All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Its hard to think of a star with more maximalist tastes than Elton John. The iconic musician and EGOT winner, who is the subject of the 2019 biopic Rocketman and the recently released documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, has long been known for his over-the-top fashion sensibilitiessky-high platform shoes, oversized eyeglasses in every hue, feathers, and glitter are among his signature staples.That more-is-more philosophy is not limited to the stage; John has long been a collector, particularly when it comes to art and home decor. And when Elton John collects, he collects. Case in point: John owns one of the largest private collections of photography in the world, according to Christies. While his interior design style is still bold and eclectic, it has evolved into a considerably refined version over the course of his six-decade career. However, there was a time when the fledgling star quite literally filled his home with everything that caught his fancy. Below, we explore photos of John at home during his everything-goes design era.Photo: Kent Gavin/Mirrorpix/Getty Images1/15A new eraJohn poses with his car collection in front of his newly purchased home in Virginia Water, Surrey, in 1972. It was a meaningful year for the hitmaker. Not only did he buy his first house, but he had his name legally changed from Reginald Kenneth Dwight to Elton Hercules John. In honor of his new middle name, the songwriter named the abode Hercules. Later that year, he released a song by the same name on his album Honky Chteau.Photo: M. Stroud/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images2/1514 Abbots DriveAccording to Johns 2019 autobiography, Me, the brick bungalow pictured in this 1973 snapshot came with three bedrooms, a swimming pool, and a game room loft. The split-level dwelling cost the musician 50,000, or about $62,000 (an estimated $468,000, adjusted for inflation), per biographer Philip Norman.Photo: M. Stroud/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images3/15Making a menagerieJohn quickly filled the home with his various collections: art, lamps, onyx eggs, records, eyeglasses, platform shoes, and stuffed animals among them. An interviewer for a 1973 issue of Sounds magazine noted that aside from being eminent focal points, the huge plush toys that he collected were highly functional in helping guests find their way around the jam-packed abode. As the journalist Jerry Gilbert wrote, The lavatory is situated in the pink fluorescent bathroom and to locate the above you make a left turn at the bison and its first on the right after the warthog. The latter features in this photo, which was taken around the same time that the Sounds article was published.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images4/15Music manThe pianist poses at his Hercules home in a photo from 1974, surrounded by his massive record collection. According to Norman, John kept his vinyls organised meticulously into categories and subsections, with neatly written index cards, even now when trips through Tower Records with a shopping trolley might increase it by 300 albums at a time.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images5/15Budding art collectorShortly after moving to Virginia Water, the Rocket Man singer wandered into a local bookstore owned by filmmaker Bryan Forbes, and the two became fast friends. He taught me about art, and I started collecting under his influence, John wrote of the Stepford Wives director. First it was Art Nouveau and Art Deco posters, which were very fashionable in the early 70sRod Stewart collected them toothen surrealist painters like Paul Wunderlich. I began buying Tiffany lamps and Bugatti furniture. This 1974 photo of the artist posing between a pair of stuffed leopards showcases the gallery walls that displayed his homes ever-growing art collection.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images6/15Elton the art patronForbes introduced John to the work of artist Bryan Organ, and the Im Still Standing singer wasted no time in commissioning the painter to make a portrait of him. In the finished work, pictured above the musician here in 1974, John gazes through an open window and wears a shirt printed with a picture of Marilyn Monroe in the style of Andy Warhol. Another painting by Organ hangs to the left, while a suit of armor guards the entrance to the next room.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images7/15A well-appointed libraryIn addition to his hefty record collection, John kept an extensive library of books, a glimpse of which can be seen in the background of this 1974 photo. According to Normans 1993 biography of the artist, John continued to return to Forbess bookstore, often buying out the entire window display. He loved books, Forbess wife, actor Nanette Newman, recalled to Norman. He wanted to have them, like we did, all through the house. But not just for show. When you talked to him, you realized how amazingly well-read he was.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images8/15Hanging out in the game roomThe iconic musicians game room, where he stands in this 1974 shot, was lined wall-to-wall with his RIAA certifications. He also decked it out with a pinball machine, a foosball table, a jukebox, a ping-pong table, a golf putter, and a neon Hercules sign.Mirrorpix/Getty Images9/15A magpies bedroomJohns display of his wide-ranging collections continued in his bedroom, which housed posters, paintings, Tiffany lamps, stuffed animals, and an intricately carved bed frameall of which can be seen in this 1974 photo. Im a magpie, the performer told AD in 1993 of his collecting nature. If I see something beautiful, I have to have it.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images10/15An entertainer onstage and at homeApparently, youd be unlikely to find any dust atop the piano that John plays in this 1974 photo. [His] house was immaculate, Newman said, per Normans biography of the star. Elton did the housework himself, and was incredibly house-proud. I remember one day [he and his manager and then boyfriend, John Reid, had] been over to us for lunch, and we were going back to the bungalow for tea. Elton rushed off in the car ahead of us. When we got there, he was frantically Hoovering the living room.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images11/15Glassware connoisseurIn this 1974 photo, John poses with the cabinet that housed his glasswareanother collection of the musicians that continued to grow and evolve. Im a huge collector of glass, the musician told The Guardian in 2016. I love it, and feel its the last great underrated area of creativity.Photo: Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images12/15Comforting collectionsArt Nouveau posters, paintings, and other works line the walls under the guard of Johns suit of armor in this 1974 photograph. For as long as I can remember, Ive always found collecting things oddly comforting, and Ive always enjoyed learning about things by collecting them, whether thats records or photographs or clothes or art, the musician wrote of his maximalist tendencies.Photo:Carl Bruin/Mirrorpix via Getty Images13/15Saying goodbye to HerculesJohn poses with his stuffed bear, Art Nouveau posters, and a neon Elton sign at Hercules in 1974. Within two years, the Your Song musicians bungalow could barely contain the myriad possessions stuffed into it and, in addition, had to be protected from marauding fans by an electronic security fence, Norman wrote. In early 1976, John listed the home for 125,000 ($1.17 million, adjusted for inflation), ultimately selling it for 80,000 later that year, according to Norman.Photo: Brian Cooke/Redferns/Getty Images14/15and hello to WoodsideJohn traded his Virginia Water dwelling for an estate in nearby Windsor, which he bought in 1974 for 400,000 (the equivalent of $5.4 million today). In this 1981 photo, the musician performs a song inside the eight-bedroom home, which he still maintains. The 37-acre estate, originally built in the 1500s, is just a few miles from Windsor Castle.Photo: Brian Cooke/Redferns/Getty Images15/15The Elton John aesthetic, in his own wordsIt was built in a mock-Georgian style, but when doing it up, I decided to eschew Regency or Palladian decoration in favour of a style known among interior design specialists as Mid-70s Pop Star On Drugs Goes Berserk, John wrote of the homepictured here in 1981in his autobiography. There were pinball machines, jukeboxes, brass palm trees, memorabilia everywhere. There were Tiffany lamps next to the pair of four-foot-high Doc Marten boots Id worn while singing Pinball Wizard in The Whos film Tommy. Ready for a fresh start, the Crocodile Rock singer auctioned off $8.2 million worth of his belongings in 1988 and then tapped designers Andrew Protheroe and Adrian Cooper-Grigg to completely rebuild the mansea three-year renovation that was featured in AD in 1993.

Hes known for playing goofy characters in movies. Adam Sandlers houses, however, suggest that the actor and screenwriter is fairly pragmatic when it comes to real estate. The Saturday Night Live alumnus and his wife of 20 years, Jackie, own numerous properties throughout Southern California, and some of their homes seem relatively modest when one considers that Sandler was named the highest paid actor of 2023 by Forbes, and his net worth has been estimated at $430 million.The Sandler family (the couple have two daughters, Sadie, 18, and Sunny, 16, who starred alongside their parents in the 2023 film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah) have two properties in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, much of which was recently destroyed by a wildfire that erupted on January 7 and is still not, at the time of this publication, 100% contained. They have not confirmed publicly if their homes are still standing, but Sandler did take to X on January 9 to express his gratitude to the people fighting the fires, writing, Cant thank the firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement enough for risking their lives for all of us in Los Angeles.Adam Sandler, his daughters, Sunny Sandler and Sadie Sandler; a family friend; and his wife, Jackie Sandler, at the premiere of Murder Mystery 2 in 2023.Photo: Marc Piasecki/WireImageIt is not clear where the Sandlers are staying while their neighborhood is under evacuation orders, but during the fall of 2024, they were spotted at numerous locations in New Jersey, where they were reportedly living while Sandler filmed Happy Gilmore 2.The actor, who originally hails from New York and spent much of his childhood in New Hampshire, is notoriously private, so not a lot of information is available about some of his rumored properties, such as his condo in the celeb-friendly Sierra Towers building, but read on to find out what we do know about the comedians real estate portfolio.Malibu beach houseTwo years after forming Happy Madison Productions, Sandler dropped $3.1 million on the 3,000-square-foot Malibu home that hed been leasing for six months. The three-story property was originally built in 1947, but has since been remodeled to boast three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with an entertainers haven out back: an enclosed deck on the bottom level that can reportedly fit up to 100 guests. Elsewhere in the home, there are 25-foot glass walls overlooking the ocean for incredible sunset views. According to reports at the time, Sandler paid an additional $650,000 for the former owners furnishings and art collection. The Sandlers still own this residence.Boca Raton, Florida, condoSandler was generous with his fame and fortune. In the early 2000s, he began to receive more critical attention with the release of 2002s Punch-Drunk Love, and he reportedly paid $640,000 for a condo in Boca Raton, Florida, for his mother to use as her primary residence. The property spans 2,600 square feet and boasts three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Though Sandler and his family primarily call Los Angeles home, theyve been known to spend time in Florida as well, like when, in 2018, Sandler made headlines when he surprised a newlywed couple by posing with them during their wedding.Pacific Palisades padsIn 2004, the Sandlers bought a Pacific Palisades home with a celebrity pedigreeand the transaction is quite the story. According to People, Sandler and his wife were at Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russells house for a New Years Eve party when his wife said shed like to buy it. And so they did. The Sandlers paid $12 million for the sprawling 13,000-square-foot residence, which Hawn and Russell had recently decided to sell. Sandler apparently made an offer without seeing beyond the kitchen and before the home had even hit the market. They still own this property and consider it their primary home.Join NowBecome an AD PRO member for only $25 $20 per month + receive an exclusive toteArrowIn 2022, the Sandlers purchased a second Pacific Palisades home, a 1,840-square-foot ranch, for $4.8 million. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house was originally built in 1947 and has since been remodeled. Set on a small corner lot on a quiet cul-de-sac, the ranch-style residence features white wood shingles and blue shutters, with crown molding and other millwork throughout the home. A large black brick fireplace serves as a centerpiece in the living room, and the updated kitchen features stone countertops and built-in cabinetry. Its unclear whether or not the couple will choose to keep the property as is, however. The sale included plans for a possible 7,600-square-foot, two-story house with a basement that could take the place of this charming one-story pad.

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Machine LearningCitizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector reviewA thrilling and reflective dice-driven RPG that continues to subvert modern sci-fi as we know it.Image credit: VG247 Review by Rachel Watts Contributor Published on Jan. 30, 2025 As I played through Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, I couldn't get the image of a 'whale fall' out of my head. When whales die, their giant bodies sink to the dark depths of the seafloor, feeding and nourishing an entire ecosystem of deep sea creatures. The world of Citizen Sleeper has been through its own climatic event. This sci-fi story takes place in the shadow of the once monolithic Solheim corporation which has now collapsed. The fall of this giant has led to a new way of life. Everyone is surviving on the outcome of this collapse, scavenging its flesh and picking its bones clean. The Sleepers story is just one out of hundreds, all feeding off the guts of a fallen leviathan.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. As someone who loved the first Citizen Sleeper, my feelings were that it didn't need a sequel. It felt perfectly 'complete'. What else was left to explore in this world? Well, it turns out that there's a lot more, and I quickly fell in love with this harsh-but-beautiful transhumanist world all over again. I was genuinely sad when the credits rolled. Like its older sibling, Citizen Sleeper 2 is a reflective, subversive, and utterly absorbing sci-fi adventure.You once again play as an eponymous Sleeper, a human mind nestled in a prosthetic body of wires, skeletal metalwork, and synth meat. You wake up as an amnesiac, your long-term memories remain, but short-term memories are unmoored from your body. After a blur of panic and action, you find yourself once again on the run. You may have escaped your corporate creators, but this time youre trying to escape a 'friend' now turned powerful foe. Turns out space gangsters dont like it when you want autonomy over your own body.You're now forced to begin a new life as a runaway, surviving off gig work and dice rolls. Everything is told via evocative text, your Sleeper describing the sights, smells, and sounds of everything around you. Visually, you only see the exterior of locations and can click on location markers on a map to view events. Citizen Sleeper's RPG system works on a dice economy. You roll five dice at the start of your day (known as a cycle) and can apply the result of each dice to actions, moving clocks forward until you have finished your objective. The higher the roll, the more successful the outcome. Energy and money are your priorities, so gig work is vital to make ends meet. Locations you can travel and available contracts can be seen on the map, but youll need enough fuel and supplies to make the journey.Image credit: Fellow TravellerThe entirety of the first game's story takes place on a singular space station, so you slowly build up a familiarity with the location, like where to get regular work, which food vendor makes the best grub, and knowing a handful of friendly faces you can rely on. This feeling of safety has totally disappeared in Citizen Sleeper 2. Your Sleeper now needs to bounce between different locations because if you stay anywhere too long, youll be found.You now need to travel up and down a wider network of stations and satellites called The Belt, never staying in one place for too long. The safety of knowing your way around one location is entirely gone, and the tension of needing to stay ahead of your pursuer means you need to be prepared for whatever waits for you at the next location.This nomad mindset plays into the biggest difference between CS1 and CS2: tension. Delicious tension. Citizen Sleeper 2 really ramps up the pressures and stresses of being on the run and trying to survive. A criticism of CS1 is it's possible to get yourself to a place of comfort relatively easily. A small warning: that will not happen here. And it makes for a better game. I realized this at the start of Day Two when my shipmate shook me awake, with a morning greeting of "we're in trouble." This Sleeper cannot catch a break, and by extension, that means you too. You can choose between three classes: Operator, Extractor, and Machinist. | Image credit: Fellow TravellerIt's intense, but exciting. Citizen Sleeper 2 has a bold new set of systems that really amp up the thrill. One of the biggest new introductions are Contracts; big-risk, big-payout missions where you fly to a location and must carry out a mission under time pressure. You also need to hire a crew to come help you out, each member having their own skills and dice you can assign.So many things can go wrong with these contracts, a big one being stress levels. Whenever a skill check is failed the character takes one stress counter, and if a crew member takes on too much they bow out of the mission altogether. If your Sleeper takes on too much stress they can crack their dice making them unusable until they're fixed, which is Very Bad. Failed checks can also trigger an event crisis, which you'll have to resolve to keep the mission on track.With all the dice, stress counters, crisis events, and countdowns to keep in mind, these Contracts are deviously good fun. Carefully assigning my crew's dice, looking at numbers and symbols, and pushing my luck by pulling off risky moves, - it's like tinkering with the inner workings of a machine that could blow up in my face any second. I lost track of the number of times I crossed my fingers and prayed to whatever space God the 50% chance of a negative outcome wouldn't bite me in the ass. That feeling was a high I was forever chasing, and it meant I took bigger risks, way bigger than I ever would have in the first game.So important to pick the right crew. You need to mitigate, and anticipate, the shopping list of reasons of things that can go wrong. Your Sleeper has an RPG-style class with upgradable abilities, but one skill will always remain completely blocked off and unavailable to upgrade. This means you need to rely on others for your weaknesses. Just like real life.If you find yourself up against an event that requires a skill check none of your crew excels in, it can mean trouble. This system might lead you to see characters as walking dice sets to use at your disposal, but over time you learn that they're survivors just like you who have their own messy stories. You can decide who gets to permanently join your crew and over time, learn more about them. Its important to think about their skills and usefulness, but they feel more than just tools. They are kindred spirits just like the Sleeper. Your battered spaceship becomes a haven for them, a home to those found wandering The Belt. Guillaume Singelin's detailed character art returns for this sequel. | Image credit: Fellow TravellerYou might even run into some familiar faces on your adventures. Your current sleeper is different from the sleeper in the first game, but seeing them is still comforting is a little bittersweet. It's been many years since the first game, meaning that theyve changed. Hardened and rough around the edges. Its confronting, and really drives home how living in a world gripped by the cruelties of corporate capitalism can change a person.This sentiment is masterfully achieved through Citizen Sleeper 2s writing, which remains as rich, punchy, and visceral as the first game. Gareth Damian Martin gives a beating heart to bustling cities and breathes life into the machines - it's wonderfully evocative writing. I took screenshots of so many quotes I couldn't bear to forget. My screenshot folder usually acts as a photo album of holiday snaps from my virtual adventures. Here, its like dog-earring pages passages from your favourite book.A testament to how good the writing is when s**t does hit the fan, the direction the story goes in is just as interesting, sometimes even more so than when things go smoothly. Citizen Sleeper 2 has RPG-style story decisions that are thrust upon you during story sections. No dice rolls, just a reliance on your current skills. Whatever the outcome, you can always rely on something wild happening. I've drilled to the center of a frozen asteroid, failed to incite a mutiny on a labor ship, helped build the foundations of a colony on a meteorite, chatted with the broken mind of a dying machine - it's been an absolute rollercoaster. Skills checks during story moments might force you to a specific choice, unless you want to take a major risk. | Image credit: Fellow TravellerOne fantastic bit of writing Id like to highlight without giving away spoilers is about the character Serafin. When you wake up at the start of the game, Serafin is one of the first people you see and you soon find out the two of you have shared history. However, because of your amnesia, you dont remember him. You don't recall the friendship you shared, it is completely lost. This is pretty devastating. Serafin has to go through the grief of losing a friend and the Sleeper needs to grapple with the feeling of having someone know them but not able to return that connection. This situation is painful and fully felt by both characters. It's poignant human drama and that underlines the entire game, from beginning to end.But the two learn to rebuild what was lost, a microcosm of the bigger picture. That everything is in a constant state of change, that the Sleeper, and the world they exist in, is in a state of transformation, a process that will never end. To rebuild on what was there before, to see the ruins of something as not an end but a beginning.Between musings of transhumanism, capitalism, power, and technology are human stories about real people. No space wizards, no ship shootouts, no heroes. Just the everyday reality of folks trying to survive. Its incredibly grounded, and something I wish we would see more of in sci-fi. Citizen Sleepers world belongs to its junkyard scavengers, grubby engineers, repair technicians, cargo haulers, and everyone else on this ramshackle asteroid belt. I dont want the glitz and gloss of Starfield, Star Wars Outlaws, or Cyberpunk 2077. I want grounded, punchy stories about nobodies, and thats what Citizen Sleeper 2 is. What a fantastic start to 2025.Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector arrives on PC, Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 on January 31. This review is written based on PC code provided by the publisher.

This week may have mainly been about chatter in the Helldivers 2 community after game director Johan Pilestedt headed on sabbatical, but there's still been stuff happening in the game itself, and the latest of those things is seemingly offering the chance to permanently see off a pesky foe from last year. Read more

Image: Summer Game FestIt's been confirmed that Summer Game Fest will return this year with a 2-hour showcase taking place on 6th June at the YouTube Theatre in Los Angeles.Following this, a 'Play Days' hands-on event will take place from 7th-9th June in which media and influencers can experience new and upcoming games from over 40 attending publishers.A brand-new addition for 2025 includes what's being called a 'thought leader event' curated by Christopher Dring (previously GamesIndustry.biz) and Geoff Keighley.This will feature key leaders from the games industry and beyond who will come together to "delve into some of the key changes, challenges and opportunities facing the global video game industry, as well as celebrate the cultural impact and importance of video games as the most powerful form of entertainment in the world".Public tickets for the showcase will be available for purchase in Spring, but those hoping for a strong presense from Nintendo may need to temper their expectations; the publisher isn't known for collaborating much with Summer Game Fest, and with the Switch 2 launching later this year, it will likely be controlling its own message with the upcoming April Direct.For now then, you can sign up for updates over at summergamefest.com. NontendoHands-on impressions of over a dozen gamesAre you bothered about following this year's Summer Game Fest event, or do you think Nintendo will just stick to its own guns as usual? Let us know with a comment down below.Share:00 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With Three More TitlesIncluding a special Super Famicom release...Opinion: My Daughter Made Me Realise That Mario Wonder's Difficulty Options Need WorkYoshi or Nabbit, make your choiceXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Metal Poster Pre-Order Bonus RevealedAvailable now in the US

Image: Team17We've been keeping an eye on Date Everything the romance sim where you can, fittingly, date everything since it was revealed last summer. A last-minute delay pushed the game to a Valentine's Day 2025 release, but developer Sassy Chap Games has since decided that it still needs a little more time in the oven. Put Cupid on hold, because Date Everything is now expected to launch in June.In a statement from Sassy Chap Games' Lead Designer Ray Chase, the dev explained that while the game is complete, there's still a whole bunch of testing that needs to be done. Releasing the game in its current state, Chase explains, would be a "disservice", so the team has decided to push things back by a few months to make sure that everything is in tip-top shape.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube794kWatch on YouTube You can find Chase's full statement below:To our fellow Dateviators,Since we last updated you on development, We have been extremely hard at work finishing work on Date Everything! And at this point I can confidently say that we have reached that point where the game is complete to a standard that we feel reached our goals with no compromise in our bonkers artistic vision.However... I was too confident that we could properly test ALL the wild amount of content and pathing that exists in this massive game, and unfortunately we ran out of time on our current (and yet so appropriate) release date of February 14th, 2025.Our bug list is finally starting to dwindle down as QA gets through the labyrinthine story pathing, but to submit our game in the state with so many outstanding glitches would be doing you a disservice. We have our final release date set for June 2025. And while it isn't quite as sexy a date as Valentine's Day, we hope we can bring new sexiness to June evermore. And yes, you actually can date the glitches. Their name is Daemon and I am currently in a Love/Haterelationship with them.It's always a shame to hear of a project getting delayed (particularly when it happens twice), but in a game where there are so many romantic outcomes, we can only imagine that the list of potential glitches quickly piles up and we'd always rather have a bug-free experience, if possible.We'll be keeping an eye out for more information from Team17 and Sassy Chap Games over the coming months for a more secure release date, ready to mark it with a heart on the calendar, naturally. And it's called... Date Everything!What do you make of this delay? Are you still keen to play Date Everything later this year? Let us know in the comments.[source x.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:01 Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related Articles69 Games You Should Pick Up In Nintendo's 'Supercharge' eShop Sale (North America)Every game we scored 9/10 or higherReview: ENDER MAGNOLIA: Bloom In The Mist (Switch) - An Incredibly Polished, Downbeat MetroidvaniaOne that shouldn't be mistXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Metal Poster Pre-Order Bonus RevealedAvailable now in the USCeleste Dev Makes "Difficult Decision" To Cancel New Game EarthbladeFollowing "a disagreement about the IP rights of Celeste"

Microsoft announced Thursday that its buying over 7 million tons of carbon credits from Chestnut Carbon.The 25-year deal would enable Chestnut Carbon to reforest 60,000 acres of land across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, Axios reported. Recently, the tech company has struggled to rein in its carbon emissions as AI has driven a surge in data center construction and use.Microsoft reported last year that its emissions rose 29% since 2020 as a result of the boom in AI and cloud computing, imperiling its 2030 goal to sequester more carbon than it produces. In 2023, the company reported generating 17.1 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions before offsets.Carbon credits come in a range of flavors. Chestnut Carbon focuses on reforestation, in which the company facilitates tree planting and then monitors the new forests to ensure they grow as planned and arent cut down. The company currently has eight projects in the Southeast U.S., which were previously worked as farms or pastures.Trees naturally sequester carbon as they grow, though not all forest-related carbon credits are created equal. Credits from projects that plant non-native, fast-growing trees are generally seen as lower quality and sell for less since they dont tend to support as much biodiversity, and the trees dont tend to live as long. Projects that support diverse, native plantings typically sell at a premium since the ecosystems that result tend to be more resilient over time.Even premium carbon credits from afforestation, reforestation, and avoided deforestation are a relative deal compared with some alternatives. Chestnut Carbon sold credits last year for $34 per ton, whereas direct air capture, which uses fans and chemical sorbents to draw CO2 out of the atmosphere, costs around $600 to $1,000 per ton today. Despite the cost differential, Microsoft has also bought carbon credits from direct air capture startups.For all their strengths, nature-based carbon credits arent always perfect. Verra, which has the largest nature-based carbon credit portfolio, was the subject of an extensive investigation in 2023 which reported that the organization overstated the climate benefit of its projects. The scandal led to the CEOs ouster and made the industry reassess the standards it uses. Chestnut Carbon, which previously used Verra to certify its carbon credits, today uses Gold Standard.

Waymo said it is launching fully driverless robotaxi rides for employees in Atlanta, an important step before the company opens the service up to members of the public later in 2025.This is the latest signal of Waymos push into new markets, and it comes two months after the company closed a $5.6 billion Series C round at a $45 billion valuation. The round was led from heavy hitters including Alphabet, Andreessen Horowitz, Fidelity, Tiger Global, and others. The company earlier this week announced plans to test in 10 new cities this year, starting with San Diego and Las Vegas. When Waymo officially launches its commercial robotaxi service in Atlanta, it will be exclusively via the Uber app. Waymo and Uber also plan to launch together in Austin this year. The Alphabet-owned self-driving company opened up robotaxi rides to certain members of the public in Austin in October after first offering rides to employees seven months earlier.Waymos Atlanta milestone comes a day after Elon Musk said Tesla would launch a robotaxi service in Austin in June. Tesla has yet to bring a fully autonomous vehicle to public roads that doesnt require a human driver behind the wheel ready to take over. Waymo runs its own autonomous ride-hail service, Waymo One, in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

InterviewsDune Prophecy: Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) and the Image Engine teamBy Vincent Frei - 30/01/2025 In 2018, Martyn Culpitt delved into Image Engines visual effects work for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of projects, including The Mandalorian, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Willow, and Kraven the Hunter.Jeremy Mesana brings more than 25 years of visual effects experience to the table, having collaborated with leading studios like MPC, Digital Domain, and Image Engine. His credits include work on Logan, Mulan, Snowpiercer, and Halo.With more than 10 years of experience in visual effects, Adrien Vallecilla built his career at studios like MPC and Digital Domain before joining Image Engine in 2022. His credits include Terminator: Dark Fate, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Ahsoka, and Halo.With more than 15 years in the VFX industry, Xander Kennedy has an extensive background that includes time at Luma Pictures, MPC, and ReDefine. Since joining Image Engine in 2021, he has contributed to various shows such as The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Foundation, and Leave the World Behind.Geoff Pedder brings 25 years of experience in the visual effects industry, having honed his craft at studios like MPC, Cinesite, ILM, and Image Engine. His portfolio includes work on Hawkeye, Fast X, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Kraven the Hunter.Clement Feuillet joined Image Engine in 2023, following his work with studios such as Mikros Animation, Scanline VFX, Framestore, and Animal Logic on various shows like Godzilla vs. Kong, 1899, Peter Pan & Wendy, and Leo.EungHo Lo launched his VFX career at Weta FX in 2009 before joining Image Engine in 2015. Over the years, he has contributed to various projects, including Prometheus, Game of Thrones, Hawkeye, and Snowpiercer.What was your feeling to enter into the Dune universe?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) When I learned that my next project would be Dune: Prophecy, I was beyond excited to contribute to this incredible universe. The opportunity to bring our own creative ideas and visions to such an iconic series was truly an honor.Having been in the industry since I was eighteen, Ive had the privilege of working on only a handful of projects with worlds as unique and imaginative as this one.Denis Villeneuves first Dune film was breathtaking. I was utterly immersed, transported to its rich, otherworldly setting. The VFX work by DNEG was incredible and again for me pushed the ideas of whats possible.Working on the Dune: Prophecy was creatively one of the coolest projects. We really tried to keep to the aesthetics of the first movie but also add our own touch to it.How was the collaboration with the showrunner and with VFX Supervisor Michael Enriquez?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) We had a great collaboration with Mike and Alison Schapker, the show runner. We were given a lot of creative freedom to really come up with exciting ideas that were true to the Dune world but also unique to Prophecy. Concepts played a huge part in this for us as it was a quick way to explore ideas and have Mike and Alison give feedback. There were a lot of creative challenges on the show and Mike was great at trying to help us understand what Alisons vision was. It was an awesome show and a pleasure working with both of them. Hopefully we get to do it again.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) Viktoria Rucker, my VFX Producer, and I had an excellent partnership on this project. Vik is incredibly organized and played a key role in ensuring turnovers happened as quickly as possible, allowing us to dive into the complex work for the show. She was fantastic with the client, maintaining a great rapport, and collaborated closely with Terron Pratt to ensure we had everything we needed.The show presented significant challenges due to the sheer number of plates and creative complexities, but Vik and Terron were outstanding in maintaining constant communication and keeping us on track to hit our targets. While the complexity of the shots and ongoing updates to the cut pushed some deadlines, Vik excelled at reshuffling priorities to ensure everything was delivered on time. She worked closely with Kitty Widjaja, our Production Manager, to make it all happen.Viks organization and proactive approach were invaluable. I genuinely couldnt have done it without her and Kittys support. Their ability to stay on top of tight deadlines made a huge difference and alleviated a lot of potential concerns.What are the sequences made by Image Engine?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) The show presented us with a variety of unique and challenging sequences, each creatively exciting due to their distinct nature.One of the key sequences involved the sandworm shots, where the worm engulfs the Sisterhood complex in a fully CG-rendered Arrakis environment. These shots also included haunting nightmare scenes set in the Sisterhoods realm, featuring falling sand, thumpers in the Arrakis desert, and many other unique shots.Another standout was the ice lake sequence, where we crafted a dynamic snowstorm that reflected Valyas emotional state, blending white and black snow in a visually striking way. This required a fully CG environment, complete with detailed ice cracks and FX-driven snow effects.The holographic table was particularly memorable, depicting the Arrakis desert and the sandworm consuming Desmond. This scene was one of the most technically demanding, but the final result was stunning, and were immensely proud of it.We also created a full CG mechanical robot battle sequence featuring MEK robots in a dynamic, fully digital junkyard environment.Additionally, we designed a CG bull that needed to feel grounded in reality while hinting at evolutionary traits from thousands of years in the future. This balance between realism and futurism made it an intriguing challenge.Another exciting addition was the CG lizard, created as the Princes toy. This was a fun creature to design. The animators and riggers enjoyed figuring out its unique movements for the sequence.Lastly, the Anirul world posed a fascinating challenge, requiring the development of a fully CG environment filled with intricate graphical elements. Collaborating with Territory Studios, we designed a detailed library of information stored within the Sisterhood, adding depth to this captivating world.The opening sequence with the giant robots is visually stunning. Can you walk us through the creative process behind designing and animating these massive machines?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) We wanted the giant robots to feel both immense and imposing, yet grounded in reality. It was equally important that they exude intelligence, reflecting the advanced technical knowledge of their era. The concept department played a crucial role in this process, drawing inspiration from large, heavy machinery and industrial vehicles to give these robots a tangible sense of scale and presence.Once the concepts were approved, we transitioned to building detailed 3D models. The animation team collaborated closely with the modeling team to bring these machines to life, focusing on every aspect of their movement. We emphasized scale and weight, ensuring that each motion felt deliberate, heavy, and consistent with their massive size and mechanical nature.Jeremy Mesana (Animation Supervisor) Like most characters we will always start with a motion study. Aiming to get an idea on locomotion and scale nailed down before we start shot production. Trying to find early nuance in a characters movement usually saves time come shot production time. For the robots, we focused on how the legs moved early on while still in the concept stage. So that we could give mobility feedback to assets while still in the modeling stage. For the blaster fire, we again dove in early to try and figure out the mechanics of where the blaster originates as well of the mechanics of how the laser tracking and blaster firing would work. Making solid headway early on for these things helped the shots move much faster when it came to shot production.How did you approach the challenge of integrating the robots seamlessly into the war zone environment? What techniques were used to ensure their scale felt imposing?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) When we received the RAW plates, they featured soldiers running through the frame, with detailed ground debris and practical special effects explosions. These elements provided a strong foundation for integrating the CG robots seamlessly into the scene.Building on this, we added even more debris and significantly extended the environment to enhance the sense of scale and depth. To fully immerse the robots into the action, we layered in additional FX elements, such as explosions, flying debris, and atmospheric effects, ensuring the CG seamlessly blended with the live-action footage and amplified the intensity of the scene.We focused on animating the robots to convey their massive scale, ensuring every movement felt deliberate and heavy. Their positioning was carefully crafted to emphasize their imposing and menacing presence, amplifying their sense of threat.Jeremy Mesana (Animation Supervisor) Having enough reference elements in the environment like bodies and debris gave the robots a nice scale of reference. The ground interaction also helped give scale with the laser explosions and collision effects.Can you tell us more about the interplay between practical effects and CGI in this sequence? Were there any physical elements used as a base for the robots?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) There were a few practical elements integrated into the scene. For example, a blue laser mounted on a structure was used to simulate where the robot might scan its surroundings. While it provided a useful reference, the timing didnt align with the robots animation, so we painted it out and replaced it with a CG version that synced perfectly with the robots movements.Similarly, practical explosions were set off to mimic the robot firing its weapon. These worked well but were enhanced with additional CG explosions and FX simulations to help the scale of the impact. While the scene already featured some atmospheric elements and practical explosions, we layered in new FX versions to ensure they seamlessly aligned with the CG robots depth in the scene and animation, enhancing the overall integration and intensity of the shot.Adrien Vallecilla (CG Supervisor) HBO constructed a simple mechanical structure to represent the height of the main robot, with an animated laser mounted on it and aimed at the running soldiers. We replaced the mechanical structure and laser with our CGI robot, extended the set, added traveling blasters, smokes, and explosions over the plate, and enhanced the set explosions with additional CG elements.The plates provided a solid foundation, but replacing the practical laser was challenging. This required us to completely paint out the set laser and incorporate CG interactive lighting from the robots laser/blasters into the plate elements.What were the key technical hurdles in creating such a complex opening scene, and how did the team at Image Engine overcome them?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) One of the biggest challenges we faced was the existing practical elements in the plates, which included dynamic atmospherics, lasers, and explosions. This required us to be extremely careful in how we integrated our FX work to ensure everything blended seamlessly. Fortunately, the client provided lidar scans, which were invaluable for aligning the robots and CG environment ext. with the correct depth and be able to blend it together. It was a creative challenge for sure.Adrien Vallecilla (CG Supervisor) One of the biggest concerns was the amount of FX fires, smoke, and explosions needed to make the battlefield feel realistic. Early in FX, we created a library of explosions, fires, smoke plumes, and ambient smoke elements that animation placed in the scenes. We created cross-software attributes for animation to offset their, scale, and duplicate those FX elements, and once approved, these were published to lighting and rendered. Because we render our animation dailies with Arnold too, this approach allowed us to creatively approve the battlefield at the animation stage, saving time downstream and avoiding unnecessary caching in FX.The sandworms are iconic to the Dune universe. How did you ensure your version of these creatures remained faithful to their legacy while introducing new visual elements?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) We really studied the Dune movies to thoroughly understand the movements of the sandworms and their sense of scale. The worms larger movements are smooth and subtle, which contributes to their impressive scale. However, its the moments when the worms pause and interact with the actors that reveal the depth and detail of their animation, truly bringing them to life. The movement of the worms teeth, lips, and mouth conveys an incredible sense of scale and believability.To achieve this, we developed a sophisticated rig for the teeth, allowing them to move in response to the creatures vibrations as it traverses its environment and interacts with the sand. We also ensured that the individual hairs could be animated as needed.What was the biggest challenge in creating the sandworms interactions with the environment, especially with the intricate movement of sand?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) We carefully analyzed numerous shots from the films to understand how the worms move through the sand, focusing on the flow of their movement and the way the sand flows and interacts with them. Particular attention was given to how the sand behaves in each shot and the individual elements that contribute to the worms immense sense of scale.When you truly study the films, you realize the sand isnt just a simple elementits a complex interplay of layers, movements, and volumes. There are countless FX passes working together to create the illusion of dynamic sand that enhances the scale and realism of the shots.This detailed study of sand movement was essential to integrating our creature seamlessly into its environment and ensuring it remained faithful to the films aesthetic and vision.Adrien Vallecilla (CG Supervisor) The main challenge ended up being the distance from the ground. Because the sand was made of particles, we needed to simulate millions of particles to make the simulations look realistic at that scale. The simulation and rendering time slowed down the creative process, but we managed to find ways to optimize and speed up the process by splitting the elements into sections and reviewing particles and volumes separately.One of the creative challenges we faced was balancing the volumes with the sand particles. There isnt much reference for such a massive amount of moving sand, so it took us some time to find the right balance. Another challenge was that the sequence took place in a dream, and for creative reasons, the worm had different scales per shot. This posed a challenge for FX and required them to build flexible templates to accommodate scale adjustments for the worm.Could you share insights into the textures and detailing of the worms skin? How did the team achieve such a realistic yet otherworldly appearance?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) Having the Dune movies as a reference was hugely instrumental in shaping the look of our creature. We dedicated significant time to studying the details and nuances, ensuring we accurately replicated the textural qualities and intricate model details of the worms. To enhance the realism, we added fine surface hairs and introduced additional textural breakup, bringing even more depth and life to the creature in our shots.Geoff Pedder (Asset Supervisor) We studied the worms in the movies quite closely and used a mixture of zbrush sculpting for larger scale features, render time displacement, dust maps and groom to achieve the fine details and light response we were looking for.Clement Feuillet (Texture Artist) Modeling did a phenomenal job detailing the hi-resolution worm, so I was able to bake the very high poly details of the worm to use as a base for texturing, then we tried to find some good references for the worm scale and skin textures by looking at the movies, internet references, different types of stones We blended different scan data of rocks and sand textures, starting with the high-resolution baked data as our foundation. I created the scale mask by comparing the low poly and high poly meshes, and then we worked our way from large details down to smaller ones, utilizing all the data we had generated before, like occlusion to add intricate sand details between scales, using gradients and curvature masks to create a more weathered appearance on the tips of the scales that come into direct contact with the sand etc..EungHo Lo (Organic Modeller) The specific appearance of the worm was already depicted in the movie, so it was a great starting point for the design process. The level of detail varies greatly depending on how much the worm appears in the movie and how close it gets to the camera. Since most of its appearances focus on the head and open mouth, we dedicated significant effort to that part. Additionally, because it always appears with sand, creating realistic sand greatly enhanced the realism of the worm.Since the worm lives in the sand, remains constantly dry, and has a very hard shell, we tried to capture that texture and skin detail by combining the hardness of rocks with the dry, rough texture of an elephants skin.The lizard-like robot adds a unique touch to the narrative. How did you conceptualize its design and movement to balance its mechanical and organic features?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) The original design of the Lizard was provided as a concept model by the client, which we further refined and enhanced to add greater detail and bring more life to its overall appearance. Our aim was to create a creature that seamlessly blended the organic qualities of a real lizard with the precision of a mechanical machine. To achieve this, we conducted in-depth movement studies, focusing on key details to realize this unique vision.Animating the Lizard was particularly challenging, as we needed to maintain a lifelike quality while incorporating a mechanical edge. The team did an incredible job striking that balance. The difficulty increased once the Lizard was stabbed by Desmonds knife. We had to carefully adjust its movements to convey damage, giving it a staccato-like, jerky quality. In the end the final animation really worked to meet the feel Alison, the showrunner, was after and she absolutely loved it.Jeremy Mesana (Animation Supervisor) In its undamaged state the lizard we played more organic in its movements, referencing a real-life lizard for motion. Its when it got damaged that we leaned more into a mechanical staccato-like robot motion to further sell that it was one of the thinking machines.What was the most intricate part of animating the robot lizard, particularly when showcasing its interactions with the characters and environment?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) The transformation from the ball to the lizard unfurling on Pruwets hand was one of the most complex challenges we faced. The lizards design featured countless scales that needed to be individually animated while also blending seamlessly as the ball unfurled. When in its spherical form, the lizard has an abundance of scales that make up the sphere, but as it transitions into its lizard form, nearly half of those scales disappear.We had to find a precise and intricate way to blend and hide the scales during the transformation. It was almost like a Transformer-style transition, which made the process both fascinating and challenging for the team. Creating this effect required a highly complex rig and a lot of time and effort to get everything just right, but it was incredibly rewarding to see it come together.Jeremy Mesana (Animation Supervisor) The transformation is the more intricate of tasks for the lizard. Unfurling itself from its ball state and springing to life. Make a believable transition from one state to the other.Were there any specific inspirations or references the team used to develop its behavior and personality?Jeremy Mesana (Animation Supervisor) We gathered a slew of real-life lizard footage as reference for the motion.The holograms in Dune: Prophecy are incredibly intricate. What were the creative inspirations behind their design and color palette?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) The holographic table sequence was one of the most challenging yet creative moments in the series. Holograms have been portrayed in countless ways before, and we were determined not to mimic what had already been done. To create something unique, we collaborated closely with Mike, the visual effects supervisor, and Alison, the showrunner, presenting numerous concepts for how the holographic table would look and function.Our goal was to make it feel tangible, as though the table was truly projecting light that interacted with surfaces to create the images and worlds we see. One of the biggest hurdles was reconciling the differences between the on-set cameras and the projectors within the scene. This required extensive problem-solving to ensure the visuals came together seamlessly.We also drew inspiration from the first film, particularly the scene where Paul reviews footage in his bedroom of the Fremen walking across the sands of Arrakis. Incorporating elements from that moment helped add continuity and authenticity to our designs. The footage in that scene has a distinct degradationan aged, film-like quality reminiscent of a real projectorand we wanted to ensure our holographic table carried a similar aesthetic.Alison, the showrunner, was clear that the holographic table should not feel like sleek, futuristic technology. Instead, she wanted it grounded in the real world, with a tactile, analog quality rather than a polished, digitally enhanced look.Xander Kennedy (CG Supervisor)- One of our main inspirations for the hologram was the Dune universe itself. There are a lot of conceptual elements that could make up a hologram, but grounding ourselves within the lore and creative elements of our universe was crucial. It became clear that the style in which the dune holograms spoke, were quite an old-school-projector look and feel. The fluttering of a film roll in front of a bulb creates unique artifacts, jitters and light rays that help produce an image that is believable. The color palette has a similar story, All the elements were built up around true photography, as if the hologram had been filmed and recorded in a real environment on Arrakis. Paying careful attention to our key and fill ratios, allowed us to build up the holographic treatment correctly. The warmth of Arrakis played into our favor and using more saturated mids / shadows really gave the hologram a sense of depth while keeping highlights as a sense of connection to the projectors.How did the team handle the technical challenges of rendering holographic elements that interacted dynamically with characters and settings?Xander Kennedy (CG Supervisor) The team did really well collaborating with each other, some of our render layers had to be rendered out of lighting and passed back downstream to FX in order to generate the correct projected light rays to connect to the highlights of the final image. It was a bit of a cyclical process, but utilizing some of our pipeline templates and key leads and artists, we were able to manage a staggered process that ended up being pretty hands-free. Each shot had dozens of AOVs multiple artists and FX elements split for the purpose of recombining in a way that was sympathetic to layering. In order to squeeze out the most height and depth to the hologram, the comp team also spent a lot of time meticulously placing additional elements that gave a lot of life to the final image.Were there any unexpected technical or creative challenges encountered during the production?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) The project presented numerous creative and technical challenges, but the crew excelled at prioritizing issues and devising solutions within an incredibly tight deadline. Each sequence was unique in its demands, requiring significant creative effort to solve, often accompanied by unforeseen technical hurdles.One particularly challenging sequence was the ice lake environment. Its black-and-white snow presented a complex problem, as we needed to fine-tune the values and variations of snow on a per-shot basis. This required developing new tools and workflows across multiple departments to achieve the desired results.The teams collaborative spirit was truly remarkable, and their unwavering support for one another made all the difference. Its a testament to their dedication and hard work that we were able to deliver a project of such high creative quality.Adrien Vallecilla (CG Supervisor) One of the challenges was the Anirul genetic library. It is always hard to work with holographic elements, but the challenging aspect of this work is that the environment and holograms are characters in the episode. On top of having many different communication tools, Anirul itself needed to look beautiful and contribute to the artistic universe of Dune. Each asset in this environment has different attributes built-in for animation, the artists were able to move, pulse, and fade in and out the holograms. We needed to create publishable, attribute-driven assets to accomplish this in our 3D scenes, the animators were animating attributes in Maya that allowed the holograms to behave how we wanted, and then these were published to lighting for proper rendering. One of the goals of having the holograms in 3d space was to achieve realistic reflections and lighting that would interact with the environment as Anirul communicates. Organizing all these elements to create the Anirul environment that elegantly tells the story was one of the most challenging aspects of this work together.Xander Kennedy (CG Supervisor) I think something we didnt anticipate was the level of technical and creative direction we needed to give the physical projector lightbulbs of the holographic table itself.We ended up having to make a small rig / animation that was instanced on to each of the light placements and using a variety of attributes just for one shot we had to reveal how the projector turned on. This sent us down a small rabbit hole where we had to think okay how would this thing reveal a bulb from underneath the table surface and turn out a light in an aesthetically pleasing way, this had almost every departments input from asset, animation, FX, lighting and comp to compose the right effect and was quite extensive. I dont know if anyone other than the artists working on it would ever fully grasp the full extent of what we achieved.I think the biggest technical hurdle for me was designing a system to be able to art direct black and white snow within each shot, but still being able to have one depend and influence each other cohesively. The snowstorm was 60 sum shots all of varying density, storm level intensity, volumetrics, particles and black / white levels, which meant we had to carefully design a system that could output control of quite a variety of creative attributes, whilst still being able to hit creative notes on each and pivot if need be. Eventually, we were able to come up with a system to minimize FX simulations and maximize attribute control and provide flexibility for other departments to use. It meant FX lighting and comp had to work closely and share setups and knowledge extensively throughout the process.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) Its incredibly rewarding to look back at the end of a project and reflect on the challenges we faced and overcame, emerging with an exceptional body of work we can all be proud of. Every project is a team effort, but on this one, the crew truly went above and beyond to problem-solve, support one another, and uphold the creative and visual quality of the show to an extraordinary standard.The work is genuinely outstanding, and the teams passion was evident from the very beginning. Everyone was deeply committed to making this project the best it could be, and their excitement to contribute was inspiring.There are so many sequences Im particularly proud of. The Arrakis world with the worm and the FX simulations look fantastic. The holographic table sequence stands out with its distinctive and complex creative build, its a testament to the immense effort that went into it. One of my favorite scenes is the Ice Lake. The amount of environmental FX simulation work, all driven by the emotions of Valya was pretty incredible. There are so many layers from FX and comp really took this and made it special. The Anirul world we created is so unique with the trees and complexity Ive never seen anything quite like it. It was a huge collaborative effort with the team from Territory Studios to bring their graphics to life in our full CG world.This was truly an unforgettable project to be part of, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked on it.How long have you worked on this show?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) Start date: Jan 8, 2024. Finished: Nov 15, 2024Whats the VFX shots count?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) 208.What is your next project?Martyn Culpitt (VFX Supervisor) I cant disclose that yet, but I can tell you its going to be a pretty cool project.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Image Engine: Dedicated page about Dune: Prophecy on Image Engine website.Mike Enriquez & Terron Pratt: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Mike Enriquez and VFX Producer Terron Pratt. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025