Science of the Movies

Host Nar Williams explores the motion control technology behind cloning and the famous Spidey-sense from Spider-Man, rides a CG elephant created by the creature effects team behind 300 and embarks on a chase scene using wireless camera mounts.

New Deal Studios shrinks the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for the Night at the Museum sequel. Nar visits Henson Digital Puppetry Studio to interact with Sid the Science Kid, then learns the mechanics behind camera dollies.

Nar meets the masterminds who created the killer star-nosed mole creature from City of Ember, unravels the science behind the IMAX Experience and gets versed in the mechanics and safety of movie weaponry by a military technical advisor at ISS Props.

Nar makes a movie camera out of a block of magnesium at Panavision, investigates the science behind crime-scene blood spatter on Dexter, meets Lola the leading digital plastic surgeon in Hollywood and an indie filmmaker demonstrates DIY effects.

Nar gets made into an action figure at Gentle Giant Studios (Iron Man), Zoic Studios demonstrates how it creates the vampire effects for HBO's True Blood and Nar and a karate sensei use science to scrutinize Peter Parker's power punch in Spider-Man.

Nat goes behind the scenes of the 3D feature Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, a professional snowboarder and a scientist attempt to re-create the avalanche scene from xXx and Nar explores camera crane technology developed by Pursuit Systems.

Nar meets the Oscar-winning inventor of the Steadicam and Skycam, then gets a zombie makeover from Quantum Creation FX and explores the science of the undead. Obscura Digital unveils the future of entertainment with effects from Minority Report.

Nar rides a fake horse from Narnia'at Creature FX, survives a 100mph hurricane at John Frazier's FXPERTS, which creates weather fx for movies, meets Emily, the most convincing CG-created human and tests the physics behind the bus-jump scene in Speed.

Nar gets a lesson in puppet sculpting from the Chiodo Brothers, marionette makers for "Team America: World Police". Nar visits Technicolor to get a crash course in movie coloring. Animal Wrangler Jules Sylvester unleashes a roomful of creepy crawlers.

ILM uses motion capture fx to create Davy Jones' beard in Pirates of the Caribbean, the science of lighting is at Mole Richardson, Flash Film Works creates explosive chopper crashes for The Day the Earth Stood Still and Nar makes squibs with Indy Mogul.

Nar helps FXPERTS reconstruct a 20-foot replica of Bumblebee from Transformers, morphs into a video game character at Image Metrics, reveals the science of 3D moviemaking at Stereoscope and gets his brain waves read by neuromarketing company fMRI.

Nar gets a movie sound design lesson at Todd A.O. and then gets blown up on Look FX's virtual set for "24". A nuclear physicist challenges the notion that Indiana Jones could survive a nuclear blast.

Nar visits Skywalker Sound and voices a Battle Droid, then Rhythm and Hues creates cutting-edge visual fx for "Land of the Lost". Nar checks out Svengali's matte paintings for "I Am Legend", and a paleontologist sees if dinosaurs could be cloned.