopped-time effect was first developed by Michel Gondry and BUF Compagnie for the Rolling Stone video Like A Rolling Stone. It was constructed from only two still images, but Gondry went on to use more complex versions in later videos and Gap commercials. As you can see at the bottom of the page I linked, there are other possible innovators of the effect.

R.Oct 21, 2003 at 2:30AM

Lost in Space also featured CG freeze pans a year before The Matrix came out, as did Batman and Robin a year earlier.

friggOct 22, 2003 at 1:37AM

"Plenty of virtual-effects-laden films stink, because effects don't make a film emotionally engaging; the vision of great directors and writers do."

Seems to me to be rather honest and level-headed. The guy's just jazzed about his work. Think back...how excited and arrogant were you souning to yr non-writer pals when you mastered CSS?

This thread is closed to new comments. Thanks to everyone who responded.