Incorrect use/perception of thermal imaging in media - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Spirit532
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 12:04:49 am
content: I found these two gems in a movie I was watching:Which made me wonder: Does anyone here have any examples of hilarious misuse/misrepresentation of thermal in media?I propose to collect such outstanding applications of infrared imaging in this thread

author: bap2703
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 12:33:10 am
content: Infrared can see through clothes everybody knows that.

author: frenky
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 06:27:21 am
content: I went to see this movie with my wife. She is not really interested in TI but even she was likeat this scene in the movie.

author: Ultrapurple
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 07:57:42 am
content: I applaud @Spirit532 for starting this thread and look forward to seeing more examples of thermal SNAFUs. Just can't think of any right now - but things like the Predator series might be a fruitful source.Perhaps the two gentlemen in the screenshots are too used to holding things close to the subject and making a loud bang.I think we had a similar thread on misuse of soldering irons a while back (attractive person 'soldering' whilst holding the element, etc).

author: bap2703
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 10:01:50 am
content: Who you gonna call?https://twitter.com/flir/status/1174361197321379841?s=20#FLIR was used by@TNWRAITHCHASERSto find paranormal clues on Haunted Towns.

author: mzzj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 10:39:05 am
content: Like the rest of the movie was 100% accurate representation of real life

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 10:50:14 am
content: I have seen the OP’s film scene and also laughed.For those unaware, there is a healthy market in supplying film props to the big film companies. Some companies use it as product placement opportunities whilst some film prop scouts just look for something that looks right for the scene. In some cases the prop needs to be functionally accurate but in other cases it just needs to look ‘hi-tech’. Thermal imagers fill the role of anything that needs to look like a real product plus it produces a nice colourful display that producers loveI have been asked to advise on thermal imagers for film use in the past. Sometimes the props team just want something cosmetically accurate. This is where the EEV Argus 1 or 2 finds itself being bought for use by fire fighting actors in films. It is large so visible and looks the part ! Film companies can pay serious money for the right prop. Some equipment finds itself being repurposed in different roles. An Argus camera can be a fire fighting tool in one role and the basis of a high tech laser weapon in another role ! The prop buyers care more about the item ‘looking the part’ than actually being able to carry out a role as that functionality is added in post production. Remember the ‘radar’ scanners used on the weapons in the film Alien ?I laughed when I watched a modern Star Trek film and saw a couple of hand held bar code scanners sitting on the navigation console as joystick controllers. They were a particularly ‘space-age’ shaped model and I owned one at the time. It saved the props department having to make them.Another film I saw contained some ‘limpet mines’ (James bond) that were actually the base assembly of a gaming joystick with its sucker feet and the joystick handle shaft replaced with a large red light and extra red LED’s added at the four corners for greater effectThen we have the Arnie film “Eraser” where a high tech energy ‘rifle’ can image people through walls and see their heart beating ! Impressive technology more akin to an X-Ray image crossed with a real time MRI, all without the need of bulky equipment and operating in a back-scatter mode ! Impressive stuff !There have been many films involving hostage situations where a Police marksmen use ‘thermal’ to see the bad guys through windows, or even walls before ‘taking the shot’.I had a bit of a surprise with my FLIR SC4000 SWIR+MWIR cooled Thermal Camera. Whilst testing it I had it looking behind me through a glass panelled door. All looked normal until my wife walked across the field of view on the OTHER side of the door. I could see her thermal signature clearly ! So it is possible to image a human through glass if you have the correct thermal camera using an appropriate wavelength detector array.Update - I just checked, the ‘joystick base’ limpet mine was in James Bond Goldeneye. People are selling ‘Replicas’ as it is so easy to source the original donor PC gaming joystick ! I attach a picture of the prop.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 11:52:38 am
content: For anyone wondering about the Movie that the OP referenced, it is Fast & Furious Hobbs & Shaw.Good mindless fun from a franchise not known for technical accuracyhttps://youtu.be/_P9xYv-liPwFraser

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 12:08:29 pm
content: It's an occupational hazard for us technical folk. Seeing stuff like this completely destroys your 'suspension of disbelief', ruining the film. It's the same with scopes and other badly chosen props.There's maybe a lucrative opening for a technical facepalm consultant at the various film studios.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2019, 12:41:18 pm
content: On a modern film set the display screens of equipment are covered in a light green fabric or plastic film. This is for post production colour keyed video overlays that can show whatever the director wants on those screens. Sadly when it comes to film fiction, Directors are often after impact rather than accuracy as they know most viewers will not spot the errors in the technical aspects of their production.The technical adviser role, in my experience, does not pay well. You are treated like some sort of geek and the Director gets what he wants no matter how fanciful it may appear to an adviserFraser