Dun-dun-dun-duhh-duhWhile you wait for that Superman trailer, have a listen to the upcoming film's quite lovely main theme that calls back to the 1978 originalA little something to tide you over.Image credit: DC Studios News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Dec. 16, 2024 We won't be getting the first trailer for James Gunn's Superman until later in the week, but he has at least shared the main theme.There's a lot riding on James Gunn's shoulders at the moment. As co-CEO of DC Studios, he's the one leading the new DCU in a direction that'll either pay off tremendously, or have DC presumably abandon its connected film universe ambitions entirely (there's only so many times you can do a universe reboot, despite what the comics might tell you). As shared by Gunn himself on his personal Twitter account, a teaser trailer for his Superman film is finally coming this Thursday, offering up a first look at the new DCU - on the live action front, anyway, as his currently airing animated series Creature Commandos is actually the first project in the film universe. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.In order to tide you over until Thursday, though, Gunn also released a small snippet of what seems to be the film's main theme. You can check it out for yourself above, the audio paired with a sort-of-GIF of David Corenswet's Superman flying upwards, the theme playing as he does so. And it's quite lovely! Very mellow, nostalgic kind of vibe to it, and you don't have to listen too closely to hear that it has a callback to the 1978 Richard Donner directed film's main theme, of course incredibly composed by the one and only John Williams. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. This new theme will have been done by John Murphy, a composer who has a number of classics under his belt like 28 Days Later, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and 2021's The Suicide Squad, which Gunn also directed; this'll be the third film the pair has worked on together, as Murphy also did the score on Guardians of the Galaxy 3.After this week's teaser trailer, though, you've still got a bit of a wait to go, as Superman isn't due out until July 11 next year. I'm sure you'll manage!

In virtual production, this previsualization step is roughly the same, but the construction of the set takes place in a virtual environment instead of a physical space. This is handled by a specific team, called the virtual art department, which collaborates with everyone from VFX supervisors to carpenters to ensure a seamless blend of digital and real.When the set is created in digital space, virtual scouting can take place. Via this process, filmmakers can explore the space with virtual reality headsets and work out the best angles and shots, just like they would with real-world locations. Movies such as The Jungle Book and Avengers: Endgame used real-time engines for on-set previews of how green screen shots would look in the finished movies.Main virtual production techniquesUse of LED wallsWithout good-quality LED screens, ICVFX would fall apart. These fundamentally rely on the same technology that displays imagery on your TV, monitor, or smartphone, with a few key differences:No bezels: LED stages are created by building literal walls or volumes of multiple panels that seamlessly link together. Bezels are obviously a no-go in this environment, so LED screens feature edge-to-edge displays.Sturdy and versatile: The panels also have to be tough enough to withstand temperamental directors boots and versatile enough to mount in various scenarios, from large flat walls to cavernous volumes, where they can form part of the wall or ceiling.Increased brightness: Film sets are surprisingly bright places. A specialized LED screen is much brighter so it's visible on camera, even with studio lights in front of it, and so it can cast realistic lighting and reflections on physical actors and props. It also has a matte finish to avoid unwanted reflections on the screen itself.Excellent viewing angles: Have you ever noticed how cheaper monitors can look washed out when viewed from a certain angle? This effect would ruin a virtual production, so most LED panels are designed to be viewed from any angle.Low pixel pitch: Likewise, the distance between pixels on the screen (known as pixel pitch) must be as low as possible. If the pixel pitch is too high, theres a risk of a moire effect when the camera is close to the screen, which can cause unwanted wavy or shimmering lines. Today, 1.8mm is considered a good pitch but panels used in the production of Tomorrowland in 2015 featured a pitch as high as 11mm!Color accuracy and calibration: Spot-on color reproduction is essential for seamlessly blending the LED wall or volume with real-world props and actors. For instance, a virtual desert shot might use real sand on set, so its crucial that the colors and lighting match accurately.Rear projection and virtual setsRear projection is nothing new. Those unconvincing shots of actors driving cars against shaky backgrounds in old films made use of this technology by placing a car in front of a projector and replaying footage of a road. Fortunately, its come a long way since then but the fundamental principle is the same.In an ICVFX production, a car can be placed in front of a moving CG landscape to create a convincing illusion that the vehicle is in motion. However, unlike old rear projection systems, the angle, lighting, and content of the backdrop can be changed if necessary. We used this technique to create the moving steam train footage for Ray Tracing FTW.

Need to get away for a while? We recommend cozy and calming video games.Escapism is often central to the intrinsic nature of video games. They offer imaginary settings with active engagementmeaning the worlds arent real, but our interactions with them very much are.While escapism in gaming often conjures images of gamers taking on bombastic roles like a superhero, a rockstar, or an intergalactic savior, it can also be a retreat into cozy and calming video game worlds. The benefits of cozy games include a renewed sense of accomplishment, strengthened emotional resilience, entering a calming flow state of relaxation and concentration, and so much more.Cozy games have their own thriving subgenre, offering a wide variety of relaxing experiences you might not have encountered before. Lets explore some new ways for you to escape the hustle and bustle of the real world with great games to help you unwind at the end of the day.All of the cozy games from our list are available within the Wholesome Snack 2024 Bundle.Fae Farm (2023)Fae Farm is a cozy and customizable farm simulator RPG that gives players a feeling of peace and optimism. Farm sims like Fae Farm give players a sense of accomplishment with its goal orientated development of the farmland itself and the people youll befriend and help within the game.As your farm grows, you can befriend cute and cuddly magical creatures to add to your pastures and explore the enchanting island of Azoria alongside up to four human players. The multiplayer component of Fae Farm fosters a sense of community and friendshipwarm feelings that remind you of the happier aspects of life and society.These cozy and unique features are why Fae Farm is one of the best relaxation games for mental wellness. Interestingly, the magical elements of Fae Farm seem to amplify the escapism inherent in this cozy title, making it even more enchanting.Minami Lane (2024)Create and manage your own cozy street, and watch the world around it evolve with each decision you make in Minami Lane. Build ramen stalls, karaoke bars, and more to turn your block into the coziest street in town. This bite-sized casual management sim, designed to be enjoyed in 2-4 hours, offers a delightful slice of kawaii, Japanese-inspired life.The positive reinforcement in Minami Lane feels so good as you watch your street grow, inhabitants smile, and the community thrive all because of your fantastic decision making. The heartwarming, throwback soundtrack and the warm, artistic color palette create a comforting shield against the icy cold chills of reality.Feel the vibe check passing in real-time as you unwind with this calming video game.Spirit City: Lofi Sessions (2024)Relax, rethink your agenda, and recharge alongside cute little cozy Spirit Companions in Spirit City: Lofi Sessions. Integrate your real-life tasks into the game with a collection of handy features like to-do lists, pomodoro timers, and habit trackers designed to improve concentration and ease stress. Customize your avatar and your own cozy in-game bedroom with countless patterns & colors, furniture, and seasonal decor.Lofi Sessions masterfully blends productivity and relaxation into a powerful remedy for any negative emotions swirling around you. Feel your anxiety and stress gently fade as you earn positive reinforcement and XP for completing tasks you might have been dreading. The calming effect of Spirit City: Lofi Sessions soundtrack enhances the chill vibesadd gentle rain or rolling storm filters to any track for a fully customized destressing session.This is truly one of the best games for unwinding. Watch your cares slip away as you settle into the satisfyingly slow-paced routine of Spirit City: Lofi Sessions.In ConclusionThe positive connection between calming video games and mental health can be felt the moment you enter a title screen. The warm and soothing tones a welcoming menu to usher you into a game state of total relaxation is second to none.Feel the positive mental health benefits of gaming for yourself and pick up one of the cozy titles from our Wholesome Snack 2024 Bundle today.

The series celebrates its 30th anniversary next year.Bandai Namco has kicked off its Tales series 30th-anniversary celebrations with the Anniversary Project Special Broadcast. And while there were no special surprises or announcements, series producer Yusuke Tomizawa did reiterate that the team would be working on more remasters.In the original Japanese broadcast (reported on by Gematsu), Tomizawa-san stated that he couldn't reveal specific plans, but did say that Bandai Namco intends to "provide fairly consistently."Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Image: Nintendo LifeNintendo has officially kicked off its Switch eShop Holiday Sale in Europe, bringing beefy discounts to thousands of games until 12th January 2024.And yes, we said "thousands". Indeed, there are so many games currently seeing a price cut on the eShop that it can be difficult to know where to start, but that's where we come in. Below, we've laid out every game in the Nintendo Holiday Sale that we've awarded 9/10 or higher, so you can filter through to the cream of the crop in no time.The list may seem a little shorter than usual for now, though Nintendo has announced that more games will be added to the sale on 24th and 30th December, so keep an eye out for more discounted delights in the coming weeks.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube788kWatch on YouTube Note. We've given sale prices in GBP followed by the percentage discount, but commensurate EUR savings can be found across European eShops.If you want to pick up some credit to assist in your eShop purchases, you can head over to the Nintendo Life store or see all available options in the links below.Buy Nintendo eShop CreditUSACANUKEURJPNSo, let's dive into some of the top discounted picks, presented below in alphabetical order...A Short Hike (Switch eShop)Publisher: Whippoorwill / Developer: Adam Robinson-YuRelease Date: 18th Aug 2020 (USA) / 18th Aug 2020 (UK/EU)3.77 (-40%)A Short Hike is a fat-free experience from top to bottom or should we say bottom to top? It's the kind of game that makes us sigh with happiness when we recall our time with it, and even having played it through to its ostensible conclusion multiple times, we know for a fact there are still things to see and do on that mountain.It's something of an apotheosis a milestone in indie games akin to Cave Story or Spelunky. The very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer the more you play.An exploration in every sense of the word, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don't miss this one.Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown Deluxe Edition (Switch)Publisher: Bandai Namco / Developer: Project AcesRelease Date: 11th Jul 2024 (USA) / 11th Jul 2024 (UK/EU)32.99 (-34%)Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the absolute pinnacle of the series and despite coming to Switch over five years after other platforms, this 'impossible' Switch conversion does very little to degrade the experience. Long-time franchise players and military aviation enthusiasts will be overwhelmed by the fan service at every turn, from craters on the ground to airplanes, liveries, callsigns, and emblems shouting out to previous entries.We understand the genre is uniquely niche, but if this is your first foray into the franchise, this conversion is a perfect gateway into this rich, revered series. You get tons of content and an epic single-player campaign wrapped up in triple-A presentation that delivers the most comprehensive portable experience ever from Project Aces.Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.Alien: Isolation (Switch eShop)Publisher: SEGA / Developer: Creative AssemblyRelease Date: 5th Dec 2019 (USA) / 5th Dec 2019 (UK/EU)9.99 (-33%)Alien: Isolation is a survival horror masterpiece and straight-up one of the very best horror video games ever released. It's a nerve-wracking affair a slow, methodical game of cat and mouse against a brilliantly clever recreation of one of cinema's most infamous killers but if you're up to the task you'll find one of the most satisfying gameplay experiences in the genre; a brilliant and beautiful homage to one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies of all time. Feral Interactive has done a stellar job with this Switch port and the excellent motion controls and inclusion of all previously-released DLC only go to sweeten the deal. This is essential stuff for survival horror fans.Alisa Developer's Cut (Switch eShop)Publisher: Top Hat Studios / Developer: Casper CroesRelease Date: 6th Feb 2024 (USA) / 6th Feb 2024 (UK/EU)12.14 (-25%)Alisa Developer's Cut is an excellent homage to classic survival horror that can easily stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark. From the tank controls to the cheesy voiceover work, it nails almost every aspect, providing an experience that feels like it was ripped straight from the '90s. Its overall appeal will likely be limited to those who are intimately familiar with survival horror, but if that's you, then strap yourself in for one of the best examples of the genre to date.Armello (Switch eShop)Publisher: League of Geeks / Developer: League of GeeksRelease Date: 27th Sep 2018 (USA) / 27th Sep 2018 (UK/EU)7.99 (-60%)While this turn-based affair might look, move, and feel just like a real board game, Armello is actually a completely original creation and one that does more than simply doff its cap at the world of tabletop gaming. From the deep tactics of its living board game gameplay to the sheer charm of its worldbuilding and animal character designs, it's a quest filled with back-stabbing, political power plays, and rampaging monsters thats different each and every time you play. Its at its absolute best when played in multiplayer, that human factor making for an even more unpredictable battle for the corrupted throne. The Switch version has had its ups and downs since launch, with some updates making things worse, but it's apparently back to being in a playable state on Nintendo's console. As such, youd be doing yourself a disservice not to add this anthropomorphic tale to your wishlist.Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (Switch)Publisher: Koei Tecmo / Developer: GustRelease Date: 24th Mar 2023 (USA) / 24th Mar 2023 (UK/EU)27.49 (-45%)Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key ends Ryza's three-game run on a high note, serving up a heady mix of exploration, crafting, and combat that benefits greatly from a narrative arc that's had time to develop and grow. The new key mechanics add more depth to combat, synthesis, and exploration, the world is more seamless and diverse than ever before and the whole thing comes together to form a satisfying end for this hugely popular protagonist. We did have some issues with small text, no English dub, and a little fussiness in how information is relayed, but overall this is Gust's finest adventure to date and a JRPG experience that long-term fans and newcomers alike will find plenty to delight in.Blazing Chrome (Switch eShop)Publisher: The Arcade Crew / Developer: JoyMasherRelease Date: 11th Jul 2019 (USA) / 11th Jul 2019 (UK/EU)4.58 (-70%)For those longing for a time when side-scrolling shooters ruled the roost, Blazing Chrome is exactly what you're looking for. Perfect for short sessions, its slick gameplay and old-school art direction make for an astonishingly fun game full of explosions, epic set pieces and spectacular boss battles. Its brutal difficulty may not be for everyone, but if you're up for the challenge, then get ready for one of the most accomplished 2D action titles in years.BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light (Switch)Publisher: Koei Tecmo / Developer: GustRelease Date: 9th Nov 2021 (USA) / 9th Nov 2021 (UK/EU)19.99 (-60%)Blue Reflection: Second Light improves on almost every aspect of the original, with a mystery that feels more personal as the characters become closer. The relationship between the girls as they seek to discover why they were brought to this strange world is the star of the show; though the combat is fun, it is always a vehicle to get you more story rather than the driving force of the game. Second Light is a fantastic-looking anime adventure that you'll love, so long as you can accept that combat isn't the focus.Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Switch eShop)Publisher: Finji / Developer: FinjiRelease Date: 15th Dec 2021 (USA) / 15th Dec 2021 (UK/EU)8.54 (-50%)As an adventure game, Chicory: A Colorful Tale is quite sincerely up there with the very best of the genre. Theres plenty to see and do and a full completion run will probably take you 25-30 hours. The characters and their travails are rich and likeable, the games sense of humour is generally inspired, and its all very sweet without being sugary-twee and talking down to the player. Its also an affecting little tearjerker that will definitely strike a chord if you make art, and almost certainly will even if you dont so long as youre capable of pretty basic empathy. Chicory is simple to play but impressively long and complex, with perfect controls, performance and visuals. Throw yourself into painting the world and youll be left with a game thats very much your own and speaks to you directly a beautiful marriage of mechanics, themes and visuals.Crawl (Switch eShop)Publisher: Powerhoof / Developer: PowerhoofRelease Date: 19th Dec 2017 (USA) / 19th Dec 2017 (UK/EU)2.59 (-80%)We really like Crawl, and wed bet our collected stash of gold and wrath you will, too. A dungeon-crawling hack-and-slash affair with roguelike elements, one player is the hero trying to get through a dungeon and the others play as monster-controlling ghosts attempting to kill said hero and take their place.It's an everyone-for-themselves free-for-all, yet there are opportunities for frantic 3v1 co-operative play a necessity when all the non-hero ghost characters must take joint control of bosses the hero faces. Its great fun in single-player thanks to some aggressive AI, but that consistent danger takes on a new dimension when you and three of your friends are jostling for XP and that all-important killing blow.Competitive couchplay doesnt get much better than this on Switch.Crypt of the NecroDancer (Switch eShop)Publisher: Brace Yourself Games / Developer: Brace Yourself GamesRelease Date: 1st Feb 2018 (USA) / 8th Feb 2018 (UK/EU)3.59 (-80%)A roguelike at heart with a rhythm-game soul, Crypt Of The NecroDancer is a sublime experience thats a must-play for fans of the genre(s). Its upbeat, uptempo take on dungeon crawling is infectious, and theres enough content here to last even the savviest of spelunkers for many, many dance-fuelled dives into the depths if youve never tangoed with the NecroDancer, this fully-featured Switch edition is the perfect way to jump in. For anybody who never played this but loved the Zelda spin-off Cadence of Hyrule (and was left wanting more), what are you waiting for?Devil May Cry 3 Special Edition (Switch eShop)Publisher: Capcom / Developer: CapcomRelease Date: 20th Feb 2020 (USA) / 20th Feb 2020 (UK/EU)7.99 (-50%)Even so many years after its 2005 debut, Devil May Cry 3 remains one of the very best action games ever made. It may have aged in places, but that turbo-charged, combo-heavy action feels as fresh today as it did back in the mid-noughties. The new Freestyle mode which lets players swap combat styles on the fly at any point during the action is a genuinely excellent addition to the package, and the ability to play Bloody Palace in local co-op is the cherry on top of a Switch port that should appeal to anyone interested in sampling the devilish delights of this all-time classic.Dragon Ball FighterZ (Switch)Publisher: Bandai Namco / Developer: Arc System WorksRelease Date: 28th Sep 2018 (USA) / 28th Sep 2018 (UK/EU)7.99 (-84%)Dragon Ball FighterZ on the Switch is, simply put, one of the best fighting games we've seen on the system. Arc System Works went the extra mile in capturing the essence of the source material and distilled it into an incredible brawler that has lost nothing in the transition to Nintendo's hybrid console. The stunning visuals, intense action, and easy-to-master controls make FighterZ a game all fans of the genre should have in their library. If you only play this kind of game casually, it remains a must-own.Dusk (Switch eShop)Publisher: New Blood Interactive / Developer: New Blood InteractiveRelease Date: 28th Oct 2021 (USA) / 28th Oct 2021 (UK/EU)7.44 (-50%)Dusk is one hell of an impressive piece of software and possibly the single best Unity port to Switch we've ever seen, sidestepping typical performance problems and delivering a brilliant experience of a brilliant game. It's not as good a game as Quake, but almost nothing is. There's a relatively limited arsenal of weapons they're all great, but there's no iconic gun here, just your usual pistol, shotty, assault rifle, explosives, et al. We're being churlish with our criticisms here, though ultimately, Dusk is another absolute cracker in Switch's FPS roster.Everhood (Switch eShop)Publisher: Foreign Gnomes / Developer: Foreign GnomesRelease Date: 4th Mar 2021 (USA) / 4th Mar 2021 (UK/EU)6.74 (-50%)Everhood is one of the most memorable games weve played in recent years. A mad mix of RPG, rhythm action, kart racing and bullet-hell shmup, its utterly bonkers plot and weird cast of characters is reason enough to check it out, but the instantly accessible rhythmic combat will keep you hooked from the very first battle to the epic final boss encounter. Some may be put off by the minimal visual design and deliberately vague sequence of events, but for those after something a bit different, Everhood delivers originality and unique gameplay in spades and absolutely deserves a place in your Switch library.Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (Switch eShop)Publisher: Capcom / Developer: CapcomRelease Date: 30th Jun 2023 (USA) / 30th Jun 2023 (UK/EU)12.49 (-50%)Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was one of the best games on Nintendo DS. Now it is one of the best games on Nintendo Switch. If you're a fan of Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, AI: The Somnium Files, or just of having a good dang time with a brilliant story and stunning art, then why are you still here? Go and get the game. Now. Go!!!!

Waymo will begin testing its autonomous vehicle technology in Tokyo in early 2025, the first time the Alphabet companys robotaxis have driven on public roads outside the U.S.The move to Japan is part of Waymos road trips, a development program that involves bringing its technology to a variety of cities and testing it with each city having different challenges. In Tokyo, the Waymo robotaxis will face left-hand driving and a dense urban environment.Until now, those road trips have focused on a dozen U.S. cities, usually to test out specific conditions or environments such as rain in Miami or extreme heat in Death Valley, California. The company also has tested its vehicles in Buffalo; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas; and Seattle. Typically, Waymo begins by bringing a small fleet to a city, where a human manually drives the vehicle and maps certain areas. The vehicles will eventually test in autonomous mode, at first with a human operator behind the wheel.Waymo said it will partner with taxi-hailing app GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu as part of its Japanese road trip. Nihon Kotsu will oversee the management and servicing of the Waymo vehicles, according to the company. Initially, Nihon Kotsu drivers will operate the vehicles manually to map key areas of the Japanese capital, including Minato, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Ch, Shinagawa, and Kt. Waymo said it is working with Nihon Kotsus team to train its employees how to operate Waymos self-driving Jaguar I-Pace vehicles.The announcement comes just a week since GM said it would scrap its Cruise robotaxi program, a decision that also ended plans to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Japan with partner Honda. In October 2023, Honda, Cruise, and GM announced plans to launch a robotaxi service inTokyo together in 2026using Cruises purpose-built robotaxis, called The Origin.

Cohere is one of the best-known AI startups outside of OpenAI and Anthropic, hitting a $5.5 billion valuation as of July. Its co-founded by an author of the Attention Is All You Need paper that helped launch the large language model (LLM) revolution.Based in Toronto and San Francisco, Cohere sells AI to enterprise customers and doesnt have a viral consumer chatbot. While Anthropic made headlines last month for a deal it inked with Palantir and AWS to sell AI to defense customers, TechCrunch has learned that Palantir is also a Cohere partner. And Coheres models are already in use at various unnamed Palantir customers, according to info discussed in a video posted by Palantir.The video is of a presentation in November 2024 at DevCon1, Palantirs first developer conference. It shows Cohere is already deploying to Palantir customers, according to remarks made by Cohere engineer and former Palantir employee Billy Trend.This is why Im really excited about working with Palantir, and were going to give you a bunch of details about exactly how were able to serve their customers, Trend said during the presentation. In the video, Trend mostly stuck to technical details. While he did not name any specific Palantir customers, Trend did mention one deployment of Coheres AI with a Palantir customer that has really strict constraints on where it can store its data and wants to be able to do inference in Arabic, which is a great opportunity for Cohere, because thats something we excel at, he said.Palantirs customers can access Coheres latest AI models via compute modules within Foundry, Trend said. It should be noted that Foundry, one of Palantirs flagship platforms, is geared more toward commercial customers versus Palantirs other, older main platform, Gotham, which was designed for defense and intelligence agencies, Palantir has described. So while, we dont know which organizations are using Cohere through Palantir, this implies it could be corporations.Palantir works with all sorts of huge enterprises, like Airbus. But it is also vocal about its close work with U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, recently publishing a manifesto about how to rebuild the defense-tech sector.Cohere has touted partnerships with major tech companies like Fujitsu but has stayed quiet about any deals with Palantir, according to a review of its website and announcements.TechCrunch asked Cohere if it could specify if its AI is being used for military or intelligence-related use cases, and what Coheres general policy is toward these kinds of deployments. Cohere declined to comment.Palantir did not immediately comment. As for OpenAI, it is being used by defense tech as well, with news earlier this month that it had penned a deal with Anduril.

When it comes to visual effects there is no bigger playground than Middle-earth, populated with fantastical lands and creatures from the mind of iconic author J.R.R. Tolkien. Returning to again lead the digital charge to lift the veil on Sauron and his nefarious plan to Elven forge a collection of rings for world domination is Jason Smith, who received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the first season of Prime VideosThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Interestingly, the visual effects shot count for the eight-episode sophomore outing remained the same, which was between 6,000 and 8,000. The complexity is up a little bit at least on the creature side of things, says Smith, senior visual effects supervisor. Unfortunately, we were unable to bring back Wt FX, but had ILM focused in London and Singapore this time, DNEG and Rodeo FX. Those were the big three out of the dozen.A common creative problem on both seasons was depicting proper size and scale when the various races interacted with one another. I will tell you that scale is one of those things about this show that I love the most, states Smith. Im a puzzle guy. Scale is one of those things that everyone assumes is a solved thing, and it is in some ways, but in practice there are about 12 different solutions that are opposed to each other. Your selection of the right one determines the success or failure in ways that are astounding. Learning all of those and putting them into practice on location without motion-control has been a blast. I still do scale academy for the crew and in general, it was like a SWAT team that would go to the unit doing that type of work. They would prep and publish documents because you have to get everybody onboard with all the complexities. People dont understand right off the bat that it goes all the way down to whos playing it back and what the cameraman is following. Elements and lessons from Season 1 were leveraged wherever possible. When we started Season 1, it was like, who knows what Khazad-dm looks like at its peak, or Nmenor? notes Smith. If you expand it to all of those creative questions, Season 2 felt like we had some cache and momentum already. The number of VFX vendors essentially remained the same for the second season. According to the VFX supervisor, We had a lot of shared shots. The pipeline around succeeding and delivering the show is astounding. The team here was doing some incredible stuff with ShotGrid and all the related tools. We took what was working on Season 1 and ran with it. But there were improvements along the whole way. The number of vendors is one thing. However, with the pure number of shots that have to be in front of me all the time, the numbers catch-up with you fast. The production crew is probably bigger than people would expect because when youre tracking this amount of work and number of shots, its massive. You cant put one minute per day on every shot without going into the water. Being brought from the page to screen for the first time in the series were the Barrow-wights, which are undead creatures animated by evil spirits. Im a monster fan, so to be part of deciding what they look like on film was a dream project, Smith shares. I was fortunate enough to work with prosthetics designer Barrie Gower, and hes a maestro, a great collaborator, and loves finding the balance between practical and digital effects that work. We went back to Tolkiens writings where he wrote them with a certain mood. They dont show up and start a karate fight. The Barrow-wights slowly trick you and take you underground and have this song that they sing. The lyrics are creepy and beautiful. Also, we wanted to emphasize the fact that the Barrow-wights arent in control. The scariest thing about the Barrow-wights curse is that they could have been good people, but this evil person is pulling them out of their graves and making them do things. It came down to, Do their feet touch the ground? We landed on, no because we wanted to take away their agency. The Barrow-wights are not walking around. Theyre being pulled around. Practical performers had to be digitally augmented to achieve the desired skeletal aesthetic for the Barrow-wights. We searched out and hired performers who were capable of body manipulation such as mimes and breakdancers who able to make it look like that their body was being made to do something but not motivated by them, remarks Smith. We wanted them to feel like marionettes. We practiced with stunts pulling them out of the grave by the hips with a fork rig. As the Barrow-wights are coming up bones are cracking into place and theyre not even conscious yet. A lot of the ones that are coming out are still a pile of bones and something really bad is making it all happen. Backstories are essential when creating creatures and environments. A portion of that is private to me and not canon while what is written in the script is the real stuff, explains Smith. I find that I have to have those backstories. I need to know where these things are coming from, even the troll. The showrunners did a beautiful job of giving him an attitude, but we expanded upon that and wrote a whole backstory in our minds about who he was. It was the same for the Barrow-wights. I love the idea that the Barrow-wights are pulling you underground and hungry to trap you forever but are also aware that they shouldnt be doing this. Brought from the big to the small screen is a younger version of Shelob. Shelob is the child of a First Age spider and has Maiar status, says Smith. Thats a great example where its a spider that doesnt have a personality. They bite. We decided that she has a personality and is a jerk. When Shelob is in that fight, she is playing with Isildur. There is part that probably nobody noticed where she goes away, and a skull gets tossed out to freak him out. A lot of the stuff Shelob does she is having fun playing with her food. Thats where I find joy. Where are those little character moments that I can latch onto and say, Its not just a big spider attacking a person. There is something more to it. I had a pet trachelas called Fluffy and she would crawl up to the base of the neck. I didnt like it. I would want to peel her off and she would get mad. Trachelas have little cat claws at the ends of their legs and can hold onto you. It didnt work out between me and Fluffy for many reasons, but that moment stuck in my head. There is a moment in that fight where Shelob uses the sticky ability at the end of her leg to turn things around. Its a moment that I like that is based on Fluffy! Also, appearing is a younger Balrog, famously denied passage by Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. When I saw the original film, that moment knocked me back into my chair, recalls Smith. It was so incredibly well done, especially for the time. But forget about the time. What they pulled off in creating that character was amazing. To have an option to do something that rhymes with that is a lot of fun. However, with modern technology, its incredible what they can do now. ILM setup multiple simulations of flame, different types of smoke, and even falling ash. The smoke would billow up and you would see these vertical streamers of trailing ash. It was all done with fluid simulations and makes for an incredible opportunity because you can shadow the whole scene with that smoke. Tolkien described it specifically and poetically. He was seldomly literal when laying these things out. Tolkien wanted us to get a feeling. He wanted to play it forward with music in our brains without necessarily locking things down and making them not scary anymore. Tolkien would say it was a creature of shadow and flame. Was it made of shadow and flame? Or is it like shadow and flame? He doesnt say. There is a lot debate these days about whether parts of this creature should be real or smoke. We leaned into that and on purpose went poetic in the same way. Noting that FX-driven FX creatures are difficult to produce, Smith ads, How do you make those things drivable or a gesture or silhouette? ILM did a great job. The simulation setup was incredible. Ents get some screen time in Season 2. When you lay this season out its nuts! Smith notes. How many amazing touchstones have we had a chance to look at? Ive been thinking about Ents ever since I joined this project six years ago. Ive been taking photographs of every tree that I pass that is interesting or has a face. I had hundreds of pictures. This was the season that it came to fruition and not just a little bit. We had this old oak, Snaggleroot. Explaining how some wood is more suitable than others for Ents, Smith continues, Have you ever noticed that some trees look soft in the way that they grow? Theyll form almost organic-looking fat rolls. Other trees are rigid, vertical and linear. These old oaks that they have here in the UK are the former. If you try to move them, theyre rock hard. Then we had a beautiful Entwife, Winterbloom, which was a real honor. Entwives had never been on the screen before, so we had an opportunity to do so. Shes a cherry blossom tree. It was important that Entwives were feminine but remained purely a tree. That was part of the motivation of picking something with these beautiful blossoms on the top, he adds. Her face is a tree that I found nearby that is little bit Maggie Smith and stern as if she was going to tell Harry Potter that he was going to get demerits. It was a nice facial expression, and we designed on top of that all the nuances that make her face. We were so lucky with the voices [Ed Broadbent and Olivia Williams]. Central to the plot is the Elven forge with which Sauron crafts the rings of power. I will tell you that set was incredible, and we didnt have to do much, Smith reveals. We had to help when they were melting metal and when they were right in the middle of forging. Sometimes when the fire was super hot or someone is walking out of the fire, we had to help with those moments as well. Returning environments such as Nmenor were given an upgrade. The Eregion Siege where the real battle takes place was the big one because we did see it in Season 1 but not at the same level, says Smith. We saw glimpses of it. Now we were in situation where the fulcrum of the emotional arc of the season is taking place here. The tragedy of the Second Age. All of a sudden you have a crew of hundreds of people working in the same city asking you how much damage there is in Scene 427B. In the end, there were seven damage levels. The dwarves had built this wall around the city between seasons, and we wanted to get that put in there, states Smith. The next thing we got going was a heat map where you could go to any part of the plot in this document we put together and say, I want to go halfway through Episode 206. You could see with the heat map the areas of the city that were partially, middle, and fully destroyed. That heat map would change as you dragged the slider through the plot of the show. Special effects helped to guide the visual effects work. Our crew on the special effects side is great and are doing everything they can, but the scale of that battle was such that we were out of the corners of the frame quickly and too often, Smith states. We had to start leaning into the visual effects, though even then, every frame was chalk full of what special effects could give us. There is a big oner where we go through a lot of smoke and fires everywhere, and we added about two thirds to that. But the third that they gave us was critical because it tells us how bright fire is in that light. The troll from Season 1 is an entirely separate asset from the one that appears in Season 2. Tolkien talked about how trolls are strong, mean and dumb, observes Smith. What we did on the first season was to make one that was hungry but still strong, mean and quite dumb. It wasnt going to have a conversation with you, and I dont actually think it had lips. But we found a way to make it roar! Then on this season we wanted to push all those nobs another way. What does a troll look or act like when its a bit smarter than the average troll? But still quite strong and maybe because of being smarter, hes even meaner than most of them know how to be. Ron Perlmans physical qualities came to mind as well as Mike Ehrmantraut [Jonathan Banks] from Breaking Bad as a personality for the character. Jonathan Banks plays things in a certain way that he seems to be over but if you cross him, you better not think hes not paying attention. That became a handhold for us and all the animators. I love that character so much! Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

Breakdown & ShowreelsSkeleton Crew: Onyx Cinder & Neel Breakdowns by ILMBy Vincent Frei - 16/12/2024 Meet the adorable character Neel, brought to life by Animation Supervisor Shawn Kelly, and see how practical effects shine with this really cool miniature model of the Onyx Cinder spaceship. Two breakdowns, two glimpses into ILMs impressive work on Skeleton Crew!WANT TO KNOW MORE?ILM: Dedicated page about Skeleton Crew on ILM website.WATCH IT ON Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024

InterviewsAlien Romulus: Dan Macarin (VFX Supervisor) & Ludovic Chailloleau (Animation Supervisor) Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 16/12/2024 After contributing to the visual spectacle of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, Dan Macarin steps into the world of Alien: Romulus, the next thrilling chapter in the iconic saga.Earlier this year, Ludovic Chailloleau walked us through the animation work Weta FX accomplished for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Now, he opens up about the challenges faced on the new Alien movie.How did you and Weta FX get involved on this show?Daniel Macarin (DM): Fede lvarez and the onset team were working through the third act of the movie and really wanted a creative partner that could help develop the ending. Weta FX has done some of the largest third acts in movie history and we were delighted to tackle the task. I had just come off doing the third act in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, which also included doing a very difficult oner sequence and a lot of work in space.Ludo and our producer Kevin Sherwood had just come off Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which involved an enormous amount of character work and destruction, making the three of us the perfect team for Alien: Romulus. What was your feeling to enter this iconic universe?DM: Extremely excited. I have so much Aliens merch around my office and Im a huge fan of the series that it made it difficult to contain my excitement when working on the film.Ludovic Chailloleau (LC): Growing up with 80s franchises is mostly the reason why I wanted to work in VFX today. Alien is a pillar of that universe; I was really excited to work on this film.How was the collaboration with Director Fede lvarez and VFX Supervisor Eric Barba?DM: From very early on in the project, the notes and creative direction Eric shared were making shots continually better, not just different. It made working with him really fantastic because we knew whatever he was going to ask us to do was going to make the story better and the shot more visually appealing. Fede joined our calls almost daily and was very involved with our work. He let us explore a lot of options and styles until we all were happy with how the feel of the story was moving. Fede was very specific in the type of movement and performance he wanted for both the Offspring and the Xenomorphs. Its always really great when you get to have such a collaborative relationship with the director and put everything you can into making the film great.LC: Working with Fede and Eric was a great art chemistry. Proposing ideas, bouncing different inspirations off each other. We were able to really explore all the work to pitch and pick the best ideas for the movie. I would say that we did really act as creative partners, working together to give it our best and figure out the third act.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?DM: Kevin and I pushed a lot of the larger destruction shots, like the Romulus station hitting the rings, up to the front of the schedule. We wanted to make sure that those really big shots had the time they needed to look as good as they do.It puts a lot of pressure on the Models and FX departments, but once we had hit the look we were after, the rest of the shots fell into place more quickly. The creature work on the Offspring and Xenomorphs was more difficult to organize. There was a lot of creative work and ideas that we were constantly adjusting to hit the right look and feel so we had to adapt to a more fluid schedule. LC: As Dan says, we started with all space shots first and the Offsprings augmentation work to kind of encapsule the language of both camera and Rob Bobroczkyis acting. Once we were more confident with it, we fleshed out the whole last part of the third act together, where all the destruction happens in the vacuum and the characters are hanging in space. This required some prep to really bring the realism into the animation so that it felt really connected with the rest of the sequence.What are the sequences made by Weta FX?DM: Weta FX worked on shots throughout the film, but the concentration of our work was the third act. This included Rain fighting the Xenomorphs in zero G, the destruction of the Romulus station; the space environment of the planet and rings, as well as the Offsprings evolution from birth to maturity and its attack on Rain. From inside the ship and out into space, the Offspring and the final oner as Rain makes her way back to her ship were entirely created by Weta FX. What challenges did you encounter in creating realistic planetary rings, and how did you achieve the desired visual effect?DM: We always start with reference. We looked at every documentary on Saturns rings and every bit of info we could from the files NASA puts online. You get into a lot of scientific discussions that most artists start to doze off. The hard part for the rings was finding a balance of beauty, realistic movement, and danger. If you make the rocks too small, the rings become too flat and you cant feel the speed and the movement, if you make them too big, the station starts to feel small and the audience loses the perception of its immense size. Fede wanted the rings to feel like a carpet of death and for us to incorporate the icy mountains that build up towards the outer edges of Saturns rings. LC: Pretty quickly, we realised that the feeling of scale and speed was more important than the physics behind the actual rings. It had to feel dangerous, slow from far away but deadly fast from close up. At some point, we started treating the rings as a third protagonist. The mantra was to keep it visually interesting, so we added more volume and speed variation to help the cinematography. Then for wider shots we have had to specifically design the ring shape around the planet itself to make it look giant and give a sense of infinite perspective in frame.Could you walk us through the process of designing the spaceship and the space station?DM: The ship and the station were both designed as miniatures on set. We had a large amount of reference to match. We added small details that were required for the story, like elevator shafts, extra labs and antennae. Our main work was making the assets destruction-ready and building walls, interiors, panels, pipes, and everything contained in the labs for when we ripped apart the station.How did you ensure that the scale of the planetary rings and the spaceship felt accurate and immersive to the audience?DM: One of our comp leads, Matt Holland, spent a lot of time finding a way to incorporate the planets shadow into the story so we could use it to help the audience understand where the ship and station were at any given time. Our animation team had to work through the best lenses to use for each shot to keep a look that aligns with the way youd shoot practical miniatures on set. They had to focus on the height from the rings and the speed of the planetary rotation so that the story points could always be easily identifiable to the audience. LC: When we first compiled our ship and planet assets in the same scene, at the correct scale, it was really impressive to see how different a human camera would have to move in space in order to frame what we wanted. Space and rings are huge, speeds are constants, and operating a camera in these conditions is really different than doing it on smaller scale with something in foreground to help figure out camera movements. It took a few iterations for the team to be able to operate these assets in that huge environment and achieve the right feeling. Trying to frame the Corbelan flying at 20.000k/h in front of smaller rocks flying even faster to give a sense of danger and keep it visually clear was exciting. The same for the shot of the Station crashing through the rings, we went through a few staging variations to fine tune the feeling of speed, and huge size.What role did lighting and color play in enhancing the visual impact of the space scenes, particularly around the rings and the station?DM: For the lighting we relied heavily on what the DP Galo Olivares had shot on set. We tried to keep lighting color and contrast to have a similar feeling to shots throughout the film so that the movie always had a consistent style and visual look. The ring color had to stay more of a neutral icy feel so it didnt overly contrast with the warmer planet.Can you share any behind-the-scenes insights into how the visual effects team collaborated to seamlessly integrate the spaceship and space station into the larger cosmic environment?DM: At the start of the show we asked for the list of camera lenses that the cinematographer uses on set. We got all the data on the lights that are being used. Temperature, gels, size, distance from subject, everything we can get our hands on. The closer we can get our base to what was used on set, the better the integration will be with any practical element we add. Most of the work in space was entirely digital, but its base was still aligned to what youd see if you were to shoot it as a miniature.What were the biggest challenges in bringing the Xenomorph to life on screen, especially in terms of movement and interaction with the environment?DM: Performance. The physiology of the Xenomorph allows it to move in a large variety of ways. You can play them like an actor in a suit or on all fours like a cat. How do the Xenos work with each other As a swarm or more individual. You could have them use more of their tails like a scorpion if you wanted. The challenge was to find the best performance based on Fedes direction and the story we were trying to tell. LC: The first Alien film features a Xenomorph on two legs, sort of bipedal, then on Aliens, we saw them moving on four legs, on the walls. We went through a few different inspirations to figure out the best feeling for it according to its design constraints. How fast they move, how do they interact with each other. Our main Xeno performance takes place in a zero-gravity environment. To do it we had to build few systems to really kill the incidence of the hips and emphasise the grip on the walls instead. A lot of details were figured out on the fly, like how to animate the tail, how to show that they are moving forward with the heads always leading like a predator on a curve but not too smooth. They had to feel creepy like cockroaches but not too much. Their big four back-pipes are sometimes in the way of its limbs, head and tail, but in the meantime, they give it so much of its identity. This creature design is fantastic, it allows so much attitude with minimal input.Could you elaborate on the techniques used to create the intense zero-gravity battle scene? How did you ensure the physics felt realistic?DM: We had actors on our mocap stage perform many of the movements. These motions were very carefully adjusted by our animation team, slowing down sections while keeping the overall movement based on real physical performances.LC: Working on Kong x Godzilla before helped to figure out a better and faster way to capture interesting zero gravity movements. After few discussions with our amazing stage team, we came up with great systems to help give the actors easy flow and allow them to focus on the story of each shot. I think we ended up with something quite interesting. At some points we even had to tone down the floating feeling because we were starting to lose their tension and the dangerousness of the character.What role did practical effects and CGI play in the creation of the Xenomorph, and how did you strike a balance between the two?DM: Fede had shot a lot of the in between shots using practical Xenomorphs. This gave us anchor points for the sequence. We knew when and where the Xenos had to be between shots. We knew our look had to match identically to the practical. It was less of a balance and more of a goal. If they could have shot them all practically, they would have, so we needed to make it feel like they did.How did you choreograph the zero-gravity battle to maintain tension and excitement while also dealing with the complexities of weightlessness?LC: We carefully broke down each shot of the sequence to really establish the flow and the needs of each performance as a whole. Then we did more breakdowns to allow a few hero Xeno creatures a mini story across all shots in continuity. The rig we built on stage was really helpful and allowed us to fine-tune details. We then composed the shot to give it the right feeling in terms of number and momentum. We had versions with a big horde of Xenomorphs rushing forward, but once in the dark lighting we realised that the feeling was not quite there, so we reorganised their numbers to make it clearer.What were some of the unique challenges in blending the Xenomorphs presence with the zero-gravity environment during the battle scene, and how did you overcome them?DM: Fede had a very specific idea in mind with the Xenomorphs. They are predators. They are also very smart. He wanted to make sure they moved towards their prey as a pack, using a pack leader as a guide. They are also able to anticipate and strategize. When Rain turns off the gravity, the initial thought is the Xenos will float around and be helpless, but they know what she is planning. They quickly react to the loss of gravity. All the Xenos move into using their fingers / claws and tail to adjust in the environment. They move by jumping position to position knowing how to land and keep balanced in order to remain focused on their target. Ludo and the Animation team had to design these performances so that the audience understood this about them. It had to feel intentional so that when they do get shot and they lose that control of their environment, they are then helpless to recover in time to save themselves.LC: Staging all Xenos limbs and blood across the sequence as they get shot was a real challenge. We had to come up with a system that visually represented the acid from the early blocking stages. That way we could sell what the shot would look like in Anim and compose all of the characters around it.What was the inspiration behind the design of the Offspring, and how did you ensure it stood out as a unique and terrifying creature?DM: The base design of the Offspring is a 7 ft., 5 in. actor in an amazing prosthetic suit. The performance and the look of the creature are all based off the actor on set. To keep it unique and part of the story, we kept it evolving throughout the sequence. It was always dripping black goo from its back, its tail was growing over time, as well as adjustments to his feet and hands. Its mini-mouth was also evolving to grow from a feeding device into more of a weapon. You have characteristics of both the engineers we saw in Prometheus and the Xenomorphs from the original Alien movie. This kept it grounded in something the audience could accept as being part of this universe while still being amazed at how horrific something familiar can be.How did you approach the animation of the Offspring to convey both its alien nature and its disturbing characteristics?DM: We focused a lot on the actors performance. We needed to make sure when we went digital with the character that it didnt suddenly move twice as fast as the previous shot with the real actor or move in a way that caused the audience to see the real versus CG performance. It needs to flow as one performance across the sequence. We had a very less is more approach to its movement. Having it move too quickly or too erratically was going to turn it into a cartoon character. It has a very similar movement and intent of the Xenomorphs, which is more of a predator hunting its prey. Slowing down the movement made it feel more menacing and frightening, striking only when necessary. LC: As the Offspring grows up, we slowly discover that it has a tail. This tail is the xenomorph identity so we used it in the way that it would not look like a dog or a scorpion. Instead, an approach we had was to imagine how we would have created this tail motion in the 1980s. Certainly not by moving the whole body and tail around. One way to ground this giant tail to an actor in a suit would have been to have an extra with a stick hidden nearby, moving this heavy tail from its tip. The rest of the tail, attached to the suit, would simply react to it, up to the hips, in a rack dolly way. That way, it gives the creature and its appendices an erratic way to move. Thats an example of how we approached details of the Offspring to portray his attitude.What specific challenges did you face in making the Offsprings movements feel unnatural yet realistic enough to be terrifying?LC: We really studied Robs performance in order to understand the mechanic of its locomotion. He is a very tall person with a lot of strength. What makes the Offspring terrifying is certainly its slow steering but sturdy moves. There is no waste of energy when it walks, everything moves with momentum. And in term of facial performance, it has a blank look, and never blinks! Even once out in space, when it is in pain with boiling blood, it is still steady, focus on its prey, with a sharp strike. Less is more was our best ally.Can you discuss the collaboration between the design and animation teams in creating the Offsprings distinct appearance and behaviour?DM: Giving his movements a sort of psychosexual motion.Its part of Giegers original designs of this world. You understand the movement and the intent without ever needing a character in the scene to spell it out for the audience. It plays on emotions of childhood and maturity that people would never want to be a part of, yet they understand it. Its the kind of behaviour that is real, but still terrifying to experience. Seeing this creature move in that way is what draws people in, allowing us to set up the finale where all connection to this creature is ripped away. LC: The moment where the Offspring takes its mini mouth out is one of them (sorry if there is another name for it, but that is what all called it!). We specifically worked on both design and animation together to make sure that the story and sub story were hit in those shots. Another one, for instance, was where the tail first grows out after his feed. After talking with Fede to clearly understand his vision, we worked with Models and our Art Department to build a special setup that allowed animation to really drive and stage the tails bones pace and timing.How did you use visual effects to enhance the Offsprings presence on screen, particularly in terms of texture, lighting, and interaction with its environment?DM: The Offspring is way too big for the environment it is thrown into. This caused it to be slightly clumsy at times and continually knock items in the room around. Its tail would hit walls, guns, boxes. The Offspring was trying to figure out its place in a world not designed for it. The lighting in the ship moves in ways to enhance the performance. The Offspring would often move slowly, but we took over the set lighting and added fluctuation to the lights, power surges, and flickering. It balanced the movement to hold onto the intensity of the scene. The Offsprings texture is similar to that of an Engineer from Prometheus, but it was more broken up, fresh out of an egg and growing too quickly. This meant adding more fluid, sand, and slime to the surface of its skin. When the Offspring gets pulled into space, its skin needs to be torn by the flowing sand and atmosphere pouring from the ship, its bleeding, its blood is boiling under the skin.Were there any memorable moments or scenes from the film that you found particularly rewarding or challenging to work on from a visual effects standpoint?DM: The space environment took a lot of development and when it came together we all had a moment of both awe and relief. When the first renders of the Offspring started coming out, the team internally would be sort of disgusted by the visual presence of the Offspring, which was definitely memorable. If we were able to gross ourselves out, we were on the right track. LC: The outer space shots at the end were great to work on. The last shot where Rain escapes, with the Offspring travelling through the container to then finally watch the ship crashing into the ring in the background was definitively challenging and exciting.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?DM: The worst thing would have been for people to chuckle or snicker when they see the Offspring, so when in the theatre and the audience had such a perfect reaction when they saw it, it was incredibly rewarding. That gasp and almost silent reaction of what am I seeing right now? Seeing how people didnt turn away but were engaged and amazed. That is what our team values, knowing the work was successful and got the audience to become a part of that moment. Which sequence or shot was the most challenging?DM: The station crashing into the rings. The immense scale and amount of geometry was insane. It needed to be beautiful and destructive at the same time. There were several story points all crossing at the same time. There were easter eggs to add in. It was an immense amount of work with a very satisfying conclusion. LC: The Offspring jump scare was challenging, when Rain is climbing back up to the container surrounded by all the sand pouring out in space. This took us a lot of iterations before finding the right timing. It was great to see the audience reacting to it, jumping back in their seats!What is your favourite shot or sequence?DM: The first shot you see of the Offspring in space. Its a perfect balance of sound and visual terror.LC: I really enjoyed the very first shot of the Offspring, on all fours, watching Andy.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Alien: Romulus on Weta FX website.Eric Barba: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Eric Barba.WATCH IT ON Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024