Doug Trumbull and the UFOTOG Vision
Many of you may recognize Douglas Trumbull as the ingenious special effects artist behind classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Silent Running, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and Blade Runner. With his extraordinary talent in photography and visual effects, Trumbull later channeled his creativity into exploring the phenomenon of UFOs.
Approximately 13 years ago, I shared a post about his innovative high-speed UFO tracking and photography initiative known as UFOTOG.
(Original post link: UFOTOG: Doug Trumbull’s UFO Photography Project)
Information about this project is scarce, and following Trumbull’s passing in 2022, the UFOTOG web domain has since been acquired by an academic who shares his name.
According to Wikipedia, in 2014, Trumbull produced a short film centered on UFOs to showcase his UFOTOG initiative. I’m curious if anyone here has seen this film or has insights into what happened to his technology and research regarding UFOs.
Here’s a relevant excerpt from Wiki:
In that year, he also created a short dramatic film, UFOTOG, showcasing the capabilities of the Magi system. The narrative follows an individual who has designed an advanced 3D photographic system to track UFOs and substantiate their existence, despite the interference of a clandestine government agency. The film has been presented at film festivals, industry conferences, and to filmmakers and studio executives.
In 2016, he shared with Science & Film, “I am planning on making a feature-length movie that will be almost entirely miniatures, but it will be photorealistic, full-scale, epic in quality, and will contain elements I appreciate from Blade Runner and 2001.”
If you have any thoughts, stories, or updates regarding his research, please feel free to share them here.
Thank you for your ongoing support of r/UFOs, and have a fantastic day!
Doug Trumbull’s work in the realm of special effects and his interest in UFOs is fascinating and truly unique. His UFOTOG project seems to merge his artistic vision with cutting-edge technology, potentially opening new doors in the field of UFO research.
I haven’t personally seen the UFOTOG short film, but the concept of a sophisticated 3D photographic system tracking UFOs is intriguing, especially given Trumbull’s reputation for pushing the boundaries of visual effects. It’s a shame that after his passing, details about the project have become scarce.
I wonder if any of his technology or research could still be accessible within the UFO or film communities. It would be great to see a revival of his work or even a feature-length film if the technology allows it. Perhaps those who attended his screenings or had interactions with him might have insights or updates on what happened to the project.
It’s clear that Trumbull is a loss to both the film industry and the ongoing exploration of UFO phenomena. I hope some of his vision can be carried forward. Thanks for bringing this topic to light!