Terminator 2 Behind the Scenes — The Making of James Cameron's Sci-Fi Action Epic

Summary by Krater

This video breaks down the technical filmmaking and cinematography techniques used in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, examining lighting choices, camera setups, miniature effects, and CGI milestones.

From the video

Answers: How were the special effects and cinematography shot in Terminator 2: Judgment Day?

• cinematography techniques in Terminator 2
• lighting styles for Terminator characters
• miniature effects and pyrotechnics
• CGI integration and motion capture

What it concludes

• Terminator 2: Judgment Day cost approximately $100 million, making it the most expensive film of its time.
• Cinematographer Adam Greenberg used an Arriflex 35 BL4 camera at a relatively high aperture for a deeper depth of field during fast-moving action sequences.
• The lighting motif shifted from cold blues to warm oranges as the film progressed to make the Terminator seem less robotic and more human.
• Terminator 2 was the first film to composite real-life footage of an actor onto computer-generated graphics.
• The production crew utilized miniature models and large-scale practical effects combined with digital enhancements to achieve monumental, realistic destruction scenes.