<P> The film saw breakthrough in computer generated effects . About 1,950 of the shots in The Phantom Menace have visual effects . The scene in which toxic gas is released on the Jedi is the only sequence with no digital alteration . The work was so extensive that three visual effects supervisors divided the workload among themselves--John Knoll supervised the on - set production and the podrace and space battle sequences, Dennis Muren supervised the underwater sequence and the ground battle, and Scott Squires, alongside teams assigned for miniature effects and character animation, worked on the lightsaber effects . </P> <P> Until the film's production, many special effects in the film industry were achieved using miniature models, matte paintings, and on - set visual effects--although other films had made extensive use of CGI . Knoll previewed 3,500 storyboards for the film; Lucas accompanied him to explain factors of the shots that would be practical and those which would be created through visual effects . Knoll later said that on hearing the explanations of the storyboards, he did not know how to accomplish what he had seen . The result was a mixture of original techniques and the newest digital techniques to make it difficult for the viewer to guess which technique was being used . Knoll and his visual effects team wrote new computer software, including cloth simulators to allow a realistic depiction of the digital characters' clothing, to create certain shots . Another goal was to create computer - generated characters that could act seamlessly with live - action actors . While filming scenes with CGI characters, Lucas would block the characters using their corresponding voice actors on - set . The voice actors were then removed and the live - action actors would perform the same scene alone . A CGI character would later be added into the shot to complete the conversation . Lucas also used CGI to correct the physical presence of actors in certain scenes . Practical models were used when their visuals helped with miniature sceneries for backgrounds, set extensions, and model vehicles that would be scanned to create the digital models or filmed to represent spaceships and podraces . </P> <P> Lucas, who had previously confronted problems with the props used to depict R2 - D2, allowed ILM and the production's British special effects department to create their own versions of the robot . Nine R2 - D2 models were created; one was for actor Kenny Baker to be dropped into, seven were built by ILM and featured two wheelchair motors capable of moving 440 pounds (200 kg), enabling it to run and be mostly used in stage sets, and the British studio produced a pneumatic R2 - D2 that could shift from two to three legs and was mostly used in Tunisia because its motor drive system allowed it to drive over sand . </P> <P> Lucas originally planned to create many of the aliens with computer graphics, but those that would be more cost - effectively realized with masks and animatronics were created by Nick Dudman's creature effects team . These included the Neimodians, background characters in Mos Espa, the Jedi Council, and the Galactic Senate . Dudman's team was told where the creatures would be required six months before principal photography begun, and they rushed the production . The Neimodian suits, which were originally intended as digital characters, were delivered one day before they would be required on set . Dudman traveled to Skywalker Ranch to see the original creatures that could be reused, and read the script for a breakdown of scenes with practical creatures, leaving only the more outlandish designs to be created using CGI . </P>

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