Our Wonderful Nature - The Common Chameleon
June 11, 2016 3:49 PM Subscribe
Our Wonderful Nature - The Common Chameleon In a world where a single chameleon has no natural enemies, this one of a kind creature is destined to hunt for prey.
That was delightful and horrifying and delightful.
Special thanks credit to Boy George happily noted.
posted by Fantods at 5:10 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Special thanks credit to Boy George happily noted.
posted by Fantods at 5:10 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
I love this! I'm always wondering why people don't more mix comedy and nature videos more. (Granted, those are 100% my two alleys.) The one chameleonic trait I wish this included is their gait: before taking a step, they often rock their advancing arm and leg back and forward, progressing them a centimeter at a time, as if hesitant to try the step.
posted by little onion at 5:15 PM on June 11, 2016
posted by little onion at 5:15 PM on June 11, 2016
I'm always wondering why people don't more mix comedy and nature videos more.
Have you seen Ze Frank's True Facts about Animals videos?
posted by aubilenon at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Have you seen Ze Frank's True Facts about Animals videos?
posted by aubilenon at 6:15 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes! This anglerfish/flounder moment is a goddamn triumph.
posted by little onion at 6:22 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by little onion at 6:22 PM on June 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
The one chameleonic trait I wish this included is their gait: before taking a step, they often rock their advancing arm and leg back and forward, progressing them a centimeter at a time, as if hesitant to try the step.
It's often the whole body that rocks back and forth during their ginger climbing, to the point that I wonder what if looks like uncertainty to us, is actually a useful (mimetic?) trait.
The character animation is amazing in this, way beyond something like minuscule. (Not sure why the shrew video had a strange, unfinished look to it, though.)
posted by progosk at 2:50 AM on June 12, 2016
It's often the whole body that rocks back and forth during their ginger climbing, to the point that I wonder what if looks like uncertainty to us, is actually a useful (mimetic?) trait.
The character animation is amazing in this, way beyond something like minuscule. (Not sure why the shrew video had a strange, unfinished look to it, though.)
posted by progosk at 2:50 AM on June 12, 2016
Unexpectedly funny. Thanks!
I saw a chameleon in the wild once. It was in Chad, when I was resting in a field near a river: I saw a tiny bright green chameleon, smaller than my pinkie finger. I offered it my finger and it slowly climbed on, with that funny rocking gait described above, and it seemed happy enough to sit on my finger for a while so I could look at it. When I held it in front of my dark green shirt, it turned brown, and among the grass it went back to bright green. Brilliant little animal and a very fond memory.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:10 AM on June 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
I saw a chameleon in the wild once. It was in Chad, when I was resting in a field near a river: I saw a tiny bright green chameleon, smaller than my pinkie finger. I offered it my finger and it slowly climbed on, with that funny rocking gait described above, and it seemed happy enough to sit on my finger for a while so I could look at it. When I held it in front of my dark green shirt, it turned brown, and among the grass it went back to bright green. Brilliant little animal and a very fond memory.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:10 AM on June 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
In the unlikely event that you haven't seen it: Spiders on Drugs.
It's amazing how a British accents automatically makes a nature video seem legit.
posted by clawsoon at 7:54 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's amazing how a British accents automatically makes a nature video seem legit.
posted by clawsoon at 7:54 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
progosk: Not sure why the shrew video had a strange, unfinished look to it, though.
Two things: First, the background lighting and shadows in the shrew video are much more dynamic. In the chameleon video, it's sitting in pretty much exactly the same place the whole time. The shrews, though, are running under leaves and branches and through grass. To replicate that realistically in CG - diffuse, moving shadows from the branches, translucent green light through some of the leaves, reflected light off the grass and rocks, etc. - you'd need a team of people to get it done in reasonable time. (Or you'd have to build the whole environment in CG, which would also need a team of people.)
Second, fur. Fur moves in complicated ways. It also reflects and refracts light in complicated ways. This is difficult and expensive to get right. You need a lot of computers to render realistic fur in a reasonable amount of time.
posted by clawsoon at 8:19 AM on June 12, 2016
Two things: First, the background lighting and shadows in the shrew video are much more dynamic. In the chameleon video, it's sitting in pretty much exactly the same place the whole time. The shrews, though, are running under leaves and branches and through grass. To replicate that realistically in CG - diffuse, moving shadows from the branches, translucent green light through some of the leaves, reflected light off the grass and rocks, etc. - you'd need a team of people to get it done in reasonable time. (Or you'd have to build the whole environment in CG, which would also need a team of people.)
Second, fur. Fur moves in complicated ways. It also reflects and refracts light in complicated ways. This is difficult and expensive to get right. You need a lot of computers to render realistic fur in a reasonable amount of time.
posted by clawsoon at 8:19 AM on June 12, 2016
I honestly didn't realize this was CGI until after it ate the first insect and grinned.
posted by murphy slaw at 9:09 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by murphy slaw at 9:09 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, clawsoon - what I meant was I'm not sure why a team who seems to like to get things right (as they really have on this chameleon one) were happy to publish something which pretty obviously needs/deserves more work.
posted by progosk at 9:34 AM on June 12, 2016
posted by progosk at 9:34 AM on June 12, 2016
I was, like, "Oh, chameleons grin? Huh, that's cute." Took me a while longer to catch on.
progosk - yeah... I'm sure they hit a point and said, okay, making this perfect will cost 10-20x as much as making the chameleon video perfect, so let's just go with it as-is...
posted by clawsoon at 11:01 AM on June 12, 2016
progosk - yeah... I'm sure they hit a point and said, okay, making this perfect will cost 10-20x as much as making the chameleon video perfect, so let's just go with it as-is...
posted by clawsoon at 11:01 AM on June 12, 2016
or, rather, a production accountant stepped in and said that...
posted by clawsoon at 11:04 AM on June 12, 2016
posted by clawsoon at 11:04 AM on June 12, 2016
common common common common common chameleon
posted by LogicalDash at 11:25 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by LogicalDash at 11:25 AM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
The one chameleonic trait I wish this included is their gait: before taking a step, they often rock their advancing arm and leg back and forward, progressing them a centimeter at a time, as if hesitant to try the step.
A chameleon crossing the road with a 50 Cent soundtrack. Youtube link.
posted by jjj606 at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
A chameleon crossing the road with a 50 Cent soundtrack. Youtube link.
posted by jjj606 at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's often the whole body that rocks back and forth during their ginger climbing, to the point that I wonder what if looks like uncertainty to us, is actually a useful (mimetic?) trait.
I have read someone suggest it could be mimetic of a leaf trembling in the wind or something. But as I remember there isn't a solid explanation for it.
posted by little onion at 8:48 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
I have read someone suggest it could be mimetic of a leaf trembling in the wind or something. But as I remember there isn't a solid explanation for it.
posted by little onion at 8:48 PM on June 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
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posted by uosuaq at 5:02 PM on June 11, 2016 [4 favorites]