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

Breakdown & ShowreelsBetter Man: Roundtable with Director Michael Gracey and the Weta FX teamBy Vincent Frei - 20/03/2025 Director Michael Gracey and the team of Weta FX, led by VFX Supervisor Luke Millar, reveal the incredible visual effects behind Better Man. Dont miss this really interesting roundtable discussion!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Weta FX: Dedicated page about Better Man on Weta FX website.Luke Millar with Dave Clayton: Heres my interview of Luke Millar (VFX Supervisor) with Dave Clayton (Animation Supervisor). Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Seamless VFX in the heart of Sydneys underworld! Melbourne-based Chop Shop Post delivers stunning invisible effects for Last King of the Cross Season 2, enhancing the gritty realism of this operatic crime saga! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Last King of the Cross Season 2: VFX Breakdown by Chop Shop Post appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Breakdown & ShowreelsNosferatu: VFX Breakdown by BlueBoltBy Vincent Frei - 19/03/2025 The shadowy world of Nosferatu wouldnt be complete without the meticulous VFX work made by BlueBolt. From eerie castles to raging seas, their artistry enhances the films gothic horror, bringing Orloks terror to life like never before!WANT TO KNOW MORE?BlueBolt: Dedicated page about Nosferatu on BlueBolt website.Angela Barson & David Scott: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Angela Barson and BlueBolt VFX Supervisor David Scott. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsThe Acolyte: VFX Breakdown by Outpost VFXBy Vincent Frei - 19/03/2025 Episodes 1 and 2 of The Acolyte feature VFX work from Outpost VFX, including the snowy environment of Carlac and the Palwick prison ship. Their contributions range from CG environments and set extensions to character augmentation, enhancing the series with subtle yet effective visual details!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Outpost VFX: Dedicated page about The Acoylte on Outpost VFX website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

InterviewsThe Gorge: Joao Sita (VFX Supervisor), Martin Macrae (Head of Art Department) and Nicholas Tripodi (Head of Animation) FramestoreBy Vincent Frei - 18/03/2025 In 2024, Joao Sita broke down Framestores involvement in the Fallout series. He subsequently contributed to Deadpool & Wolverine.With 25 years at Framestore, Martin Macrae has played a crucial role in bringing to life films and series like The Martian, Blade Runner 2049, 1899, and Wicked.Nicholas Tripodi embarked on his career nearly 18 years ago, contributing to a diverse range of films such as Mortal Kombat, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and Deadpool & Wolverine.How was your collaboration with VFX Supervisor Erik Nordby and VFX Producer Rich Yeomans?JS: Erik was extremely collaborative and keen in creating complex visuals to support the narrative. With the collaborative aspect of the project we embarked on a relentless pursuit to find creative venues to elevate the photography staying true to Scott Derricksons vision. Erik brought in this wealth of knowledge of the story, visual references and laid down the basis for us to take that and add our flavour.What are the sequences made by Framestore?JS: Framestore was responsible for various sequences focused on the Hollowmen. From tackling the gun fight while the Hollowmen climb the wall, every shot featuring the Alpha Hollowman from the hollowmen ambush, Alpha in his lair with his snake all the way to chasing Drasa/Levi while they climb back the wall.We were also in charge of the establishing shots for the lower gorge environment with the deformed/mutated trees, the aerials featuring the military facilities and the toxic plumes.The Hollowmen are central to the terror of The Gorge. How did you approach designing their appearance to be both terrifying and unique?Martin Macrae (MM): The Hollowmen were a fascinating problem to solve from the beginning. Eric Nordby gave us some head designs and briefed us with the exciting challenge of creating their bodies that might match them, as well as designing them to be quite grotesque and shocking to the eye.Each character also needed some visual aid to show a hint of history to their origin, for example showing elements of an army uniform or science lab coat.One of the biggest challenges with these creatures was designing something that merges naturally and cohesively but at the same time has its own presence and distinctive silhouette. We did lots of research on different types of flora and fauna and how we could be utilise their different distinct qualities in each Hollowman design, the biggest challenge was making sure that the character wasnt lost in the different forms of overgrowth and flora, and that the silhouettes were kept unique and clear.Could you walk us through the animation process for the Hollowmen? What techniques were crucial in bringing out their eerie, otherworldly movement?Nicholas Tripodi (NT): A lot of time went into the study of how the Hollowmens mutations affected their ability to move. What movement is either restricted or enhanced by their contorted form. This became especially important when it came to the facial performance of the Hollowmen. We had to adapt the musculature of the facial structure around features such as third eyes and branches weaving in and around their faces. This lead to a bespoke rig and facial system for each character. The idea of restriction was an important theme when it came to approaching the movement of the Hollowmen. These are not elegant, efficient creatures so we needed to reflect that in their ranges of motion.How did you strike a balance between realism and fantasy when creating the Hollowmens features and behavior?NT: It was definitely a balancing act to not only show the Hollowmen as horrific creatures, but to also communicate what they once were. Their underlying form. In the case of the Hollowman leader for example we wanted to show that there was still humanity buried deep within his grotesque body. This is where performance in the face and especially the eyes was crucial, to show that there was this internal conflict within the Hollowmen.The dense fog at the bottom of the Gorge seems to play a significant role in the films atmosphere. How did your team handle its simulation?JS: We started the project working on concepts and references that suggested was eerie and visually interesting atmosphere. At that stage we explored the smoke plumes and fog elements with certain sentient characteristics such as the sim would react to proximity as if it was avoiding the characters coming in or would read as coming out of the ground with a breathing pattern or behave as if it were a water tank etc. With the selection of movement/behaviour the next challenge would be defining how much smoke/fog can we add before we lose the reading of the background and detail and which of these elements would turn into re-usable instances vs bespoke simulations. We spent a fair amount of time between optimising the sim to allow for faster iterations and working with comp to dial in the densities and lighting.How did the interplay of light, fog, and the environment contribute to enhancing the suspense and fear within those scenes?JS: Lighting is always a key component in creating mood and highlighting the aesthetics of both the environment and characters. For the CG environments, we explored a range of soft light scenarios, adding keylights but ended up with a mix of lighting gobos and more art directed light sources. Another very effective way to create suspense was creating gaps in the fog to allow some stronger light to read through the environment in shots where the camera is at shoulder height or adding a darker tone fog patches or elements creating visuals that evoked the sensation of feeling contained in an expansive environmentWhile working with the Alpha Hollowman in the lair, very early we learned that from matching the plate we would have a great base to then re-orient light sources to reading on the face but then create odd shadows on his body and the multi layer, intertwined branches type of body needed to read rich and complement the face reading. With bespoke rigs focused on the face or eyes we art directed every shot there.The Gorge itself is a visually striking setting. Could you share how the environments were designed and enhanced with VFX?JS: The lower gorge environment was a big challenge of a build. Starting with the various chemicals that created a variety of mutations and deformations thus requiring the environments to read differently from one another.Lots of concepts were done to nail the gruesome look of features seen in each landscape along with references from all sorts of environments in decay and organisms in decomposition.In camera, the art department team had partially built a forest, the camera team used colored light sources and spfx fog helped create a mood for the shots which gave the actors and camera crew something tangible to interact and react to. From there, we had to expand the world, made the trees taller, added more gruesome and ghastly features to the bone trees and graded the plates to allow for the additional fog/smoke plumes. Playing with the contrast in the plates and finding the place to seamlessly blend the set with the digital environment was very tricky and required a great deal of coordination between departments.Were there any memorable moments or scenes from the film that you found particularly rewarding or challenging to work on from a visual effects standpointJS: I really enjoyed bringing the Alpha Hollowmen to life along with his snake. Its a moment where the Hollowmen are portrayed more as humans and we needed to show that beyond that mutated character there was somewhat the reminiscences of a person that had a history and belonged to a place.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?JS: The work on Hollowman characters is stunning, the level of detail on the builds and how their motion translated those mutations into its locomotion is fantastic. Again, the Alpha Hollowman is a highlight, we got to design something relatable on the human level and yet freaking disturbing.Whats the VFX shots count?JS: We delivered 516 shots.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Framestore: Dedicated page about The Gorge on Framestore website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsIl Gattopardo: VFX Breakdown by Proxima MilanoBy Vincent Frei - 18/03/2025 Bringing 19th-century Sicily to life requires more than stunning costumes and grand setsit takes seamless visual effects. Italian studio Proxima Milano masterfully enhances Il Gattopardo with invisible VFX, ensuring historical accuracy while preserving the shows cinematic authenticity!Click on the picture to watch the reel.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Proxima Milano: Dedicated page about Il Gattopardo on Proxima Milano website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsSecret Level: Crossfire CG Cinematography by Platige ImageBy Vincent Frei - 18/03/2025 Take a look at how Platige Image approached CG cinematography in Crossfire, an episode of the animated anthology Secret Level. This making-of explores their work on camera movement, composition, lighting and more!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Platige Image: Dedicated page about Secret Level: Crossfire on Platige Image website.Tim Miller: Heres my interview of Tim Miller, Creator & Executive Producer of Secret Level. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsThe Electric State: Bringing Cosmo to life by NetflixBy Vincent Frei - 17/03/2025 Discover the incredible journey behind Cosmos creation in The Electric State. From concept art to motion capture and really cool visual effects, watch how this unique character came to life!Click on the picture to watch the reel. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

How do you shape a world in crisis without breaking its authenticity? RVX masters the art of invisible VFX in Zero Day, ensuring every frame feels real while subtly amplifying tension and atmosphere! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Zero Day: VFX Breakdown by RVX appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Breakdown & ShowreelsBridget Jones Mad About the Boy: VFX Breakdown by FramestoreBy Vincent Frei - 17/03/2025 Sometimes, the most impressive VFX are the ones you dont see. The work of Framestore on Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy was all about subtlety, enhancing the story while keeping the visuals authentic and grounded!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Framestore: Dedicated page about Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy on Framestore website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsBelgravia The Next Chapter: VFX Breakdown by BlueBoltBy Vincent Frei - 14/03/2025 How do you bring Victorian London to life without building entire cityscapes? The invisible VFX magic by BlueBolt extends Belgrave Square, enhances Rotherhithes foundry exteriors, and even blankets the city in snow for the series final shot of the second season of Belgravia!WANT TO KNOW MORE?BlueBolt: Dedicated page about Belgravia: The Next Chapter on BlueBolt website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsSaint-Ex: VFX Breakdown by CGEV & BenutsBy Vincent Frei - 14/03/2025 Step into the stunning world of Saint-Ex, where CGEV and Benuts bring history to life with visual effects. From the vast, treacherous landscapes of the Andes to the high-stakes adventure of early aviation, their artistry elevates every moment of this gripping tale! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsRed One: Gryla VFX Breakdown by Sony Pictures ImageworksBy Vincent Frei - 13/03/2025 The VFX team at Sony Pictures Imageworks brings Red Ones villain, Gryla, to terrifying life. Animation Supervisor Julius Kwan breaks down the process of crafting her sinister performance. Dont miss this exclusive insight into the magic of movie-making!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Sony Pictures Imageworks: Dedicated page about Red One on Sony Pictures Imageworks website.Chris Waegner: Heres my interview of VFX Supervisor Chris Waegner at Sony Pictures Imageworks.Jerome Chen: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Jerome Chen. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

InterviewsThe Gorge: Anelia Asparuhova & Sebastian von Overheidt VFX Supervisors DNEGBy Vincent Frei - 13/03/2025 Anelia Asparuhova started her visual effects career in 2001, contributing to major studios like Cinesite, Framestore, and MPC before joining DNEG in 2021. Her credits include John Carter, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Chip n Dale: Rescue Rangers, and The School for Good and Evil.In 2022, Sebastian von Overheidt discussed the visual effects crafted by DNEG for Uncharted. He later contributed to the VFX of Haunted Mansion.How did you and DNEG get involved on this show?Anelia Asparuhova (AA): DNEG was brought on at the start of post-production as the main VFX partner for The Gorge. We were a good fit for the project as we have vast experience in creating CG environments and FX explosions. Production VFX Supervisor Erik Nordy and I had previously worked together, and I was thrilled to be involved with his next project.How was your collaboration with VFX Supervisor Erik Nordy and VFX Producer Rich Yeomans?AA: It was great! Erik had done a ton of prep work on the previz of the gorge and provided scans of rock formations and forest footage, he went above and beyond to give us as much material as possible for the gorge environment.Sebastian von Overheidt (SVO): We worked really closely with Erik and the editor to fine-tune the animation and choreography of the quadcopter drones, making sure every movement fit seamlessly into the scene.How did you organize the work between you?AA: Me and my team were responsible for creating the upper gorge environment, which consisted of the gorge itself with its surrounding mountains, the towers, the gorge fog and the waterfall. As well as the wide environment, we created a full CG forest environment for the end shots where Levi runs, chased by the shockwave, and jumps into the waterfall. I also supervised the explosions at the end of the movie, from the chain of smaller explosions to the final explosion which obliterates the gorge and its surroundings.SVO: My team tackled some wide environments too, but most of our work focused on sequences happening up close within the larger world. A lot of it was high-energy action, like Levi zipping across the gorge on the zip line or the quadcopter chase weaving through the forest. We also had shots that needed custom gorge walls, some really nice fog simulations, and a few tricky CG interiors inside the towers that required bespoke extensions. Plenty of challenges, but thats what makes it fun!What are the sequences made by DNEG?AA: We worked on the Upper Gorge the sequences where Drasa and Levi spend their days in the towers and get to know each other, the ones where Levi flies over the gorge fog on a zipline, the digidouble takeover of Drasa jumping into the fog to save Levi, everything that happens after they climb back up from the Lower Gorge the drone chase and all the explosions.How did you approach designing the vast valley of forests and mountains to ensure a sense of both grandeur and isolation in The Gorge?AA: We had to make sure that the area felt isolated from the rest of the world a place that random people wouldnt just stumble upon while hiking so we surrounded it with high mountains from all sides. There were also natural obstacles on both sides of the gorge, the waterfall on one side and the steep rock formation on the other, which explained why Drasa and Levi couldnt just walk around the gorge to meet each other. These looming mountains helped create the feeling of isolation and loneliness the characters felt throughout the movie.Can you describe the process of creating the hidden gorge? What techniques did you use to integrate it naturally into the environment while maintaining its mysterious feel?AA: It was important to establish where in the world our gorge was, even though the location remains undisclosed in the movie, so that we could base it on existing geological formations from that region. In the story the gorge is guarded both by Western and Eastern forces, so we reasoned that it would have to be somewhere where both parties would be equally endangered by it. Central-Northern Europe seemed to fit this description. We hired a geologist as a consultant in the initial few weeks of the build as we wanted to make sure our choice of rocks and vegetation, as well as the look of the gorge structure itself, was geologically plausible and we werent just making things up. We started with the previs geometry that Erik provided us with, which used low resolution scans from Norway as a base. Norway has some stunning gorges, but we also found gorges in Bulgaria and Greece that had the look we were looking for a combination of coniferous and deciduous vegetation which seemed suitable for our selected region.What role did lighting play in enhancing the look and atmosphere of the gorge, especially with the contrast between the open landscape and the mist-covered areas?AA: Lighting was an important part of enhancing the environment, but also a powerful story telling tool to set the mood for the different scenes from the gloomy look during their monotone everyday life in the beginning of the movie, to the romantic sunset and exaggerated moonlight during their first date. One of the challenges we faced was the height of the surrounding mountains, and the ability to show a sunset or a sunrise, as in reality the sun would have been behind the mountains. We briefly considered adding some gaps in the mountain tops to let the sunlight through, but that would have compromised the impenetrable look of the gorge, so we cheated some light angles instead it was part of the movie magic to support the story. We used mist pockets in between the trees and haze in the distance to add levels of complexity and depth to the scenes.SVO: Lighting is pretty much the key tool for setting the mood of a sequence and making CG extensions feel like they truly belong alongside real photography. The trick is balancing two things on one hand, nailing the realism so it blends seamlessly with the live-action footage, and on the other, making sure it looks visually stunning from a creative standpoint. Its the same thought process a DP would have on set, even for non-VFX scenes. For the gorge environment, we put a lot of effort into rendering the atmosphere the haze so it reacted naturally to light. It picked up shadows from the landscape and behaved just like real atmospheric depth would. Another subtle but powerful trick for large-scale environments is using cloud shadows. Even if theyre barely noticeable, they do a great job of defining the terrain and adding depth and interest to the lighting.How did you ensure that the two observation towers felt grounded within the environment while maintaining their distinct visual identity?AA: We added layers of damage to the towers, the walls under them, and the spiky fence which spans across the whole length of the gorge. We wanted everything to look like it had been there for over 70 years and had gone through numerous attacks and repairs. In some parts we allowed nature to take over so that the structures looked integrated. In addition to the different shapes of each tower, we added some distinct landmarks in the walls under the towers, and each side had a different look of the surrounding forest, with the dense coniferous trees on the west side and the sparse mixed forest on the east.What challenges did you encounter when blending practical and digital elements for the gorge environment, and how did you overcome them?AA: There was a practical pathway with forest behind which led to the base of the tower the part where Levi meets JD and sees the towers for the first time. We needed to put mountains behind the trees, which wasnt an easy task. Erik, of course, had foreseen the issue and had added mist to the scene which helped a lot with blending the background, but still we did a lot of rotoscoping to separate the foreground.SVO: One of the trickier challenges we needed to solve was lighting deep in the forest, where some sequences transitioned from overcast to sunny across multiple shots. Since we were extending a lot of plates with CG forest in the background, it wasnt just about matching each plate individually, we had to make sure the lighting worked consistently across the whole cut. On top of that, we had full CG shots in between that needed to blend seamlessly and still feel completely realistic.Another big challenge in mixing practical and digital elements was Levis arrival after the moment he zipped across to finally meet Drasa in person. Drasas angle was all practical: real forest, natural mist, dappled light filtering through the trees onto the ground. But when we flipped to Levis reverse angle, he was shot against a blue screen with completely different lighting, and we had to replace the entire background with our CG gorge environment. Its a key moment in the movie, where the audience is locked in on these two characters, so the VFX had to be invisible. Blending effects into shots like these is as much fun as it is challenging!How did you achieve the dynamic look of the gorges fog, ensuring it remained both natural and menacing throughout the film?AA: We referenced a lot of naturally occurring pockets of mist and fog in between mountains and gorges. It was important to select the right level of detail, too little would have made the fog look flat and everything seem miniature, too much and it could end up being too busy and distracting. We added a very slow motion as the fog was a constant presence throughout the movie, we wanted it to be a subtle backdrop which doesnt compete with the action.SVO: Whenever we had unusual angles on the fog like Levi zip-lining over it, dropping into it, or the quadcopters rising through it we added extra elements to bring in more detail and parallax. This gave the fog a greater sense of depth and realism, making sure it reacted naturally to the camera movement and felt truly integrated into the scene.Were there any specific simulation techniques or custom tools developed to control the movement and density of the fog in various scenes?AA: Once the team developed the overall look and motion of the fog, it was a fairly low-maintenance asset for most of the movie. We did a very long simulation which we used in each shot, with an offset so that it didnt look repetitive. When the big explosion happened we did a custom simulation for each shot. We reasoned that most of the fog would evaporate in the high temperature, but we also wanted to give it a sense of a radial dispersal as the evaporation happened.SVO: For the quadcopters rising out of the fog, we had to take a more customized approach to the simulation. Since the camera was positioned right above the fogs surface as the drones emerged, we couldnt just rely on the generic fog setup. We needed a more detailed simulation to capture the interaction with the rotor wash and the drone animation, making sure everything felt physically accurate and seamlessly integrated into the shot.What was the design philosophy behind creating the combat drones, and how did you strike a balance between realism and a futuristic aesthetic?SVO: The art department had built a practical drone for an SFX scene, so when we started we already had a solid scale reference to work from. From there, we researched the right type of gun to mount and figured out what the flight dynamics of a drone that size should look like. For the design, the brief was clear. It needed to look strong and heavy-duty enough to carry the gun and ammo, but also modern, tactical, and properly worn-in. We put a ton of detail into the rig as well, making sure every little arm on the wings moved and adjusted dynamically to sell a realistic flight motion.For the helicopter, how did you simulate the interactions between its movement and the surrounding environment, particularly with the fog and wind effects?AA: We added elements of the fog swirling around the helicopter in some of the shots where it gets swept by the shockwave, but they had to be very subtle as the main driving force was the shockwave itself. And, of course, many layers of smoke, fire and sparks when it hit the gorge wall. We also did ground dust and leaf simulations as the helicopter took off from the tower base.SVO: Same with the scene where the helicopter lands next to the tower, the entire shot was CG. We simulated the interaction with the ground and the surrounding forest, making sure the downwash kicked up debris and affected the environment realistically.How did you handle the sequences where both the helicopter and drones are engaged in action scenes, ensuring the choreography felt intense and believable?AA: The helicopter runaway and ultimate destruction was a fun task. We knew wed have to destroy it at the end, so we built it with that in mind. We added internal details for the moment where it hits the gorge wall and the tail breaks off. We wanted its flight to show how it gradually lost control before being totally overpowered by the shockwave. We timed that with the very hectic practical interior shots which helped with the intensity of the moment. And all the shockwave layers of dust and debris flying past it helped with the sense of the massive force it was up against.SVO: The quadcopter drone chase was carefully blocked out and animated with the action and scene progression in mind. We paid close attention to height and attack angles to ensure everything flowed seamlessly in the cut. We also had to match the drones line of fire with the SFX from the practical shoot, often replacing it with CG FX to nail the right angles for tracers, tree splinters, and impact details. And of course, the two drones that Drasa takes down, along with their crash behind her in the forest, were fully CG as well.How did you conceptualize the nuclear explosion to ensure it was visually impactful while respecting the overall tone of the film?AA: We found a few nuclear test videos a very helpful reference, albeit a bit disturbing to watch. However, all of them happened radially on a flat surface and, in our case, we needed to figure out how the explosion would behave when triggered several hundred meters below. As it hits and destroys the gorge walls the force would, to some extent, redirect upwards as a funnel causing a strong ripple effect on the surface.What techniques did you use to simulate the shockwave and subsequent environmental destruction from the explosion, and how did you integrate these elements into the surrounding landscape?AA: We used many elements to give the explosion the complexity it needed the core of the explosion, the Whilson cloud, and the layers of smoke, dust and debris of the shockwave. We had a video reference of one of the nuke tests, where you see a house and a row of trees moments before they get hit by the shockwave. You see how everything starts heavily smoking at first, and then the trees bend under the force of the outer layers of the shockwave, before finally being hit by it. We used this approach at a different scale and level of detail throughout the whole explosion sequence the close ups of the towers being destroyed, the shots with the shockwave chasing Levi off the cliff, as well as the wide explosion shots.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?AA: Seeing such a big, complex task as a full CG environment come to life was incredibly rewarding. And of course, blowing up everything we had previously built in the end was a lot of fun!SVO: Making big environment shots look photorealistic and visually stunning is always satisfying, its like capturing an epic view. Drasas jump off the cliff was a particularly tricky shot, with a seamless digi-double takeover and complex comp work involved. Seeing the final result come together was hugely rewarding for the whole team.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?AA: I was very pleased how everything turned out, but what Im most proud of is my team how well everyone collaborated and contributed to all the creative and technical aspects of this project. I got to work with so many wonderful and talented people, each one of them incredibly excited and motivated to do their best.SVO: Im always proud of what our teams pull off and the relentless attention to detail they bring to every shot. Its something that isnt always obvious from the outside just how focused and tenacious artists have to be, on top of the incredible skill and talent they bring to the table. Our teams are spread across the world, working remotely on massive, high-quality VFX projects. The logistics and communication alone are impressive, with hundreds of artists collaborating seamlessly. With a bit of distance after delivering a show, when I finally get to watch the movie in a theater or on a streaming platform, I always take a moment to reflect on the journey and just how cool the final result turned out.How long have you worked on this show?AA: Just under a year.SVO: Around seven months.Whats the VFX shots count?AA: DNEG delivered around 750 shots.What is your next project?AA: I cant disclose this yet, Im afraid.SVO: Sorry, I cant share that just yet.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?DNEG: Dedicated page about The Gorge on DNEG website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Creating unforgettable creatures is at the heart of Skeleton Crew, and Important Looking Pirates played a key role in making them a reality! With a mix of practical and digital artistry, the team brought a variety of fantastic beings to life, ensuring they carried the charm and legacy of Star Wars iconic creatures!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Important Looking Pirates: Dedicated page about Skeleton Crew on Important Looking Pirates website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersDeath of a UnicornBy Vincent Frei - 12/03/2025 What happens when you hit a unicorn with your car? For Elliott and Ridley, it leads to a twisted adventure at a billionaires secret retreat. Watch the new trailer for Death of a Unicorn now!The VFX are made by:Zoic Studios (VFX Supervisor: Rob Price, VFX Producer: Danica Tsang)The Production VFX Supervisor is Andrew Orloff.The Production VFX Producer is Jeremy Newmark.Director: Alex ScharfmanRelease Date: March 28, 2025 (USA) Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsWoodwalkers: VFX Breakdown by PixomondoBy Vincent Frei - 12/03/2025 For Woodwalkers, Pixomondo was responsible for creating the visual effects that allow characters to shift between human and animal forms. Their work includes Carags transformation into a puma, as well as other shapeshifting sequences at Clearwater High! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsT.REX: VFX Breakdown by Mathematic FilmBy Vincent Frei - 12/03/2025 Stunning visual effects transport viewers 67 million years into the past in the IMAX documentary T. REX. From lifelike textures to dynamic animations, Mathematic Films work brings the legendary predator back to life!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Mathematic Film: Dedicated page about T.REX on Mathematic Film website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsDNEG X Denis VilleneuveBy Vincent Frei - 11/03/2025 Decades of collaboration. Countless breathtaking visuals. Multiple prestigious awards. From Blade Runner 2049 to Dune: Part Two, DNEG and Denis Villeneuve have redefined cinematic storytelling together. Dive into the highlights in their showreel!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Blade Runner 2049: Heres my interview of Paul Lambert, VFX Supervisor at DNEG, about Blade Runner 2049.Dune: Heres my interview of Paul Lambert (Production VFX Supervisor), Tristan Myles (VFX Supervisor Vancouver), Brian Connor (VFX Supervisor Montreal), Robyn Luckham (Animation Supervisor) DNEG Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Movie & Games TrailersThe Accountant 2By Vincent Frei - 11/03/2025 Ben Affleck is back as Christian Wolff in The Accountant 2! When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic messageFind the accountantWolff is drawn into a dangerous new mystery!The VFX are made by:Gneiss Stuff VFX22 DogsThe Production VFX Supervisor is Bruce Jones.The Production VFX Producer is Petra McElvenny.Director: Gavin OConnorRelease Date: April 25, 2025 Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsEmilia Prez: VFX Breakdown by MPCBy Vincent Frei - 11/03/2025 From blue screens in Paris to the vibrant streets of Mexico, Emilia Prez showcases the expertise of MPC in invisible VFX. With over 350 shots seamlessly integrating digital environments, their work proves that the best effects are the ones you dont see!WANT TO KNOW MORE?MPC: Dedicated page about Emilia Prez on MPC website.Cedric Fayolle: Heres my of Production VFX Supervisor Cedric Fayolle and the MPC team. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

InterviewsCaptain America Brave New World: Hanzhi Tang VFX Supervisor Digital DomainBy Vincent Frei - 10/03/2025 Back in 2022, Hanzhi Tang broke down the visual effects that Digital Domain brought to life for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Today, he continues his Marvel journey, sharing details about his work on Captain America: Brave New World.How did you and Digital Domain get involved on this series?Digital Domain has a proven track record working with Marvel and with our experience with oceans and clouds in recent projects, we were well suited for this sequence in Captain America: Brave New World. I myself am a flight sim nerd and looked forward to doing this type of work involving dogfights and fighter planes, and jumped at the opportunity.How was the collaboration with VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro?When Alessandro came on board the movie, we instantly had a great communicative relationship and mutual understanding for what we needed to achieve for this sequence. We quickly brought him up to speed with the assets and development that we had already begun and what still needed to be improved. As the fresh set of eyes on the project, Alessandro shared his concerns about what the stumbling blocks were, and we course-corrected as needed.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?One of the unique aspects of this project was the opportunity for a creative hiatus to accommodate changes to the film. This break allowed us to thoughtfully reorganize and assess our assets, determining which ones were still relevant, what new assets were needed, and how we could creatively modify existing ones.The shot design also evolved during this processsome shots remained as originally planned, while others were creatively repurposed or shuffled in the edit, resulting in a lot of fresh material. Keeping track of all these changes was a significant challenge, but our VFX Producer, Dan Brimer, excelled in leading the show once we returned from hiatus. Amy James-Wang did a fantastic job covering the first year of build and development, setting a solid foundation for the project.What are the sequences made by Digital Domain?Digital Domain was responsible for the Indian Ocean naval and aerial battle.The aerial battle in Captain America: Brave New World is an 8.5-minute, mostly CG sequence. What were the key challenges in designing and executing such an intense and prolonged action scene?In crafting the aerial battle featuring similar-looking jets and two flying characters with similar silhouettes, we embraced the challenge of creating a clear and engaging story. Throughout the film, we aimed to ensure that the audience could easily follow the action and understand who was pursuing whom.Our talented Previz Supervisor, Cameron Ward, collaborated closely with director Julius Onah and Alessandro to identify key story beats. Their teamwork was instrumental in streamlining the sequences and reducing any unnecessary complexity between the planes, missiles, and characters, resulting in a more cohesive and exciting experience for viewers.With jets flying at over 300 mph and missiles reaching 1,000 mph within a 10-mile radius, how did you ensure the right sense of scale and motion without overwhelming the audience?Technical issues with animation at that speed aside, the real problem is telegraphing that sense of speed to the audience. Against blue sky theres very little to sell a sense of speed in CG. However, when looking at real photography from chase planes of fighter jets you dont really question the speed. I think the key here is partly in the details of the smallest movements whether its the aircraft being pushed around by the air, the small corrections in pitch and roll as well as giving the foreground and background more texture to sell speed whether its a nice cloudscape to parallax against or wisps that we fly though. We dialed back on unjustified camera shake and played with motion blur lengths to keep things readable.Captain America: Brave New World reintroduces Celestial Island, last seen in Eternals. How did you approach updating and integrating this environment into the aerial battle, and were there any major visual or technical enhancements compared to its previous appearance?The last time we saw the Celestial in Eternals, it was massive and most of the close up action took place in the palm of the hand. It was too big to fly around in any decent amount of time that was realistic and several of the models features were designed to only be seen in wide shots as needed in that movie. We started by scaling that original model down to about 8500ft at the peak. Next, we needed to determine how close to the surface the characters and cameras get in our shots, what could be modeled, what could be displacement maps and what could be matte painting. It turns out we needed Sam to land and hang off the side of the fingers, which turned into a specially modeled patch just for those shots.With clouds, a vast ocean, and Celestial Island all playing a role in the scene, how did you ensure visual consistency across these elements while maintaining the dramatic tension of the sequence?We ensured the consistency primarily through lighting. However, utilizing a mixed renderer pipeline presented some extra challenges keeping everyone in sync for lighting direction and color. We still render our major effects elements in Houdini Mantra and hard surface and character lighting still comes from our Solaris/V-ray pipeline. Although we have published tools for the lighting setups to be propagated to other dependent departments, it can still be quite challenging to keep up with the changes if they are happening too often. To address this, we did a quick pre-light of all shots as soon as they came out of previz. This allowed us to establish and verify the consistency of the sun position, while checking for any continuity issues. This process also served to fill out the shots for temp edits and early cuts of the movie.The sequence is almost entirely CG. What techniques did you use to maintain a high level of photorealism, especially with ocean reflections, cloud interactions, and atmospheric effects?I think the consistent use of only a few HDRs across the departments and a lot of data sharing so that effects volumes (explosions and clouds) and particles (tracers) could cast shadows and light correctly onto the traditionally lit objects in the scene helped to maintain photorealism. That included making sure clouds both shadowed and reflected into the ocean. The ocean and the cloud were both individually so memory intensive, we couldnt render them at the same time and if you switch out one cloud, you dont want to re-render the whole ocean again for 3 days.The dogfight takes place through clouds, adding depth and complexity to the scene. How did you approach the cloud simulations, and what were the biggest technical challenges?When dealing with clouds, theres a couple of challenges, and achieving a realistic light scatter has as much to do with the density data in the VDB as the complexity of the path tracing in the shader. That might get you a single beautiful cloud. The other problem is creating a natural looking placement of a whole sky of clouds. If you randomly scatter your VDBs, it will look exactly like how it sounds. The clouds wont be aligned to any specific wind direction. None of the real-world weather physics of thermal layers and winds are being taken into account. We went through many, many layout iterations to get something that was both art directed and as natural looking as we could get it.How did you design the camera movements and cinematography for this fast-paced aerial sequence to keep it both dynamic and readable for the audience?I would have to give a lot of credit to our previz supervisor Cameron and Animation Supervisor Frankie Stellato, who both developed ideas and compromises to tell the story beat as needed, while keeping the camera doing something that could actually be shot from a drone or helicopter. Trying to fit the camera into one of the real world shooting techniques helped ground the sequence. We tried to push back on too many magical cameras.Given the complexity of the environment and high-speed motion, how did you optimize rendering without compromising on visual fidelity?With clouds and water, its going to come down to brute force render power to get a nice noise-free render with detail at the horizon that doesnt buzz. Denoising often looks too soft and sucks the fine scale out of the image. Theres some optimization that can be done with camera frustums, but at the end of the day you have to plan ahead for the render crunch and push for the camera animation to be approved and locked early enough to give you enough time for 3 day renders. Quite often, well just have to take a gamble on the animation being settled enough to kick off the renders.Were there any specific learnings from previous aerial VFX work, either at Digital Domain or elsewhere, that you applied to this sequence?Weve done aerial dogfights before both twenty years ago on the movie Stealth and more recently on Independence Day: Resurgence. Both times we ran into familiar problems that would still apply today, which is one of scale and numerical accuracy in the software we use. Seasoned artists will know models and rigs dont like being too far from the origin and this is something we cant really avoid in a dogfight, especially at the scale of the Celestial. At 400-500 knots we cover huge distances in just 30-60 frames, enough to test the tolerances of the last decimal places that the software can handle. These smallest rounding errors can show up as odd looking motion blur or unintended vibrations in the position of animated objects. Trying to cheat scales and units will in turn, break your physically based simulations for the effects. We would end up doing workarounds where animation is published at the origin and then translated into the correct world space. Changing the order of operations is one thing you can try, but it isnt a magic bullet. Our DFX Supervisor Ryan Duhaime and CG Supervisor Brett Ellis were both key in making my problems go away.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?Im proud of the team really hitting their pace in the two months leading up to the delivery of the show. With so many moving parts and that part of the year filled with holidays it was our crew that kept the show on track and on time, turning around notes and changes at a breakneck speed.Which sequence or shot was the most challenging?I think thats the missile almost hitting the side of the USS Milius. There is some really nice sim work both in fluids and volumes for the fireball and the shockwave effect on the water surface that we referenced a lot of old battleship cannon fire for. Nice interactive lighting from the effects to the ship helps tie everything together and we added the slightest rocking motion to the ship from the force of the explosion in comp, which saved us from changing the animation and sims over and over.Is there something specific that gives you some really short nights?Yes. Noisy cloud and ocean renders. I may never emotionally recover from that. Jokes aside, those were some of the most worrying parts since the solution is mostly time and is hard to compress. Working within the colorspace and artistic grade for the show was also a long term obstacle that concerned us because it reduced the highlight range that helps things like ocean highlights, metals and clouds look really good. Things that can look great in look development in an ideal neutral linear color space can suddenly start looking more clamped or painterly fast. Our Compositing Supervisor, Michael Melchiorre, truly took the bull by the horns when it came to wrestling the CG to work with the grade.What is your favorite shot or sequence?Id say it was maybe a shot that started out as something that seemed too over the top. Its the shot of Cap taking out an air to surface missile by jumping down onto it and pushing its nose down into the ocean and exploding. We worked with previz and eventually offered some options of our own from our Animation Supervisor Frankie Stellato, that minimized the dwell time standing on the missile to make it a momentary pose rather than grandstanding on the missile like a surfboard. Between Caps drone Redwing flying the shield behind him to deflect tracer fire and the big underwater explosion and white water effects theres a lot going on. On top of that the whole thing moving at 400mph made everything difficult to sim.What is your best memory on this show?For myself, I would say going on set in Atlanta during the additional photography and randomly getting pulled into the camera car to watch and give thumbs up or down approval on some high-speed plates for some Joaquin flying shots with Julius the director and camera operator Brigman Foster-Owens in the back seat. For bonus points, I also played as an extra in our sequence but youll have to try to find me.How long have you worked on this show?I started on Captain America: Brave New World a few months after production wrapped on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, roughly in April 2023. We got started with all the many asset builds while Bill Westenhofer and his team were shooting principal photography in Atlanta. Later in June 2024, I went to set in Atlanta for additional photography with Alessandro.Whats the VFX shots count?We ended up with about 165 shots in the movie, but theyre long shots and take up about 6 or 7 minutes of screen time. In the long journey to the screen, though, we probably worked on over 300 shots in some form that later became unnecessary.What is your next project?This one was such a long production schedule, Im taking a well deserved break until whatever comes next.A big thanks for your time.WANT TO KNOW MORE?Digital Domain: Dedicated page about Captain America: Brave New World on Digital Domain website.Alessandro Ongaro: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsRed One: Compositing Breakdown by Sony Pictures ImageworksBy Vincent Frei - 10/03/2025 Step into the winter wonderland of Red One with Sony Pictures Imageworks! Compositing Supervisor Zacary Campbell breaks down the VFX work behind the film, from terrifying snowmen to the epic final battle at the North Pole!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Sony Pictures Imageworks: Dedicated page about Red One on Sony Pictures Imageworks website.Chris Waegner: Heres my interview of VFX Supervisor Chris Waegner at Sony Pictures Imageworks.Jerome Chen: Heres my interview of Production VFX Supervisor Jerome Chen. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsIl Treno dei Bambini: VFX Breakdown by Frame by FrameBy Vincent Frei - 10/03/2025 Recreating the past on screen requires more than costumes and set design. The invisible VFX by Frame by Frame in Il Treno dei Bambini subtly enhance every frame, from period-correct landscapes to historical details, ensuring an authentic and immersive portrayal of postwar Italy!Click on the picture to watch the reel. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsKraven the Hunter: VFX Breakdown by Image EngineBy Vincent Frei - 07/03/2025 From intense action sequences to seamless digital doubles, Image Engine delivers really cool VFX in Kraven the Hunter. Their most formidable challenge? Bringing the iconic villain Rhino to life with stunning realism and intricate detail!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Image Engine: Dedicated page about Kraven the Hunter on Image Engine website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

InterviewsSkeleton Crew: Chris McLaughlin VFX Supervisor DNEGBy Vincent Frei - 06/03/2025 In 2021, Chris McLaughlin gave us insight into DNEGs work on Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Today, he takes us behind the scenes of Skeleton Crew, marking his debut in the Star Wars galaxy.How did you and DNEG get involved on this series?DNEGs involvement with the show started around January 2023, and our final delivery was around April 2024.What was your feeling to enter into this iconic universe?I was thrilled and a little terrified! It was a real privilege to get the opportunity to work in the Star Wars universe. I grew up on the Star Wars films, and Ive always been a huge fan of the production design.How was the collaboration with the showrunner and VFX Supervisor John Knoll?Collaborating with John on the show was a real pleasure. We met with him weekly to review our work and, as we neared the final delivery stage, these meetings became more frequent. Beyond providing invaluable critiques and guidance, he also shared references, concept art, and work from other vendors, ensuring a cohesive visual style across the production.How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?Oliver Eikhoff was the VFX Producer at DNEG, and he was an invaluable collaborator throughout the production. In particular, I found that his support made a huge difference with helping to streamline communication between our teams in Vancouver, Montreal, and India. My organization and time management skills arent always the strongest, so Olivers assistance was instrumental in keeping everything on track and making the process much smoother.What are the sequences made by DNEG?Our work was mainly in Episodes 4, 7 and 8. In Episode 4 our work was mainly around the suburbs and school of At Achrann, and then in Episodes 7 and 8 we did all the VFX work for The Mint that is (spoiler) discovered beneath At Attin.The environments in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are incredibly diverse, from desolate planets to bustling spaceports. What were the main challenges in creating such varied settings while maintaining visual consistency across the series?All of our environments were based on concept art provided by the production, which naturally helped maintain visual cohesion as everything stemmed from the same creative source.There are certain iconic visual motifs that are synonymous with the Star Wars universe, and while we did have opportunities to incorporate Kitbash and Greeble elements, the overall aesthetic was primarily driven by the concept art.Additionally, John would share work from other vendors working on the same episodes, ensuring a consistent visual language across the series. His guidance was also invaluable in recreating some quintessential Star Wars components for example, the way the Onyx Cinder lands or the amount of glow and frequency of flicker in Jods lightsaber.Did you rely more on practical sets or virtual production for creating large-scale environments? Could you explain the approach taken?In all of our sequences, the ground and certain key features were practical. In At Achrann, the set included piles of rubble and debris, destroyed buildings, and the spaceships entrance ramp, providing tangible elements for the cast to interact with. Similarly, in the Mint sequences, the landing platform and spaceship ramp were built practically. Beyond these key set pieces, everything else was shot against a bluescreen and later replaced with our CG environments.Were there any environments that were entirely CG, and how did you ensure they felt grounded and tangible, especially in sequences where the actors needed to interact with the setting?The majority of our work was creating full CG environments, so our CG Supervisor Eve Chauvet and Environments Supervisor Nelson Dos Santos had their hands full. For each environment, we started with a piece of concept art, which was always very detailed and effectively conveyed a very specific mood.At Achrann was a war-torn suburban area, devastated by destruction and surrounded by what looks like a decaying, drought-ravaged forest. For our scenes there, we built several key set pieces including a statue, a bombed-out school, and a destroyed house. Beyond these key elements, we also created a library of partially destroyed buildings, rubble, debris, overgrown plants, and trees to populate our scenes and build our layouts. These details were carefully placed throughout the scene, filling out the environment to enhance the sense of scale and devastation.The Mint sequence was just as challenging. The concept art was more specific than in At Achrann and required us to build some vast spaces populated with huge machinery and robotics. In addition to the concept art, we drew inspiration from real-world references such as massive industrial spaces and underground caves. Whenever possible, we added security droids as recognizable, human-sized elements to help emphasize the scale of the environment.The series features environments with rich details and atmospheric lighting. How important was the use of photorealistic elements, and what tools or software were key to achieving this level of realism?The majority of the detail in our environments came directly from the production design. While there were occasional opportunities to enhance or add embellishments, most of the design work was already set, leaving us to focus on building and lighting the environments.Given that all of our environments were large and expansive, we relied on a lot of atmospherics (smoke, haze, dust) to help convey the scale. In most cases, the atmospherics were generated by our FX team, and our Lighting Supervisor Sbastien Blec had an extensive library of smoke and haze elements that he could use to shape the look of our scenes.The security droids in Skeleton Crew have a distinctive look and movement style. Could you walk us through the design process, from concept art to their final animation?Many of the security droids in Skeleton Crew were full-size puppets, operated by puppeteers standing directly behind them. The droids legs moved in sync with the puppeteers leg movements, while their arms were controlled using rods. These rods, along with the puppeteers, were later painted out in post-production to create the final effect.Our CG versions were digital replicas of these puppets, with their animation closely mirroring the movement of the puppeteers. This approach gave the droids a natural, organic quality and a level of character and authenticity that I think would have been difficult to achieve through traditional keyframe animation.The character of Neel involved a digital head replacement. What were the main challenges in ensuring the CG head seamlessly matched the actors body movements and lighting?We had a digi-double of the actor that portrayed Neel, and we made sure that we had a particularly tight body track to his performance, particularly around the neck, shoulders and clavicle, which is always key when doing a full head replacement.We had a lot of examples of Neels practical head in surrounding shots in the sequence, so we had a lot of reference to work from. Getting the skin tone correct was also important it was more complex than it appears at first glance, ranging from blue through grey to pink. We spent quite a bit of time dialling that into our composites, ensuring that you could read the pinker, fleshier tones without it feeling too saturated.How did you approach the facial animation of Neel to preserve emotional performance while maintaining a natural and believable look?We had only a few shots where a full CG head replacement was needed for Neel, as most scenes featured the animatronic. When we watched the cuts of our sequences (which mostly featured the animatronic puppet) it was clear that Neel would be a fan favorite, so it was essential that our digital version stayed faithful to the practical performance.Our digital assets rig was built to match the capabilities of the onset animatronic, and we also ran a skin and hair simulation that would give us some movement in his ears, trunk and hair.The animation team took their cues from the animatronic performance. Neels mouth is mostly obscured by his trunk, but he has big, gentle eyes, which is where the majority of the performance came from, with lots of gentle blinks, soft eye darts and some moments of subtle wrinkling in the brow and nose.Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?I think the head replacements we did for Neel are very convincing, and I think you would struggle to distinguish between our head replacements and the animatronic. Im also very pleased that I now have a lightsaber shot under my belt!What is your favorite shot or sequence?Undoubtedly, my favorite shot is the Onyx Cinder swooping in for landing in Episode 4. It encapsulates so many quintessential Star Wars elements the undercarriage lowering, the roar of the jet engines, and the billowing dust, smoke, and sparks as it touches down. Our FX Lead Santiago Bono Plaza did a fantastic job with the simulations, crafting all the dust and smoke FX. Meanwhile, our Compositing Supervisor Chris Maslen ensured the ship was integrated into the many layers of smoke and haze.What is your best memory on this show?Being able to finally watch the show on TV with my son!Whats the VFX shots count?DNEG delivered around 150 shots for the show.What is your next project?I dont think Im allowed to share any details yet, but it involves another well-known character from my childhood!A big thanks for your time.// TRAILERSWANT TO KNOW MORE?DNEG: Dedicated page about Skeleton Crew on DNEG website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

Breakdown & ShowreelsBack in Action: VFX Breakdown by Scanline VFXBy Vincent Frei - 06/03/2025 Ever wondered how Back in Action delivers its high-octane chases? Thanks to Scanline VFX, Cameron Diaz races through intense motorcycle and boat sequences with seamless digital wizardry. Dont miss this inside look at the films thrilling effects!WANT TO KNOW MORE?Scanline VFX: Dedicated page about Back in Action on Scanline VFX website. Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025