In 2013, Erik Nordby discussed MPCs work on Elysium. Since then, he has contributed to numerous films, including The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Passengers, Pokmon: Detective Pikachu, and The School for Good and Evil.How did you get involved in this show?While I was in the final month of production on The School for Good and Evil with Paul Feig, my agent informed me that Skydance was seeking a supervisor for a movie. Later that week, we scheduled a call with Scott Derrickson. I read the script and was immediately captivated by its uniqueness in fundamental ways. It perfectly aligned with my preferred approach to visual effects, incorporating numerous environments, invisible effects, and an exciting array of animation. This combination felt like an ideal fit. Additionally, the scope of world-building presented a significant challenge, and fortunately, Scott shared a similar perspective on it. We had an engaging discussion exploring various methodologies, and by the end of our call, there was a palpable sense of excitement. A few days later, we commenced early prep meetings.How did you collaborate with the director and other departments, such as cinematography and production design, to organically integrate VFX into the story?On every movie, I build a rapport with the following team members as soon as possible: Director, First AD, DOP, and Prod designer, in that order. Building trust among the heads of departments is crucial, especially for a grounded yet multi-faceted movie like The Gorge. There were a number of significant decisions that needed to be made upfront to establish a balance between each department. We started working well before we arrived at Leavesden.The most important initial decision that required extensive discussion was how we would approach the two vastly different worlds of UPPER Gorge and LOWER Gorge. Each required a unique approach that didnt share much in common. Upper Gorge needed a significant amount of photo-realism, while Lower Gorge was much more stylized. Upper Gorge needed to blend well with location shooting, while Lower Gorge was ideally suited for stages with small build-outs. Upper Gorge needed to showcase seasonal changes, while Lower Gorge showcased changes primarily tied to color and interactive mist.We also spent two months actively investigating the possibility of shooting the Upper Gorge as a Bigature on stage. We even commissioned a test shoot and attempted to secure the necessary resources. However, considering that we could only shoot roughly 4 setups per day, to achieve the roughly 300 shots that were required, the time commitment proved too extensive. It would have locked us into too many lighting scenarios ahead of Dans schedule as well.Once we decided that the Upper Gorge would consist of a hybrid between real-world locations and extensive CG extensions, a solid approach was established. We identified a series of excellent forest locations that existed on a small hillock outside London, playing as the edge of the Gorge. We would then flip the photography so that these locations could serve as both the east and west perimeters. With this approach solidified, production designer Rick Heinrichs, DOP Dan Lausten, and I could reasonably collaborate on dividing the heavy lifting among our respective disciplines.The tops of the 2 towers werent appropriate for outdoor filming. We briefly considered building them on the backlot, but Dan was concerned about lighting and environment control for good reason. So, we built the corresponding East and West tower tops on stage. Each set consisted of the front exterior (essentially the balcony) and the full single-floor interior. Since so many shots required long lenses (through military tech binoculars and scopes), we tested opening the large doors of the stages and shooting lenses up to 1000mm (500mm doubled) from outside. Scott and Dan didnt think the compression was worth the loss of 2 stops and exposure to the elements, so all photography was confined to the dimensions of a single stage.The tower bases were built outdoors, however. We constructed Levis Tower on the Leavesden backlot and Drasas East Tower in the woods near the rest of the forest work. We used these locations resourcefully, but they were restricted to the confines of appropriate blue screens and negative fill. Shooting in the rainy spring was challenging, but it greatly enhanced the exterior look.The lower gorge took longer to establish an approach. Initially, it wasnt clear how stylized Scott wanted the look to be. So, we conducted numerous rounds of tests during prep to help establish a look. These tests primarily involved manipulating levels of lights, fog, mist, and color. The positive outcome was that we locked in an in-camera set look that Scott and Dan could reference as the desired end goal throughout the rest of the shoot. We also used this as a bible to establish the correct levels in post, which was highly valuable.However, there were still challenges. In many instances, it became evident that VFX needed to own the fog. This created a dilemma. Adding practical mist and fog to the stage would obviously affect the shape of the light, primarily making it softer. There was no effective way to add significant extensions within the fog using VFX unless it could be controlled. This was especially true on our largest stage full of trees with a lot of branch complexity. Additionally, we were limiting our photographic visibility by locking into practical mist, which made Scott slightly anxious. Consequently, for most scenes shot in the lower gorge, we added a subtle level of base mist, set the overall color, and with Dans eventual approval, we pushed the addition of the art-directed Fog to VFX.How did you choose the various vendors and split the work amongst them?The primary vendors we selected upfront for The Gorge were Framestore, DNEG, and Image Engine.One always strives to find an effective way to divide the workload, and fortunately, the overall structure of this movie presented a remarkably straightforward breakdown upfront. DNEG was assigned the Upper Gorge, Framestore was given the Lower Gorge and the creatures therein, and Image Engine was tasked with capturing specific, confined scenes that didnt necessitate significant overlap with other lower gorge work (such as the Skull Spiders and the Body Web). The sole scene that required the majority of shared resources was the Attack on the Wall scene near the beginning of the second act. This is where we first encountered the Hollowmen from the lower gorge as they attempted to scale the gorge walls. It was simpler to share DNEGs gorge environment with Framestore, rather than trying to bundle up the two dozen creatures and share them with DNEG. So in the end, DNEG packaged that asset, and Framestore executed the entire sequence.How did the collaboration between you evolve throughout the production process to ensure a cohesive visual effects vision?Pete Dionne, the overall supervisor at Framestore (based out of Vancouver), was also my second unit supervisor on the shoot. Weve been working together for several years and have collaborated on many films. He was instrumental in developing the approach for physically acquiring the Gorge environment. He led a team that traveled to Norway and scanned massive rock faces and other unique geographic locations. He also helped isolate a good, straightforward approach to the Hollowmen, which I speak more about below. Joao Sita at Framestore Australia came on in post to help with some heavy lifting, specifically the replacement of the practical Alpha character in his confrontation with Drasa. He led a great team, and we loved working with him.Anelia (Nellie) Asparuhova, Supervisor at DNEG, visited the set frequently and helped solidify the visual style and feel of the upper gorge extensions. Her team also dedicated a significant amount of time to conducting scope and binocular research. Nellie and I had also worked together on a previous film and have a great shorthand as a result.Christian Irles at Image Engine flew in to supervise our elements shoot and the animation work that his studio expertly crafted for the body web, skull spiders, and Hollowmen in the church. Christian and I also have a lot of previous experience working together.We also leaned on Outpost VFX, Host VFX.All in all, I was spoiled with the teams we put together for this movie. They were such a massive part of its success. Super collaborative, and I look forward to continuing my experience with them on further shows.Can you explain the process of designing the Gorge environment? What were the biggest creative and technical challenges in capturing its vastness and danger?Early on in the production, it became evident that the most significant challenge in creating a photorealistic upper gorge was achieving repeatability through many sequences without killing the render times. The environment needed to feel like a consistent and believable space that the audience could rely on. Additionally, we required sufficient shape and landmarking to prevent the gorge from feeling disjointed or too indistinct. We didnt want to confuse the space for the audience.To this end, we established an obvious north end that was large and impassable, a south end that encircled a distant waterfall with mist and atmosphere. Then the east and west sides featured rock faces that were distinct and differing distance skylines and elevations. Part of the learning curve involved doing this too heavily handed at first, where it ended up feeling like it was a pastiche of environments that were too dissimilar. So, luckily, we continued to experiment with the DNEG team once they came on board.In addition to these challenges, we also wanted a gorgeous environment that felt untouched and undiscovered. This required a lot of time and energy to nail down and keep the landmarking in place. DNEG hired a geologist named Tom Brodie that helped guide the science behind the overall makeup of the natural world we were trying to recreate. Forests that have been forested or destroyed by a fire tend to appear like millions of identical trees once they regrow. When photographed, this can look realistic, but in CG, it can feel very repetitive and artificial. We needed variability in order to feel real. We needed micro and macro breakups in the types and amounts of trees, rock faces, boulders, cliff faces, types of rock, etc. We needed a forest floor that felt built up and reflective of centuries of being untouched, even the hints of animal pathways through the woods were important. There were so many challenges to balance, and through continued experimentation, the DNEG team solved each problem one at a time.Were there any real-world locations or specific references that inspired the creation of the Gorge?Initially, we believed we could find a perfect location and even send a team to acquire it. Unfortunately, it didnt exist. However, while flying around Google Earth in a pair of goggles, we managed to isolate several locations in Norway that could individually serve as a library of scans and photographs for different sections of the gorge. This formed a good balance of feeding the needs of the world whilst still rooting it in reality.How did you film the dizzying scenes above the Gorge?Over several days, all the zip-line work was conducted on the backlot of Leavesden. Two large cranes were strategically positioned and offset to assist with height adjustments. We also brought in approximately a dozen tele-handlers equipped with 2030 blue screens. These screens were used to postage-stamp individual shots and cover as much of the action as possible. While primarily focusing on Miles, we aimed to isolate him when we could without affecting the lighting.To secure the zip-line to the east and west sides of the gorge, we connected it to the tower base locations. The west tower base was also physically built on the backlot, allowing us to directly link the wire work to the moments Miles ran and leaped from his side. On the other hand, the east tower base was constructed in a forest location near the edge of the gorge wall scenes. This made it more challenging to integrate the wire work into Drasas tower. Fortunately, there were fewer shots in this area, and we prioritized capturing Drasas reactions rather than the actual wire work. For instances where Levi fell, we had exceptional elements of actual falls shot by our stunt team, led by Brycen Counts and Shane Habberstad.How was the design of the creatures developed? What key elements were chosen to reflect their menacing nature while keeping them believable within the gorge environment?Designing the Hollowmen was a labor of love. It began early in the process, even before we awarded the project. Before I signed on, Scott had selected a core group of references that resonated with him. These references quickly became a foundation for tone, that we built upon throughout many rounds of creature design.L to R: VFX Supervisor Erik Nordby and VFX Producer Rich YeomansThe first significant design push involved Ravi Bansal and his talented team of designers within the art department at DNEG. We began by exploring the base morphology of the creatures. How distorted were they? How did we convey the hybridization between organic, insect, and human elements? How could we connect the human elements to the WW2 legions mentioned in the script? How horrific should we make them? Ravis team guided us through numerous rounds of these investigations. Scott was excellent at making decisions about what worked and what didnt. He wanted to connect to the humanity of the characters at all costs. This helped us narrow down a set of base designs that felt authentic.Once we awarded it to Framestore, Martin Macraes team got involved and helped flesh out some smart manifestations and interesting mutations that we pitched to Scott. His team created some great art that could push us through the next evolution in finding the hollowmen.After several rounds of this, our challenge was organizing the creatures into groups that fully supported the story. To achieve this, we dedicated a room at Leavesden near the VFX offices, which we named Hollowman Hall. This provided a large space where we could display artwork, rearrange it, allocate per scene, and establish a foothold for a team of designs that adhered to the story and scripted characters. Many afternoons were spent here with Scott and the other HODs attempting to nail down this work.The most significant challenge then arose: how could we assetize these creatures in a cost-effective manner to make a few feel like many? Since each high level of detail requires an intensive process of design, build time, and rigging for animation, we needed to be strategic. Pete Dionne had the brilliant idea of naming each individual Hollowman. The main close-up Hollowmen featured in the wall attack were THURSTON and REGINALD. There were RADCLIFF and WINSTON, two heroes in the horse attack. Then there was REMINGTON, HEATHCLIFF, and CHADWICK, who led the charge when Levi and Drasa towed their jeep up the wall in the third act. They were followed up with a whole cadre of characters that fleshed out each scene each named.This approach allowed us to rally around and embrace a subtle backstory for each character. It also fostered a lot more engagement with Scott and the editing team, reinforcing the idea that each one of these Hollowmen used to be human. It expedited better communication and then launched an effective method of repurposing certain characters through simple swap-outs, transforming the 12-hero Hollowmen into a small army.How did you handle the interactions between the actors and these terrifying creatures? Were there physical elements on set, or was everything animated digitally?During prep, it was evident that there was a significant amount of interaction between the Hollowmen and our leads. Additionally, intricate stunt work was necessary to ensure that the script beats were met. Consequently, we collaborated with the stunt team to enhance these moments. We gained valuable information from their stunt vis, which was filmed, edited, and presented to Scott early on, and used as a framework for our own shooting. For the majority of interactive scenes between Levi, Drasa, and a creature, a real-life person or a puppeteered proxy was involved.What tools or animation approaches were essential to bring the creatures to life and make them feel threatening?The majority of our animation was based on physically real rotoscoped motion. We had real stunt performers on set that were seamlessly integrated into shots. Or, in the case of the skull spiders, we had puppeteered proxies that Drasa and Levi could interact with.The horses play a key role in the film. How were they designed and animated to maintain their terrifying appearance while capturing realistic, natural movements?The horses played a significant role in the first encounter between the Hollowmen in the lower gorge. We spent considerable time digitally choreographing the actual scene in Previs with an exceptional team from The Third Floor, led by Hamilton Lewis. This was then handed over to the stunt team to further develop and refine, guided by their expertise in equestrian physicality. Concurrently, we iterated through various horse designs that began to resonate with Scott. To avoid deviating too far from the overall mass and silhouette of the horses we intended to use on set, we started hollowing them out to reveal internal degradation, muscles, and sinew.Our production manager, Rebecca Field, took the reins in constructing a completely custom motion capture volume, large enough to capture full horse sprints and stunts on a stage at Leavesden. This proved invaluable, providing our animation team with an extensive and high-quality library of motion capture data that was bespoke for each scene.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?Levi and Drasas encounter with the hybrid body mass soup at the base of the shelter after killing the Alpha Hollowman and escaping his lair was arguably one of the most significant and gratifying challenges. We referred to it as the body web, and it demanded exceptional design patience to establish the appropriate tone for this work. The challenge lay in the immense computational burden required by Image Engine to render the complex scene. Fortunately, their solid skills and strategic positioning allowed them to successfully execute the task. Im really proud of the work they accomplished.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?I believe Im most proud of how effectively the visual effects support the narrative. They dont hinder the story and, hopefully, only enhance its progression. Additionally, Im incredibly proud of the Upper Gorge set. It was an enormous undertaking to seamlessly blend various disparate shooting locations into a cohesive and expansive world that felt like a single environment.But in the end Im always struck with how proud I am of the collaboration this art form requires. So proud of the entire team of leads, supervisors, production support, and artists that came together to make this film come to life. Also cant say enough good things about working with Skydance throughout. Kathy Chasen-Hay and Aliyah Lopez offered support and understanding throughout the making of this film. It was great to know they had our backs. They made it a joy.How long have you worked on this show?I worked on The Gorge from September 2022 to May 2023.Whats the VFX shots count?1932.What is your next project?Nothing locked in yet.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?DNEG: Dedicated page about The Gorge on DNEG website.Anelia Asparuhova & Sebastian von Overheidt: Heres my interview of VFX Supervisors Anelia Asparuhova & Sebastian von Overheidt at DNEG.Framestore: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Framestore website.Joao Sita, Martin Macrae and Nicholas Tripodi: Joao Sita (VFX Supervisor), Martin Macrae (Head of Art Department) and Nicholas Tripodi (Head of Animation) at Framestore.Image Engine: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Image Engine website.Christian Irles: Heres my interview of VFX Supervisor Christian Irles at Image Engine.Outpost VFX: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Outpost VFX website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersBlack Mirror Season 7By Vincent Frei - 03/04/2025 Black Mirror is back! The dark and twisted anthology from Charlie Brooker returns in 2025 with six new episodesone of which revisits the sci-fi nightmare of USS Callister! Watch the first trailer now and prepare for another mind-bending season!The Production VFX Supervisor is James MacLachlan.The Production VFX Producer is Josie Henwood.Creator: Charlie BrookerRelease Date: April 10, 2025 (Netflix) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersStar Wars: Tales of the UnderworldBy Vincent Frei - 03/04/2025 New adventures from the shadows of the Star Wars galaxy with Tales of the Underworld. Discover the trailer for this all-new animated anthology series created by Dave Filoni, featuring Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane like youve never seen them before!The Animation and VFX are made by:Lucasfilm AnimationCreator: Dave FiloniRelease Date: May 4, 2025 (Disney+) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Step into the mystical world of Carpathia with The Legend of Ochi, where a young girls fate intertwines with a mysterious creature. In this First Look, meet Ochi, the adorable yet elusive being brought to life through incredible puppetry!The VFX are made by:Kings Ransom Media (VFX Supervisor: Nicolaus Waetjen)XReality Studios (VFX Supervisor: Ignacio Lacosta)Selected Works (VFX Supervisor: Francois Roisin)In-house team (VFX Supervisor: Grant White, CG Supervisor: Erik Ferguson, VFX artists: Leandro Vasquez, Jack Stone, Chris Fraser, Giles Hicks, Ralph Briscoe andDaniel Lpez)The Production VFX Supervisor is Grant White.Director: Isaiah SaxonRelease Date: April 25, 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post The Legend of Ochi appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Movie & Games TrailersKarate Kid: LegendsBy Vincent Frei - 02/04/2025 The legend continues! Watch the new trailer for Karate Kid: Legends, where kung fu prodigy Li Fong moves to New York and faces a new challenge. With the guidance of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), he prepares for the ultimate karate showdown!The VFX are made by:FramestoreCrafty Apes VFXMetaphysic (VFX Supervisor: Jo Plaete)Director: Jonathan EntwistleRelease Date: May 30 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsGodzilla x Kong The New Empire: The Zero Gravity Battle Cave by Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 01/04/2025 Witness the breathtaking zero gravity battle in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire! Weta FX created Malenka Village, a fully CG environment inside a 55 km-long cave, sculpted with incredible detail using Gaea. Watch the VFX breakdown now!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on Weta FX website.Kevin Smith and Ludovic Chailloleau: Heres my interview of Kevin Smith (Overall VFX Supervisor) and Ludovic Chailloleau (Animation Supervisor) Weta FX.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsAdolescence: VFX Breakdown by Absolute PostBy Vincent Frei - 01/04/2025 Bringing authenticity to the screen, Absolute Post meticulously crafted 80 invisible VFX shots for Adolescence. Their subtle yet essential contributions help immerse viewers in this powerful Netflix drama, proving that great storytelling and seamless VFX go hand in hand!Click on the picture to watch the reel.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Absolute Post: Dedicated page about Adolescence on Absolute Post website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

The visual effects of Hagen include contributions from BigHugFX, a Munich-based studio that helped bring the films mix of history and mythology to life with subtle yet impactful work inclunding a dragon! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Hagen: VFX Breakdown by BigHugFX appeared first on The Art of VFX.

InterviewsCaptain America Brave New World: Dan Cox (VFX Supervisor) & Sidney Kombo-Kintombo (Senior Animation Supervisor) Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 31/03/2025 With two decades of experience in visual effects, Dan Cox has contributed his expertise to various studios like ILM, Blizzard Entertainment, Sony Pictures Imageworks, and Weta FX. His filmography includes titles such as The Adventures of Tintin, Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Avatar: The Way of Water.Last year, Sidney Kombo-Kintombo took us behind the scenes of Weta FXs work on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now, he returns to talk about the new Captain America.How did you and Weta FX get involved on this series?Dan Cox (DC): We were approached early in production to take on the previs work for the Red Hulk sequence. We met with the producers of the film as well as the director. We were given the script, asked to build out the third act based on that kickoff. Prevising the third act with the client was iterative and intensive, which allowed us to explore lots of ideas and action set pieces.Sidney Kombo-Kintombo (SKK): It started with the question of how we could create a convincing fight between a human Captain America and the Red Hulk. We then created a quick test of an action sequence as a proof of concept, as Dan mentioned. It was received well by the client side. And from there, I was asked to oversee the creation of the Red Hulk animation on Weta FXs side.How do you feel to be back into the MCU?DC: It is always fun to jump back into the Marvel universe. Its a blast to work on these hugeprojects with such rich characters. Having the opportunity to introduce the world to a new Marvel character is both challenging and exciting.SKK: It is always a humbling experience and a privilege to be considered for the screen interpretation of a fan favourite comic character. It was exciting to be part of that new challenge.How was the collaboration with VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro?DC: Alessandro has worked with Weta FX before, so I feel like he came into the project with a lot of confidence in us. He was a great collaborator as well and gave us plenty of space to take risks and come up with new ideas. Ale came in halfway through the project, but very quickly made it his own. He was a real champion of Weta and we love the opportunity to work with him.SKK: Ale really has mastered the art of collaboration. He knows what is needed and puts you in a position where you feel empowered and trusted to develop and push concepts and ideas. We really enjoyed having him as our counterpart both humanly and professionally.What are the sequences made by Weta FX?DC: Weta FX completed the third act of the film. From the moment of transformation of Ross to Red Hulk in the White House Rose Garden, till the moment he transforms back to Ross in a destroyed Hains Point. Our action took us from the Rose Garden to the rooftop, past the Washington Monument, through the forest of Hains Point, onto the streets of Hains Point.Red Hulk is a highly anticipated character, especially with Harrison Ford portraying him. Can you walk us through the initial design process and the challenges of capturing his likeness while staying true to the actor?DC: We were given a design from the Visual Development team at Marvel, with the overall height and proportions of the character pretty set in stone. We took this design and made some adjustments to the body to make it more anatomically correct, which allowed us to build a sophisticated creature rig to drive it.I pitched the idea to Bill Westenhofer (the VFX supervisor at the time) that we could add some of Harrisons features into the Red Hulk design to give it a closer likeness to the iconic actor. He gave us the thumbs up to have a play and see what we could come up with. We were adamant that the eyes of Red Hulk should be 1 to 1 the eyes of Harrison, which really helped us when animating Red Hulk. We made mouth adjustments to give the asymmetry that is dominant on Harrisons face. He has a very subtle but distinctive look to one side of his mouth that we put in. This allowed us to hit mouth expressions much more like Harrison as we got into animating. We then made adjustments to the nose from the original design, playing with scale and proportions, to look more like Harrisons nose. All of these in combination gave a strong likeness to the actor in the design.How did you approach Red Hulks facial animation?SKK: All facial animation on Red Hulk was keyframed. We used reference from Harisson to analyze and identify key features that make him unique and created a bank of expressions that we used throughout the show. Paul Seyb, our facial lead, did a tremendous job developing a workflow that was consistent from one shot to the next and maintained the illusion of life.The fight between Red Hulk and Captain America is a major sequence in the film. What were the biggest artistic and technical challenges in animating this battle, particularly in terms of weight, power, and fight dynamics?SKK: Lets say that it was as fun as it was challenging. The weight and the speed are the two parts of the equation that we try to solve on pretty much every shot. We are fortunate to have a very capable crew of stunt artists at our mocap stage, that gave us a solid foundation for the movements that I was designing for Red Hulk. Once we had that captured, the next stage was to augment and complexifie the performance by adding a layer of keyframe. We pushed the key poses and overlapping actions, to better sell the appeal and the weight of that monster of a guy. So, you end up with a mix of say 35% of mocap for 65% of keyframe. There were simply too many shots where keyframing was the fastest way to the intention that we had in mind. And for that, the animation crew produced some of the best bipedal animation Ive seen in a long time.Red Hulk has extreme musculature and proportions. How did you develop his muscle system and simulations to ensure realistic deformation, especially during fights and high-impact movements?DC: We started by collecting a lot of references of body-builder type physiques to better understand the proportions and range of motion of that body type. We hired a body builder/actor from New Zealand named Joel Oliver. We had him perform many of the actions from the film and recorded the performance from multiple camera angles. I passed this to our creature team to use as reference. We then modelled a new high-resolution muscle set and moved to a new and improved simulation engine. Then we developed a complex multi-layered approach to muscle activation (this included a combination of automated, animated, and anticipatory muscle activation in conjunction with shape targeting and delayed recruitment between different sections of muscles) pioneering a new way to add additional fine detail to the skin. Finally, we worked through the complexities of transforming President Ross to Red Hulk form including bones breaking and reforming, driving under skin vein detail and clothing ripping and disintegrating.Lighting and shading are crucial for a character of this complexity. How did you approach Red Hulks look across different lighting conditions in the film?The lighting was fairly straight forward as the majority of the scene takes place in late afternoon. The most difficult part of the lighting was maintaining a certain color range in the red skin. The client was very particular about the color red. As we added sky fill, the skin would go magenta. As we added green canopy light from the trees in the forest, his skin would go orange. There were constant adjustments being made to keep Red Hulk the right red for the movie.What were the biggest challenges in animating and simulating Red Hulks interactions with his environment, such as destruction, impacts, and dust effects?DC: Mainly it was the quantity. Every time Red Hulk interacts with something, the client wanted it damaged or destroyed. This meant every footfall had interaction. We were destroying sod in the White House Rose Garden. We were breaking stone or bending the rooftop panels on the White House rooftop. We were breaking up the concrete for every footfall on the street at Hains Point.Were these systems pushed further or enhanced specifically for Captain America: Brave New World? If so, what aspects of the pipeline were adapted or developed for this project?DC: Specific developments implemented for Red Hulk included using Loki for muscle sims on a hero character, striations work for additional skin detail, as well as combining the layers of muscle activation, automation, animation, anticipation, and striations weve done some before but not all combined. We also added the delayed recruitment of certain muscle sections, like to the pecs to get a pec roll effect. We also established dynamic substeps for our solver based on the velocity of Red Hulks limbs to deal with his super hero moves.Some sequences involve large-scale destruction. What were the biggest technical challenges in simulating the collapse or damage of the environments while maintaining a high level of realism?DC: We have methods for large-scale destruction. It was the compounding destruction that proved to be the most difficult. Breaking a building takes a lot of artistry, but we have the artists to do it. Now rebreaking the same building multiple times is a challenge. It is a multistep process of destroying something, modelling a new end state, and then passing that back to FX to destroy again. Rinse and repeat. There needed to be a lot of coordination and planning to get all of the destruction and end states managed.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?DC: I am extremely proud of Red Hulk. He is such an iconic character anyway and then to have Harrison Ford play the character was the icing on the cake. Even though we have some pretty sophisticated creature tools and development at Weta FX, we wanted to innovate even more for Red Hulk and raise the bar again, and we certainly did that. The creature work is some of the most sophisticated and complex work that Weta has ever done. To have a shirtless character with a chiseled physique on screen for the entire thirdact was always going to be difficult, but the teams at Weta stepped up and delivered again.SKK: We were lucky enough to be prevising the work on this show. Lots of what you see in the final product was designed in-house. Camera movement, pace, and scale. Seeing how it ultimately panned out was a real subject of pride for the Weta FX previs team. Im proud of all our work but the achievement of the previs department on this film has the edge for me.Which sequence or shot was the most challenging?SKK: Animation-wise, the most challenging thing was the animation of the muscle. We have to have a solid understanding of anatomy and dramatic timing to artistically direct what would be seen on screen. There are shots that we had to reanimate the muscle for close to a dozen times before getting it right. It took a bit, but the results were worth the efforts.Is there something specific that gives you some really short nights?SKK: Honestly, no. Once we determined what type of behavior the Red Hulk would have, it became a fun ride for the motion team.What is your favorite shot or sequence?SKK: Too many of them to pick one, but the angry Hulk after Cap says You want me? may be my preference.What is your best memory on this show?DC: Working with a lot of new faces. Weta FX is a big company so it is a lot of fun to get to know new people while working on large projects like this.SKK: Spending time on set with the client team, Ale and Yas, and understanding right there that we were building a special sequence.Whats the VFX shots count?DC: Weta completed 297 shots for Captain America: Brave New WorldA big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Captain America: Brave New World on Weta FX website.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsThose About To Die: VFX Breakdown by ReDefineBy Vincent Frei - 31/03/2025 Inspired by Daniel P. Mannixs book, Those About To Die reimagines the spectacle of Roman entertainment with really cool visual effects by ReDefine. Experience the adrenaline of the Colosseum and the intensity of chariot races like never before!WANT TO KNOW MORE?ReDefine: Dedicated page about Those About To Die on ReDefine website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

In Ad Vitam, the invisible visual effects crafted by CGEV enhance the tension and realism without ever revealing their presence. From subtle environment extensions to seamless digital enhancements, every frame pulls you deeper into Franck Lazareffs desperate search for his wife! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Ad Vitam: VFX Breakdown by CGEV appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Breakdown & ShowreelsThe Electric State: Filming with RobotsBy Vincent Frei - 28/03/2025 Go behind the scenes with this new featurette about The Electric State, exploring how real actors and cutting-edge VFX brought the films robots to life. Featuring insights from Animation Supervisor Liz Bernard (at Digital Domain), the directors, the cast, and more!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Digital Domain: Dedicated page about The Electric State in Digital Domain website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsGodzilla x Kong The New Empire: Animating Kong by Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 28/03/2025 Bringing Kong to life in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire requires more than just groundbreaking CGIit demands artistry and precision. Weta FXs expert animators infused Kong with weight, power, and personality, ensuring that every movement tells a story. Watch as Kong roams the Hollow Earth, an apex predator in his prime!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on Weta FX website.Kevin Smith and Ludovic Chailloleau: Heres my interview of Kevin Smith (Overall VFX Supervisor) and Ludovic Chailloleau (Animation Supervisor) Weta FX.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsU.S. Palmese: VFX Breakdown by Palantir DigitalBy Vincent Frei - 28/03/2025 In U.S. Palmese, Roma-based studio Palantir Digital provided invisible visual effects to refine key scenes. Their seamless work helps maintain the films authenticity, blending digital elements naturally into the story!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Palantir Digital: Dedicated page about U.S. Palmese on Palantir Digital website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsGet Millie Black: VFX Breakdown by Vine FXBy Vincent Frei - 28/03/2025 From graphics to dynamic environmental enhancements, Vine FX contributed over 250 shots to Get Millie Black. Their team seamlessly integrated bullet hits, blood smears, and chilling crime scene effectswhere actors were digitally made motionlessto amplify the intensity of this HBO thriller!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Vine FX: Dedicated page about Get Millie Black on Vine FX website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsGodzilla x Kong The New Empire: Creating Skar King by Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 27/03/2025 Skar King is not just another monsterhes a visual masterpiece. From his battle-worn scales to his bone-chilling expressions, Weta FX blended cutting-edge CGI and expert creature design to bring this apex predator to life in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on Weta FX website.Kevin Smith and Ludovic Chailloleau: Heres my interview of Kevin Smith (Overall VFX Supervisor) and Ludovic Chailloleau (Animation Supervisor) Weta FX.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Invisible VFX at their finest! In Bastion 36, the teams at CGEV enhanced realism with seamless digital rain, bringing extra tension to this gripping Netflix thriller! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Bastion 36: VFX Breakdown by CGEV appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Breakdown & ShowreelsWicked: Visualising Wicked by FramestoreBy Vincent Frei - 26/03/2025 From concept to spectacle! Explore how previs, techvis, and postvis shaped the epic stunts and creatures of Wicked with Visualisation Supervisor Chris McDonald and CCO Lucy Killick in this in-depth Framestore webinar!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Framestore: Dedicated page about Wicked on Framestore website.Jonathan Fawkner: Heres my interview of VFX Supervisor Jonathan Fawkner at Framestore. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersDusterBy Vincent Frei - 26/03/2025 Get ready for high-octane action in Duster, the new HBO series from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan. Set in the 1970s Southwest, the show follows a fearless getaway driver caught between a rising crime syndicate and a relentless federal agent!The VFX are made by:ILMBarnstorm VFXBOT VFXMetaphysicThe Production VFX Supervisor is Pauline Duvall.The Production VFX Producer is Jeff Schaper.Directors: Darren Grant, Steph GreenRelease Date: May 15, 2025 (Max)Screenshot Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsGodzilla x Kong The New Empire: Virtual Cinematography by Weta FXBy Vincent Frei - 25/03/2025 Building a world fit for titans! Go behind the lens with Weta FX and explore how Virtual Cinematography shaped the spectacular visuals of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on Weta FX website.Kevin Smith and Ludovic Chailloleau: Heres my interview of Kevin Smith (Overall VFX Supervisor) and Ludovic Chailloleau (Animation Supervisor) Weta FX.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsDune Prophecy: UI Reel by Territory StudioBy Vincent Frei - 25/03/2025 Inside the Bene Gesserits secret technology! Territory Studio designed intricate UI elements for Dune: Prophecy, visualizing the manipulation of bloodlines and archival mechanics. Explore their work in this really cool showreel!Click on the picture to watch the reel.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Territory Studio: Dedicated page about Dune: Prophecy on Territory Studio website.Mike Enriquez & Terron Pratt: Heres my interview of Mike Enriquez (Production VFX Supervisor) & Terron Pratt (Production VFX Producer). Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Get ready for an intense FMX! This years lineup is packed with top talent from ILM, Weta FX, Framestore, RISE, Pixomondo, and more! Were bringing you a first selection of must-see VFX conferencesexpect deep dives into the industrys latest innovations!Heres a selection of the VFX talks. You can see the complete program here.// Tuesday, May 6Red One: Michael Wortmann, VFX Supervisor at RISE.The Eternaut: Carlos Miras Sepulveda, VFX Supervisor at ReDefine.Captain America Brave New World: Dan Cox, VFX Supervisor at Weta FX.The Penguin: Johnny Han, Production VFX Supervisor & Emanuel Fuchs, VFX Supervisor at Accenture Song.Ronja the Robbers Daughter: Torbjrn Olsson, Production VFX Supervisor & Martin Hernblad, VFX Supervisor at Important Looking Pirates.// Wednesday, May 7The Assessment: Rolf Muetze, VFX Supervisor and Matthias Backmann, Compositing Supervisor, LAVAlabs moving images.Dune Prophecy: Terron Pratt, Production VFX Producer & Peter Lames, VFX Supervisor and Apollonia Hartmann, VFX Producer, Accenture Song.Better Man: Dave Clayton, Animation Supervisor at Weta FX.Mufasa The Lion King: Audrey Ferrara, VFX Supervisor at MPC.Wicked: Jonathan Fawkner, Production VFX Supervisor at Framestore.// Thursday, May 8House of the Dragon Season 2: Sabrina Christoforidis, Head of Studio (Europe) Pixomondo with Sven Martin, VFX Supervisor, Matt Perrin, Senior Visualization Supervisor, Mark Spindler, VFX Supervisor.Hagen: Jan Stoltz, Production VFX Supervisor with Franzisca Puppe, Production VFX Producer and Sebastian Lauer, VFX Supervisor & Katharina Hoffmann, VFX Producer at RISE.Here: Kevin Baillie, Production Supervisor and Jo Plaete, VFX Supervisor at Metaphysic.Andor Season 2: Mohen Leo, Production VFX Supervisor at Lucasfilm.// Friday, May 9Severance: Eric Leven, Production VFX Supervisor at ILM with Michael Huber, Co-Founder & VFX Supervisor and Alex Lemke, Co-Founder & VFX Supervisor at east side effects.Thunderbolts*: Jake Morrison, Production VFX Supervisor.See you in May! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post FMX 2025: The Program appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Bringing a robotic world to life! Dive into this new Netflix making-of and discover how the visual effects (made by Digital Domain, Industrial Light & Magic, Storm Studios, One of Us, Lola VFX, D-bond) shaped The Electric State. VFX Supervisor Matthew Butler and the filmmakers break down the magic behind the film! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post The Electric State: Behind the VFX by Netflix appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Movie & Games TrailersThe ResidenceBy Vincent Frei - 24/03/2025 Murder, mystery, and mayhem at the White House! With 132 rooms, 157 suspects, and one disastrous State Dinner, The Residence is a wildly entertaining whodunnit you wont want to miss!The Production VFX Supervisor is Seth Hill.The Production VFX Producer is Tesa Kubicek.Release Date: March 20, 2025 (Netflix) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersElioBy Vincent Frei - 24/03/2025 First contact with adventure with Elio! This new movie by Pixar introduces a boy who always wanted to meet aliensuntil he actually does! This cosmic journey is packed with heart, humor, and a universe of surprises!The Animation and VFX are made by:Pixar Animation StudiosDirectors: Release Date: June 20, 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Step into the world of The Electric State with this really cool Netflix Behind the Scenes video, revealing how cutting-edge visual effects (made by Digital Domain, Industrial Light & Magic, Storm Studios, One of Us, Lola VFX, D-bond) brought this futuristic world to life! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post The Electric State: Behind the Scenes by Netflix appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Breakdown & ShowreelsSquid Game Season 2: VFX Breakdown by Gulliver StudiosBy Vincent Frei - 21/03/2025 The games are backdeadlier than ever! Discover how Gulliver Studios crafted the intense VFX for Squid Game Season 2, revealing the secrets behind the chilling games and surreal environments. Dont miss this exclusive behind-the-scenes look!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Gulliver Studios: Dedicated page about Squid Game Season 2 on Gulliver Studios website.

Movie & Games TrailersODessaBy Vincent Frei - 21/03/2025 Step into a world of music and destiny! ODessa follows a young farm girl on a journey to reclaim a precious heirloomonly to find love and fate waiting in a strange, dangerous city!The VFX are made by:Mathematic Film (VFX Supervisors: Martin Lipmann & Fabrice Lagayette, VFX Producer is Carolie Legault-Lanouette)Director: Geremy JasperRelease Date: March 20, 2025 (Hulu) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsSenna: The Making of by Scanline VFXBy Vincent Frei - 21/03/2025 A special tribute to Ayrton Senna! Celebrate the racing legends birthday with a deep dive into the visual effects of Senna by Scanline VFX. Production VFX Supervisors Craig Wentworth and Marcelo Siqueira share insights into the stunning VFX work that honors his legacy!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Scanline VFX: Dedicated page about Senna on Scanline VFX website.Craig Wentworth and Marcelo Siqueira: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisors Craig Wentworth and Marcelo Siqueira. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

InterviewsThe Gorge: Christian Irles VFX Supervisor Image EngineBy Vincent Frei - 20/03/2025 In 2019, Christian Irles discussed Image Engines contributions to John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum. He later worked on Mulan, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, The School for Good and Evil, and Foundation.How did you and Image Engine get involved on this show?We have a good working relationship with Skydance. They sent us an initial bid package for The Gorge back in August 2022. If I recall correctly, neither Erik or Rich were attached to the show at that point.Then, in November 2022, once Erik and Rich had joined the show, we received a second bid package including early art work from the art department. Due to the nature of the work and our previous work experience with Erik and Rich (The School for Good and Evil), we were extremely excited about the project.How was your collaboration with VFX Supervisor Erik Nordy and VFX Producer Rich Yeomans?Due to the highly creative and subjective nature of The Gorge, we had a very close collaboration with Erik. Erik and I have known each other since 2012. We are good friends and have a great working relationship. This allows us to focus on what matters most, tackling creative challenges to fulfill the directors vision, while having fun along the way!What are the sequences made by Image Engine?We built a desolate, abandoned town covered in purple fog. Within it, there is a church in which lead actors, Drasa and Levi, take cover and get attacked by terrifying Skull Spiders and Hollowmen. As they get overrun, Drasa and Levi escape and make a run towards the command center, a bunker-like building embedded at the base of the gorge cliff wall.Soon after, still within the purple fog world, Drasa unintentionally steps onto a rope trap and is forcefully dragged across the ground into the thick fog.Lastly, we built a massive underground industrial facility and developed one of the films more intricate visual elementsa vast, organic network of translucent entangled bodies (aka the bodyweb), which was a complex challenge both technically and artistically.The abandoned village has a very distinct atmosphere. Can you walk us through the design process and the key artistic influences behind its look?There were three key components to the distinct look of the town: its abandoned nature (decay and weathering), the bonemoss that had grown/overtaken the town, and the purple fog.Our art department provided concepts for the overall mood the director was after, and also provided a Blender model of the town.Although we knew the visibility of the town through the purple fog was going to be somewhat limited, we had to inject the right amount of detail to make the town look believable. We spent quite a bit of time in assets, making sure each building and road had the correct level of weathering based on camera angles. We then proceeded in our layout department to populate the town with bigger objects like cars, trucks, trash cans, etc. Lastly, we procedurally covered all sidewalks and roads with debris and vegetation.The moss, or more specifically the bonemoss, was a key component of the unique look of the town. The idea behind it was that the radiation that caused all mutations within the gorge also affected regular moss at a DNA level. Its pattern also hinted at spiderwebs made out of bone, which subconsciously led us to the Skull Spiders Attack sequence within the church. The bonemoss was created procedurally by Felix Barthel, hard surface modeler using Houdini. His setup was done in such a way that our clients could art direct the overall look of the bonemoss and how it covered all objects located in the town on a per shot basis.Last key component, but not least, was the purple fog. Early on, there were many conversations about how the fog within the gorge should look like. At a certain point, the fog was almost meant to be a character in itself. Framestore also worked on sequences within the gorge, so we collaborated closely to ensure the look of the fog remained consistent throughout the film, regardless of its colour. Maintaining continuity in an environment as atmospheric as the gorge was key, and it was great working together to achieve a seamless and cohesive final look.As post-production progressed, the fog became a more naturalistic aspect of the film, rather than something more stylized. We referenced real fog and smoke to achieve the desired effect. To populate the town with fog, we created long FX caches in Houdini (pockets of fog if you like) that one of our CG Supervisors, Xander Kennedy, artistically placed. This methodology allowed us, on a shot-by-shot basis, to quickly create the depth required, while not having to constantly run complex simulations. The eerie fog layer close to the ground was a separate simulation also done in Houdini. All fog throughout our sequences was achieved in a similar manner.How did you balance practical set elements with digital extensions to enhance the sense of decay and isolation in the village?What was built on stage was quite minimal. From the plates, we only kept the actors, the ground they walk on, and the church and its entrance. Everything else that you see in the film is CG.The Skull Spiders have a very unsettling, almost unnatural movement. What references or animation techniques did you use to bring them to life?The animation of the Skull Spiders was challenging due to their size and what they are made of (predominantly bone). And to make things more difficult, they also had to move quickly as its a fast-paced action sequence!Their movement was predominantly driven by the weight of their head/skull. After all, skulls are heavy, so their legs had to work extra hard to keep them upright. We also used the weight of the skulls to create an uneven sense of balance when they walked or ran.To create variations, we had three different Skull Spider sizes: child skull spider, woman skull spider and man skull spider. Each moved differently due to the size of the skull.The Hollowmen attack in the church is an intense and chaotic sequence. What were the biggest challenges in animating their movements to make them feel both terrifying and physically grounded within the environment?The Hollowmen were extremely fun to be involved with! As a starting point, we received concepts and sketches from the art department and Framestore, respectively. Then, our concept artist, Daniel Cox took these to a highly detailed level before starting the 3D models.The impact of their design in regards to animation can be narrowed down to three components: how emaciated they were, their mutated anatomy, and how much their mutations had progressed.Their rage is driven by hunger, but their bodies, due to starvation and physical mutations, did not allow them to move like healthy human beings. These traits directly drove the uncanny manner in which they moved during the church attack scene.How did you handle the interaction between the Hollowmen and the churchs architecturewere destruction elements, lighting effects, or simulations key factors in making the scene more immersive?I believe true immersion is the culmination of all departments working together, at their best, to create invisible visual effects work. For work to be truly immersive, everything must be spot on. From matchmove to seamless 2D integration.In terms of FX simulations, we were very careful not to physically destroy the church as the sequence and fight progressed. Otherwise costs would have skyrocketed very quickly due to continuity. This being said, we extensively used FX simulations for bullet impacts, spiders exploding, Hollowmen being hit, etc.Lighting had to be spot on for the Skull Spiders and Hollowmen to look believable. Our clients went above and beyond to provide all the references needed for this (per shot HDRIs, chrome/grey balls, stuffies, etc). And although we always lit to match the plate, there were many instances in which we added rim lights to accentuate the shape and terrifying nature of our CG creatures.Lastly, amazing compositing from our team was crucial to bring this scene to life.What were the biggest challenges in blending creature animation with the environment, especially in terms of interaction with fog and terrain?Luckily, our creatures (Skull Spiders and Hollowmen) only interacted with the interior of the church. The challenge for us was making sure their lighting and shadows matched perfectly to the plate. This process was tricky due to the way the church was lit on set and its dilapidated architecture. There were many pools of light and shadow, which helped tremendously to the eerie feel of the sequence. Making sure our CG characters sat properly in this lighting was key.To help interaction between the abandoned church and the Skull Spiders, we added dust kick-ups whenever they were moving fast. These were created in Houdini once animation was approved.Were any specific simulation techniques used to give the Hollowmen or Skull Spiders a unique sense of weight, texture, or procedural movement?Yes. For the Skull Spiders, our rigging department created a very clever system that allowed all the little branches and bits hanging off of them to jiggle as they moved and ran around. This added a secondary layer of visual complexity while the spiders were in motion.For the Hollowmen, our creature FX department ran cloth simulations. The design of their costume was a perfect fit for this as their clothes were heavily torn.The bodywebs have a fascinating translucent quality. What were the key technical challenges in achieving this look while ensuring they remained visually readable on screen?The bodyweb is by far the most difficult work Ive ever been involved with in visual effects. It is one of those items that only once you got there, you knew you had hit the mark. You couldnt take small steps to know if you were heading in the right direction, you had to finish a shot to confirm we had nailed the bodywebs look. Even 2D concepts could only take us so far due to its translucent and backlit look. Very very challenging, and as you can imagine, render intensive.We had to double the size of our renderfarm to deliver the bodyweb scene, we never anticipated this when starting the show. It was bonkers.The main technical challenge was the sheer amount of geometry and translucency needed to achieve the final look. All bodyweb components, from bodies to small vines had to have the following geometry: exterior surface (its skin), inner geometry (veins, bones, internal matter), and exterior geometry (small vines, twigs and thorns). The bodyweb bodies seen near and around the walkway were hand-modeled based on 2D concepts, and most vines attached to them and the environment were procedurally generated. All the inner and outer geometry was procedurally generated as well.In terms of readability, it took quite a bit of back and forth to find the right balance between having a key light that helped shape the bodies while injecting the right amount of translucency to compliment it.Was there a particular reference or real-world material that inspired the way light passes through these structures?Dumplings! Also, some types of frogs, grapes and skin, amongst many others. Early on, we received a substantial amount of references and concepts from our clients. We gathered some too. And although none by themselves was a solid reference for the intended look of the bodyweb, each had interesting aspects to it. Some of the references were specific no nos as well!How did you ensure the bodywebs remained consistent in their visual language across different lighting conditions and camera perspectives?This was one of our main concerns while working on the first hero shots. We knew that the bodyweb was extremely sensitive to changes in lighting, so we came up with a robust light rig that kept the look consistent. We also kept this sequence with a specific group of lighting artists that understood all the intricacies of illuminating the bodyweb. It took time for them to understand how to light it, but once they got into the groove of things, it became a smoother process.The industrial facility has a massive and imposing presence. What was the approach to designing its environment to ensure it felt both realistic and visually striking within The Gorges world?The design of the silo interior environment was taken care of by the production art department. They provided concepts and a Blender model for it.Our mandate was to convert the mood of the concepts into a photo-real and believable world that belonged in The Gorge. We up-resed every model provided and paid meticulous attention as to how much everything needed to be weathered. All locations in The Gorge had to look as if they had been abandoned since the 1950s.One of the most difficult challenges was lighting such a vast environment. It had to feel natural, eerie and immense. But due to its simple shape and location, a long underground rectangle, we had to be very strategic as to where to place our lights to sell its scale.In terms of the colour palette, we settled on complementary colours set by the art department and principal photography: ambient red (caused by the red contaminant), green key light (light coming from the exterior), and incandescent yellow (lamps).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?Oh, its hard to pick! I love the uncanny look of the abandoned town, but my personal favourite scenes in terms of creative challenges are the Skull Spiders Attack and the Bodyweb.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?What Im most proud of is the quality and photo-real nature of our work, and how consistent it is across our sequences. This level of excellence could not have been possible without the talent of our team, their passion for our craft and their dedication. Kudos to each one of them!And special mention to the bodyweb team, my goodness, it was hard. I have to say though, I am so proud we created something thats never been done before. That is pretty special.Lastly, I want to thank Skydance and our clients, Erik, Rebecca, Rich and Nick. Thank you for letting us be part of this adventure, and for the trust you always put on us. We had a blast working on The Gorge!Thank you for the interview!How long have you worked on this show?September 20, 2022 May 27, 2024Whats the VFX shot count?181.What is your next project?Im working on a Netflix TV series with more details to come.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Image Engine: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Image Engine website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025