• BOUNCING FROM RUBBER DUCKIES AND FLYING SHEEP TO CLONES FOR THE BOYS SEASON 4

    By TREVOR HOGG
    Images courtesy of Prime Video.

    For those seeking an alternative to the MCU, Prime Video has two offerings of the live-action and animated variety that take the superhero genre into R-rated territory where the hands of the god-like figures get dirty, bloodied and severed. “The Boys is about the intersection of celebrity and politics using superheroes,” states Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor on The Boys. “Sometimes I see the news and I don’t even know we can write to catch up to it! But we try. Invincible is an intense look at an alternate DC Universe that has more grit to the superhero side of it all. On one hand, I was jealous watching Season 1 of Invincible because in animation you can do things that you can’t do in real life on a budget.” Season 4 does not tone down the blood, gore and body count. Fleet notes, “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!”

    When Splintersplits in two, the cloning effect was inspired by cellular mitosis.

    “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!”
    —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor

    A total of 1,600 visual effects shots were created for the eight episodes by ILM, Pixomondo, MPC Toronto, Spin VFX, DNEG, Untold Studios, Luma Pictures and Rocket Science VFX. Previs was a critical part of the process. “We have John Griffith, who owns a small company called CNCPT out of Texas, and he does wonderful Unreal Engine level previs,” Fleet remarks. “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” Founding Director of Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, Victoria Neuman, literally gets ripped in half by two tendrils coming out of Compound V-enhanced Billy Butcher, the leader of superhero resistance group The Boys. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.”

    Multiple plates were shot to enable Simon Pegg to phase through the actor laying in a hospital bed.

    Testing can get rather elaborate. “For that end scene with Butcher’s tendrils, the room was two stories, and we were able to put the camera up high along with a bunch of blood cannons,” Fleet recalls. “When the body rips in half and explodes, there is a practical component. We rained down a bunch of real blood and guts right in front of Huey. It’s a known joke that we like to douse Jack Quaid with blood as much as possible! In this case, the special effects team led by Hudson Kenny needed to test it the day before, and I said, “I’ll be the guinea pig for the test.’ They covered the whole place with plastic like it was a Dexter kill room because you don’t want to destroy the set. I’m standing there in a white hazmat suit with goggles on, covered from head to toe in plastic and waiting as they’re tweaking all of these things. It sounds like World War II going on. They’re on walkie talkies to each other, and then all of a sudden, it’s ‘Five, four, three, two, one…’  And I get exploded with blood. I wanted to see what it was like, and it’s intense.”

    “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.”
    —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor

    The Deep has a love affair with an octopus called Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton. “It’s implied bestiality!” Fleet laughs. “I would call it more of a romance. What was fun from my perspective is that I knew what the look was going to be, so then it’s about putting in the details and the animation. One of the instincts that you always have when you’re making a sea creature that talks to a humanyou tend to want to give it human gestures and eyebrows. Erik Kripkesaid, ‘No. We have to find things that an octopus could do that conveys the same emotion.’ That’s when ideas came in, such as putting a little The Deep toy inside the water tank. When Ambrosius is trying to have an intimate moment or connect with him, she can wrap a tentacle around that. My favorite experience doing Ambrosius was when The Deep is reading poetry to her on a bed. CG creatures touching humans is one of the more complicated things to do and make look real. Ambrosius’ tentacles reach for his arm, and it becomes an intimate moment. More than touching the skin, displacing the bedsheet as Ambrosius moved ended up becoming a lot of CG, and we had to go back and forth a few times to get that looking right; that turned out to be tricky.”

    A building is replaced by a massive crowd attending a rally being held by Homelander.

    In a twisted form of sexual foreplay, Sister Sage has The Deep perform a transorbital lobotomy on her. “Thank you, Amazon for selling lobotomy tools as novelty items!” Fleet chuckles. “We filmed it with a lobotomy tool on set. There is a lot of safety involved in doing something like that. Obviously, you don’t want to put any performer in any situation where they come close to putting anything real near their eye. We created this half lobotomy tool and did this complicated split screen with the lobotomy tool on a teeter totter. The Deep wasin one shot and Sister Sage reacted in the other shot. To marry the two ended up being a lot of CG work. Then there are these close-ups which are full CG. I always keep a dummy head that is painted gray that I use all of the time for reference. In macrophotography I filmed this lobotomy tool going right into the eye area. I did that because the tool is chrome, so it’s reflective and has ridges. It has an interesting reflective property. I was able to see how and what part of the human eye reflects onto the tool. A lot of that shot became about realistic reflections and lighting on the tool. Then heavy CG for displacing the eye and pushing the lobotomy tool into it. That was one of the more complicated sequences that we had to achieve.”

    In order to create an intimate moment between Ambrosius and The Deep, a toy version of the superhero was placed inside of the water tank that she could wrap a tentacle around.

    “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.”
    —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor

    Sheep and chickens embark on a violent rampage courtesy of Compound V with the latter piercing the chest of a bodyguard belonging to Victoria Neuman. “Weirdly, that was one of our more traditional shots,’ Fleet states. “What is fun about that one is I asked for real chickens as reference. The chicken flying through his chest is real. It’s our chicken wrangler in green suit gently tossing a chicken. We blended two real plates together with some CG in the middle.” A connection was made with a sci-fi classic. “The sheep kill this bull, and we shot it is in this narrow corridor of fencing. When they run, I always equated it as the Trench Run in Star Wars and looked at the sheep as TIE fighters or X-wings coming at them.” The scene was one of the scarier moments for the visual effects team. Fleet explains, “When I read the script, I thought this could be the moment where we jump the shark. For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.”

    The sheep injected with Compound V develop the ability to fly and were shot in an imperfect manner to help ground the scenes.

    Once injected with Compound V, Hugh Campbell Sr.develops the ability to phase through objects, including human beings. “We called it the Bro-nut because his name in the script is Wall Street Bro,” Fleet notes. “That was a complicated motion control shot, repeating the move over and over again. We had to shoot multiple plates of Simon Pegg and the guy in the bed. Special effects and prosthetics created a dummy guy with a hole in his chest with practical blood dripping down. It was meshing it together and getting the timing right in post. On top of that, there was the CG blood immediately around Simon Pegg.” The phasing effect had to avoid appearing as a dissolve. “I had this idea of doing high-frequency vibration on the X axis loosely based on how The Flash vibrates through walls. You want everything to have a loose motivation that then helps trigger the visuals. We tried not to overcomplicate that because, ultimately, you want something like that to be quick. If you spend too much time on phasing, it can look cheesy. In our case, it was a lot of false walls. Simon Pegg is running into a greenscreen hole which we plug in with a wall or coming out of one. I went off the actor’s action, and we added a light opacity mix with some X-axis shake.”

    Providing a different twist to the fights was the replacement of spurting blood with photoreal rubber duckies during a drug-induced hallucination.

    Homelanderbreaks a mirror which emphasizes his multiple personality disorder. “The original plan was that special effects was going to pre-break a mirror, and we were going to shoot Anthony Starr moving his head doing all of the performances in the different parts of the mirror,” Fleet reveals. “This was all based on a photo that my ex-brother-in-law sent me. He was walking down a street in Glendale, California, came across a broken mirror that someone had thrown out, and took a photo of himself where he had five heads in the mirror. We get there on the day, and I’m realizing that this is really complicated. Anthony has to do these five different performances, and we have to deal with infinite mirrors. At the last minute, I said, ‘We have to do this on a clean mirror.’ We did it on a clear mirror and gave Anthony different eyelines. The mirror break was all done in post, and we were able to cheat his head slightly and art-direct where the break crosses his chin. Editorial was able to do split screens for the timing of the dialogue.”

    “For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.”
    —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor

    Initially, the plan was to use a practical mirror, but creating a digital version proved to be the more effective solution.

    A different spin on the bloodbath occurs during a fight when a drugged Frenchiehallucinates as Kimiko Miyashirogoes on a killing spree. “We went back and forth with a lot of different concepts for what this hallucination would be,” Fleet remarks. “When we filmed it, we landed on Frenchie having a synesthesia moment where he’s seeing a lot of abstract colors flying in the air. We started getting into that in post and it wasn’t working. We went back to the rubber duckies, which goes back to the story of him in the bathtub. What’s in the bathtub? Rubber duckies, bubbles and water. There was a lot of physics and logic required to figure out how these rubber duckies could float out of someone’s neck. We decided on bubbles when Kimiko hits people’s heads. At one point, we had water when she got shot, but it wasn’t working, so we killed it. We probably did about 100 different versions. We got really detailed with our rubber duckie modeling because we didn’t want it to look cartoony. That took a long time.”

    Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton, gets a lot more screentime in Season 4.

    When Splintersplits in two was achieved heavily in CG. “Erik threw out the words ‘cellular mitosis’ early on as something he wanted to use,” Fleet states. “We shot Rob Benedict on a greenscreen doing all of the different performances for the clones that pop out. It was a crazy amount of CG work with Houdini and particle and skin effects. We previs’d the sequence so we had specific actions. One clone comes out to the right and the other pulls backwards.” What tends to go unnoticed by many is Splinter’s clones setting up for a press conference being held by Firecracker. “It’s funny how no one brings up the 22-hour motion control shot that we had to do with Splinter on the stage, which was the most complicated shot!” Fleet observes. “We have this sweeping long shot that brings you into the room and follows Splinter as he carries a container to the stage and hands it off to a clone, and then you reveal five more of them interweaving each other and interacting with all of these objects. It’s like a minute-long dance. First off, you have to choreograph it. We previs’d it, but then you need to get people to do it. We hired dancers and put different colored armbands on them. The camera is like another performer, and a metronome is going, which enables you to find a pace. That took about eight hours of rehearsal. Then Rob has to watch each one of their performances and mimic it to the beat. When he is handing off a box of cables, it’s to a double who is going to have to be erased and be him on the other side. They have to be almost perfect in their timing and lineup in order to take it over in visual effects and make it work.”
    #bouncing #rubber #duckies #flying #sheep
    BOUNCING FROM RUBBER DUCKIES AND FLYING SHEEP TO CLONES FOR THE BOYS SEASON 4
    By TREVOR HOGG Images courtesy of Prime Video. For those seeking an alternative to the MCU, Prime Video has two offerings of the live-action and animated variety that take the superhero genre into R-rated territory where the hands of the god-like figures get dirty, bloodied and severed. “The Boys is about the intersection of celebrity and politics using superheroes,” states Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor on The Boys. “Sometimes I see the news and I don’t even know we can write to catch up to it! But we try. Invincible is an intense look at an alternate DC Universe that has more grit to the superhero side of it all. On one hand, I was jealous watching Season 1 of Invincible because in animation you can do things that you can’t do in real life on a budget.” Season 4 does not tone down the blood, gore and body count. Fleet notes, “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” When Splintersplits in two, the cloning effect was inspired by cellular mitosis. “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor A total of 1,600 visual effects shots were created for the eight episodes by ILM, Pixomondo, MPC Toronto, Spin VFX, DNEG, Untold Studios, Luma Pictures and Rocket Science VFX. Previs was a critical part of the process. “We have John Griffith, who owns a small company called CNCPT out of Texas, and he does wonderful Unreal Engine level previs,” Fleet remarks. “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” Founding Director of Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, Victoria Neuman, literally gets ripped in half by two tendrils coming out of Compound V-enhanced Billy Butcher, the leader of superhero resistance group The Boys. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” Multiple plates were shot to enable Simon Pegg to phase through the actor laying in a hospital bed. Testing can get rather elaborate. “For that end scene with Butcher’s tendrils, the room was two stories, and we were able to put the camera up high along with a bunch of blood cannons,” Fleet recalls. “When the body rips in half and explodes, there is a practical component. We rained down a bunch of real blood and guts right in front of Huey. It’s a known joke that we like to douse Jack Quaid with blood as much as possible! In this case, the special effects team led by Hudson Kenny needed to test it the day before, and I said, “I’ll be the guinea pig for the test.’ They covered the whole place with plastic like it was a Dexter kill room because you don’t want to destroy the set. I’m standing there in a white hazmat suit with goggles on, covered from head to toe in plastic and waiting as they’re tweaking all of these things. It sounds like World War II going on. They’re on walkie talkies to each other, and then all of a sudden, it’s ‘Five, four, three, two, one…’  And I get exploded with blood. I wanted to see what it was like, and it’s intense.” “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor The Deep has a love affair with an octopus called Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton. “It’s implied bestiality!” Fleet laughs. “I would call it more of a romance. What was fun from my perspective is that I knew what the look was going to be, so then it’s about putting in the details and the animation. One of the instincts that you always have when you’re making a sea creature that talks to a humanyou tend to want to give it human gestures and eyebrows. Erik Kripkesaid, ‘No. We have to find things that an octopus could do that conveys the same emotion.’ That’s when ideas came in, such as putting a little The Deep toy inside the water tank. When Ambrosius is trying to have an intimate moment or connect with him, she can wrap a tentacle around that. My favorite experience doing Ambrosius was when The Deep is reading poetry to her on a bed. CG creatures touching humans is one of the more complicated things to do and make look real. Ambrosius’ tentacles reach for his arm, and it becomes an intimate moment. More than touching the skin, displacing the bedsheet as Ambrosius moved ended up becoming a lot of CG, and we had to go back and forth a few times to get that looking right; that turned out to be tricky.” A building is replaced by a massive crowd attending a rally being held by Homelander. In a twisted form of sexual foreplay, Sister Sage has The Deep perform a transorbital lobotomy on her. “Thank you, Amazon for selling lobotomy tools as novelty items!” Fleet chuckles. “We filmed it with a lobotomy tool on set. There is a lot of safety involved in doing something like that. Obviously, you don’t want to put any performer in any situation where they come close to putting anything real near their eye. We created this half lobotomy tool and did this complicated split screen with the lobotomy tool on a teeter totter. The Deep wasin one shot and Sister Sage reacted in the other shot. To marry the two ended up being a lot of CG work. Then there are these close-ups which are full CG. I always keep a dummy head that is painted gray that I use all of the time for reference. In macrophotography I filmed this lobotomy tool going right into the eye area. I did that because the tool is chrome, so it’s reflective and has ridges. It has an interesting reflective property. I was able to see how and what part of the human eye reflects onto the tool. A lot of that shot became about realistic reflections and lighting on the tool. Then heavy CG for displacing the eye and pushing the lobotomy tool into it. That was one of the more complicated sequences that we had to achieve.” In order to create an intimate moment between Ambrosius and The Deep, a toy version of the superhero was placed inside of the water tank that she could wrap a tentacle around. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Sheep and chickens embark on a violent rampage courtesy of Compound V with the latter piercing the chest of a bodyguard belonging to Victoria Neuman. “Weirdly, that was one of our more traditional shots,’ Fleet states. “What is fun about that one is I asked for real chickens as reference. The chicken flying through his chest is real. It’s our chicken wrangler in green suit gently tossing a chicken. We blended two real plates together with some CG in the middle.” A connection was made with a sci-fi classic. “The sheep kill this bull, and we shot it is in this narrow corridor of fencing. When they run, I always equated it as the Trench Run in Star Wars and looked at the sheep as TIE fighters or X-wings coming at them.” The scene was one of the scarier moments for the visual effects team. Fleet explains, “When I read the script, I thought this could be the moment where we jump the shark. For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” The sheep injected with Compound V develop the ability to fly and were shot in an imperfect manner to help ground the scenes. Once injected with Compound V, Hugh Campbell Sr.develops the ability to phase through objects, including human beings. “We called it the Bro-nut because his name in the script is Wall Street Bro,” Fleet notes. “That was a complicated motion control shot, repeating the move over and over again. We had to shoot multiple plates of Simon Pegg and the guy in the bed. Special effects and prosthetics created a dummy guy with a hole in his chest with practical blood dripping down. It was meshing it together and getting the timing right in post. On top of that, there was the CG blood immediately around Simon Pegg.” The phasing effect had to avoid appearing as a dissolve. “I had this idea of doing high-frequency vibration on the X axis loosely based on how The Flash vibrates through walls. You want everything to have a loose motivation that then helps trigger the visuals. We tried not to overcomplicate that because, ultimately, you want something like that to be quick. If you spend too much time on phasing, it can look cheesy. In our case, it was a lot of false walls. Simon Pegg is running into a greenscreen hole which we plug in with a wall or coming out of one. I went off the actor’s action, and we added a light opacity mix with some X-axis shake.” Providing a different twist to the fights was the replacement of spurting blood with photoreal rubber duckies during a drug-induced hallucination. Homelanderbreaks a mirror which emphasizes his multiple personality disorder. “The original plan was that special effects was going to pre-break a mirror, and we were going to shoot Anthony Starr moving his head doing all of the performances in the different parts of the mirror,” Fleet reveals. “This was all based on a photo that my ex-brother-in-law sent me. He was walking down a street in Glendale, California, came across a broken mirror that someone had thrown out, and took a photo of himself where he had five heads in the mirror. We get there on the day, and I’m realizing that this is really complicated. Anthony has to do these five different performances, and we have to deal with infinite mirrors. At the last minute, I said, ‘We have to do this on a clean mirror.’ We did it on a clear mirror and gave Anthony different eyelines. The mirror break was all done in post, and we were able to cheat his head slightly and art-direct where the break crosses his chin. Editorial was able to do split screens for the timing of the dialogue.” “For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Initially, the plan was to use a practical mirror, but creating a digital version proved to be the more effective solution. A different spin on the bloodbath occurs during a fight when a drugged Frenchiehallucinates as Kimiko Miyashirogoes on a killing spree. “We went back and forth with a lot of different concepts for what this hallucination would be,” Fleet remarks. “When we filmed it, we landed on Frenchie having a synesthesia moment where he’s seeing a lot of abstract colors flying in the air. We started getting into that in post and it wasn’t working. We went back to the rubber duckies, which goes back to the story of him in the bathtub. What’s in the bathtub? Rubber duckies, bubbles and water. There was a lot of physics and logic required to figure out how these rubber duckies could float out of someone’s neck. We decided on bubbles when Kimiko hits people’s heads. At one point, we had water when she got shot, but it wasn’t working, so we killed it. We probably did about 100 different versions. We got really detailed with our rubber duckie modeling because we didn’t want it to look cartoony. That took a long time.” Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton, gets a lot more screentime in Season 4. When Splintersplits in two was achieved heavily in CG. “Erik threw out the words ‘cellular mitosis’ early on as something he wanted to use,” Fleet states. “We shot Rob Benedict on a greenscreen doing all of the different performances for the clones that pop out. It was a crazy amount of CG work with Houdini and particle and skin effects. We previs’d the sequence so we had specific actions. One clone comes out to the right and the other pulls backwards.” What tends to go unnoticed by many is Splinter’s clones setting up for a press conference being held by Firecracker. “It’s funny how no one brings up the 22-hour motion control shot that we had to do with Splinter on the stage, which was the most complicated shot!” Fleet observes. “We have this sweeping long shot that brings you into the room and follows Splinter as he carries a container to the stage and hands it off to a clone, and then you reveal five more of them interweaving each other and interacting with all of these objects. It’s like a minute-long dance. First off, you have to choreograph it. We previs’d it, but then you need to get people to do it. We hired dancers and put different colored armbands on them. The camera is like another performer, and a metronome is going, which enables you to find a pace. That took about eight hours of rehearsal. Then Rob has to watch each one of their performances and mimic it to the beat. When he is handing off a box of cables, it’s to a double who is going to have to be erased and be him on the other side. They have to be almost perfect in their timing and lineup in order to take it over in visual effects and make it work.” #bouncing #rubber #duckies #flying #sheep
    WWW.VFXVOICE.COM
    BOUNCING FROM RUBBER DUCKIES AND FLYING SHEEP TO CLONES FOR THE BOYS SEASON 4
    By TREVOR HOGG Images courtesy of Prime Video. For those seeking an alternative to the MCU, Prime Video has two offerings of the live-action and animated variety that take the superhero genre into R-rated territory where the hands of the god-like figures get dirty, bloodied and severed. “The Boys is about the intersection of celebrity and politics using superheroes,” states Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor on The Boys. “Sometimes I see the news and I don’t even know we can write to catch up to it! But we try. Invincible is an intense look at an alternate DC Universe that has more grit to the superhero side of it all. On one hand, I was jealous watching Season 1 of Invincible because in animation you can do things that you can’t do in real life on a budget.” Season 4 does not tone down the blood, gore and body count. Fleet notes, “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” When Splinter (Rob Benedict) splits in two, the cloning effect was inspired by cellular mitosis. “The writers almost have this dialogue with us. Sometimes, they’ll write in the script, ‘And Fleet will come up with a cool visual effect for how to kill this person.’ Or, ‘Chhiu, our fight coordinator, will make an awesome fight.’ It is a frequent topic of conversation. We’re constantly trying to be inventive and create new ways to kill people!” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor A total of 1,600 visual effects shots were created for the eight episodes by ILM, Pixomondo, MPC Toronto, Spin VFX, DNEG, Untold Studios, Luma Pictures and Rocket Science VFX. Previs was a critical part of the process. “We have John Griffith [Previs Director], who owns a small company called CNCPT out of Texas, and he does wonderful Unreal Engine level previs,” Fleet remarks. “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” Founding Director of Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, Victoria Neuman, literally gets ripped in half by two tendrils coming out of Compound V-enhanced Billy Butcher, the leader of superhero resistance group The Boys. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” Multiple plates were shot to enable Simon Pegg to phase through the actor laying in a hospital bed. Testing can get rather elaborate. “For that end scene with Butcher’s tendrils, the room was two stories, and we were able to put the camera up high along with a bunch of blood cannons,” Fleet recalls. “When the body rips in half and explodes, there is a practical component. We rained down a bunch of real blood and guts right in front of Huey. It’s a known joke that we like to douse Jack Quaid with blood as much as possible! In this case, the special effects team led by Hudson Kenny needed to test it the day before, and I said, “I’ll be the guinea pig for the test.’ They covered the whole place with plastic like it was a Dexter kill room because you don’t want to destroy the set. I’m standing there in a white hazmat suit with goggles on, covered from head to toe in plastic and waiting as they’re tweaking all of these things. It sounds like World War II going on. They’re on walkie talkies to each other, and then all of a sudden, it’s ‘Five, four, three, two, one…’  And I get exploded with blood. I wanted to see what it was like, and it’s intense.” “On set, we have a cartoon of what is going to be done, and you’ll be amazed, specifically for action and heavy visual effects stuff, how close those shots are to the previs when we finish.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor The Deep has a love affair with an octopus called Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton. “It’s implied bestiality!” Fleet laughs. “I would call it more of a romance. What was fun from my perspective is that I knew what the look was going to be [from Season 3], so then it’s about putting in the details and the animation. One of the instincts that you always have when you’re making a sea creature that talks to a human [is] you tend to want to give it human gestures and eyebrows. Erik Kripke [Creator, Executive Producer, Showrunner, Director, Writer] said, ‘No. We have to find things that an octopus could do that conveys the same emotion.’ That’s when ideas came in, such as putting a little The Deep toy inside the water tank. When Ambrosius is trying to have an intimate moment or connect with him, she can wrap a tentacle around that. My favorite experience doing Ambrosius was when The Deep is reading poetry to her on a bed. CG creatures touching humans is one of the more complicated things to do and make look real. Ambrosius’ tentacles reach for his arm, and it becomes an intimate moment. More than touching the skin, displacing the bedsheet as Ambrosius moved ended up becoming a lot of CG, and we had to go back and forth a few times to get that looking right; that turned out to be tricky.” A building is replaced by a massive crowd attending a rally being held by Homelander. In a twisted form of sexual foreplay, Sister Sage has The Deep perform a transorbital lobotomy on her. “Thank you, Amazon for selling lobotomy tools as novelty items!” Fleet chuckles. “We filmed it with a lobotomy tool on set. There is a lot of safety involved in doing something like that. Obviously, you don’t want to put any performer in any situation where they come close to putting anything real near their eye. We created this half lobotomy tool and did this complicated split screen with the lobotomy tool on a teeter totter. The Deep was [acting in a certain way] in one shot and Sister Sage reacted in the other shot. To marry the two ended up being a lot of CG work. Then there are these close-ups which are full CG. I always keep a dummy head that is painted gray that I use all of the time for reference. In macrophotography I filmed this lobotomy tool going right into the eye area. I did that because the tool is chrome, so it’s reflective and has ridges. It has an interesting reflective property. I was able to see how and what part of the human eye reflects onto the tool. A lot of that shot became about realistic reflections and lighting on the tool. Then heavy CG for displacing the eye and pushing the lobotomy tool into it. That was one of the more complicated sequences that we had to achieve.” In order to create an intimate moment between Ambrosius and The Deep, a toy version of the superhero was placed inside of the water tank that she could wrap a tentacle around. “The word that we like to use on this show is ‘grounded,’ and I like to say ‘grounded’ with an asterisk in this day and age because we’re grounded until we get to killing people in the craziest ways. In this case, having someone floating in the air and being ripped in half by two tendrils was all CG.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Sheep and chickens embark on a violent rampage courtesy of Compound V with the latter piercing the chest of a bodyguard belonging to Victoria Neuman. “Weirdly, that was one of our more traditional shots,’ Fleet states. “What is fun about that one is I asked for real chickens as reference. The chicken flying through his chest is real. It’s our chicken wrangler in green suit gently tossing a chicken. We blended two real plates together with some CG in the middle.” A connection was made with a sci-fi classic. “The sheep kill this bull, and we shot it is in this narrow corridor of fencing. When they run, I always equated it as the Trench Run in Star Wars and looked at the sheep as TIE fighters or X-wings coming at them.” The scene was one of the scarier moments for the visual effects team. Fleet explains, “When I read the script, I thought this could be the moment where we jump the shark. For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” The sheep injected with Compound V develop the ability to fly and were shot in an imperfect manner to help ground the scenes. Once injected with Compound V, Hugh Campbell Sr. (Simon Pegg) develops the ability to phase through objects, including human beings. “We called it the Bro-nut because his name in the script is Wall Street Bro,” Fleet notes. “That was a complicated motion control shot, repeating the move over and over again. We had to shoot multiple plates of Simon Pegg and the guy in the bed. Special effects and prosthetics created a dummy guy with a hole in his chest with practical blood dripping down. It was meshing it together and getting the timing right in post. On top of that, there was the CG blood immediately around Simon Pegg.” The phasing effect had to avoid appearing as a dissolve. “I had this idea of doing high-frequency vibration on the X axis loosely based on how The Flash vibrates through walls. You want everything to have a loose motivation that then helps trigger the visuals. We tried not to overcomplicate that because, ultimately, you want something like that to be quick. If you spend too much time on phasing, it can look cheesy. In our case, it was a lot of false walls. Simon Pegg is running into a greenscreen hole which we plug in with a wall or coming out of one. I went off the actor’s action, and we added a light opacity mix with some X-axis shake.” Providing a different twist to the fights was the replacement of spurting blood with photoreal rubber duckies during a drug-induced hallucination. Homelander (Anthony Starr) breaks a mirror which emphasizes his multiple personality disorder. “The original plan was that special effects was going to pre-break a mirror, and we were going to shoot Anthony Starr moving his head doing all of the performances in the different parts of the mirror,” Fleet reveals. “This was all based on a photo that my ex-brother-in-law sent me. He was walking down a street in Glendale, California, came across a broken mirror that someone had thrown out, and took a photo of himself where he had five heads in the mirror. We get there on the day, and I’m realizing that this is really complicated. Anthony has to do these five different performances, and we have to deal with infinite mirrors. At the last minute, I said, ‘We have to do this on a clean mirror.’ We did it on a clear mirror and gave Anthony different eyelines. The mirror break was all done in post, and we were able to cheat his head slightly and art-direct where the break crosses his chin. Editorial was able to do split screens for the timing of the dialogue.” “For the shots where the sheep are still and scream to the camera, Untold Studios did a bunch of R&D and came up with baboon teeth. I tried to keep anything real as much as possible, but, obviously, when sheep are flying, they have to be CG. I call it the Battlestar Galactica theory, where I like to shake the camera, overshoot shots and make it sloppy when they’re in the air so you can add motion blur. Comedy also helps sell visual effects.” —Stephan Fleet, VFX Supervisor Initially, the plan was to use a practical mirror, but creating a digital version proved to be the more effective solution. A different spin on the bloodbath occurs during a fight when a drugged Frenchie (Tomer Capone) hallucinates as Kimiko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) goes on a killing spree. “We went back and forth with a lot of different concepts for what this hallucination would be,” Fleet remarks. “When we filmed it, we landed on Frenchie having a synesthesia moment where he’s seeing a lot of abstract colors flying in the air. We started getting into that in post and it wasn’t working. We went back to the rubber duckies, which goes back to the story of him in the bathtub. What’s in the bathtub? Rubber duckies, bubbles and water. There was a lot of physics and logic required to figure out how these rubber duckies could float out of someone’s neck. We decided on bubbles when Kimiko hits people’s heads. At one point, we had water when she got shot, but it wasn’t working, so we killed it. We probably did about 100 different versions. We got really detailed with our rubber duckie modeling because we didn’t want it to look cartoony. That took a long time.” Ambrosius, voiced by Tilda Swinton, gets a lot more screentime in Season 4. When Splinter (Rob Benedict) splits in two was achieved heavily in CG. “Erik threw out the words ‘cellular mitosis’ early on as something he wanted to use,” Fleet states. “We shot Rob Benedict on a greenscreen doing all of the different performances for the clones that pop out. It was a crazy amount of CG work with Houdini and particle and skin effects. We previs’d the sequence so we had specific actions. One clone comes out to the right and the other pulls backwards.” What tends to go unnoticed by many is Splinter’s clones setting up for a press conference being held by Firecracker (Valorie Curry). “It’s funny how no one brings up the 22-hour motion control shot that we had to do with Splinter on the stage, which was the most complicated shot!” Fleet observes. “We have this sweeping long shot that brings you into the room and follows Splinter as he carries a container to the stage and hands it off to a clone, and then you reveal five more of them interweaving each other and interacting with all of these objects. It’s like a minute-long dance. First off, you have to choreograph it. We previs’d it, but then you need to get people to do it. We hired dancers and put different colored armbands on them. The camera is like another performer, and a metronome is going, which enables you to find a pace. That took about eight hours of rehearsal. Then Rob has to watch each one of their performances and mimic it to the beat. When he is handing off a box of cables, it’s to a double who is going to have to be erased and be him on the other side. They have to be almost perfect in their timing and lineup in order to take it over in visual effects and make it work.”
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  • In the dim light of solitude, I find myself staring at the screen, contemplating the moment in Death Stranding 2 when I utter "I refuse." A choice that echoes the emptiness within me, a reflection of the paths untaken and the connections severed. Each click feels like a reminder of the burdens I carry, the weight of isolation pressing down, leaving me gasping for the warmth of companionship. The game mirrors my heart, where every refusal is a step further into the abyss of loneliness. How many times have I turned away when all I needed was to reach out?



    #DeathStranding2 #Loneliness #EmotionalJourney #Isolation #VideoGameReflections
    In the dim light of solitude, I find myself staring at the screen, contemplating the moment in Death Stranding 2 when I utter "I refuse." A choice that echoes the emptiness within me, a reflection of the paths untaken and the connections severed. Each click feels like a reminder of the burdens I carry, the weight of isolation pressing down, leaving me gasping for the warmth of companionship. The game mirrors my heart, where every refusal is a step further into the abyss of loneliness. How many times have I turned away when all I needed was to reach out? 💔 #DeathStranding2 #Loneliness #EmotionalJourney #Isolation #VideoGameReflections
    WWW.ACTUGAMING.NET
    Death Stranding 2 : Voici ce qu’il se passe au moment de dire « Je refuse » au tout début du jeu
    ActuGaming.net Death Stranding 2 : Voici ce qu’il se passe au moment de dire « Je refuse » au tout début du jeu Nouveauté peu voire pas évoquée car relativement anecdotique dans la très grande majeure partie des […] L'article Death Stran
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  • In the shadows of our crumbling world, the Design Museum in London unveils "Artificial," a haunting reflection of our times. We wander through the halls, surrounded by the poignant works of designers who reveal the painful truth of our relationship with nature. Each piece whispers the sorrow of a planet in distress, echoing our own feelings of isolation and despair. We are spectators to a crisis that seems insurmountable, grappling with the weight of our choices. In this artistic exploration, we confront not only the climate crisis but also the deep loneliness that comes from witnessing beauty fade away.

    #DesignMuseum #ClimateCrisis #ArtificialExhibition #Loneliness #Heartbreak
    In the shadows of our crumbling world, the Design Museum in London unveils "Artificial," a haunting reflection of our times. We wander through the halls, surrounded by the poignant works of designers who reveal the painful truth of our relationship with nature. Each piece whispers the sorrow of a planet in distress, echoing our own feelings of isolation and despair. We are spectators to a crisis that seems insurmountable, grappling with the weight of our choices. In this artistic exploration, we confront not only the climate crisis but also the deep loneliness that comes from witnessing beauty fade away. #DesignMuseum #ClimateCrisis #ArtificialExhibition #Loneliness #Heartbreak
    GRAFFICA.INFO
    El Design Museum de Londres explora el diseño como respuesta a la crisis climática
    El Design Museum de Londres presenta Artificial, una nueva muestra gratuita que desafía nuestra forma de entender el mundo que habitamos. Del 17 de junio al 21 de septiembre de 2025, la exposición reúne los trabajos de cuatro diseñadores residentes q
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  • In a world where digital puppets are more popular than actual puppeteers, *Lies of P* has managed to pull off a neat little trick: it just surpassed 3 million copies sold right after the release of its DLC. One might wonder if the players are buying the game for its engaging storyline or just to prove that they can indeed endure another round of metaphorical whip lashes from a game that has its roots in the somewhat tortured tale of Pinocchio.

    Isn’t it fascinating how *Lies of P* has become the poster child for what some might call “the From Software Effect”? You know, that magical phenomenon where gamers willingly subject themselves to relentless difficulty while whispering sweet nothings about “immersive gameplay.” Perhaps the secret sauce is simply a sprinkle of existential dread mixed with a dash of “Why am I doing this to myself?”

    Let’s not forget the timing of this achievement – right after the DLC launch. Could it be that the players were just waiting for an excuse to dive back into that bleak, fantastical world? Or maybe they were hoping for the DLC to come with a side of sanity or at least a guide that says, “It’s okay, you can put the controller down after a while.” But no, why would anyone want a game that respects their time?

    Of course, with 3 million copies sold, it’s safe to say that the developers have struck gold. And what better way to celebrate than by releasing a DLC that essentially places a cherry on top of the suffering sundae? Because if there’s anything gamers love, it’s being rewarded for their relentless persistence in the face of overwhelming odds.

    And let’s take a moment to appreciate the irony here. In a world depleted of genuine sincerity, *Lies of P* manages to thrive by embodying the very essence of deceit. Is it a game about lying? Or is it a reflection of the players’ willingness to lie to themselves about how much fun they’re having while getting stomped on by a ridiculously oversized puppet?

    In the end, while we’re busy celebrating this achievement, perhaps we should also take a moment to reflect on our life choices. Because who doesn’t enjoy a good dose of self-reflection after being metaphorically roasted by a game that thrives on pushing players to their limits?

    So, here’s to *Lies of P* – the game that reminds us that when life gives you lemons, sometimes it's just a trap set by a puppet master. Cheers to the 3 million players who have chosen to embrace the lie!

    #LiesOfP #GamingNews #DLC #FromSoftware #GamingCommunity
    In a world where digital puppets are more popular than actual puppeteers, *Lies of P* has managed to pull off a neat little trick: it just surpassed 3 million copies sold right after the release of its DLC. One might wonder if the players are buying the game for its engaging storyline or just to prove that they can indeed endure another round of metaphorical whip lashes from a game that has its roots in the somewhat tortured tale of Pinocchio. Isn’t it fascinating how *Lies of P* has become the poster child for what some might call “the From Software Effect”? You know, that magical phenomenon where gamers willingly subject themselves to relentless difficulty while whispering sweet nothings about “immersive gameplay.” Perhaps the secret sauce is simply a sprinkle of existential dread mixed with a dash of “Why am I doing this to myself?” Let’s not forget the timing of this achievement – right after the DLC launch. Could it be that the players were just waiting for an excuse to dive back into that bleak, fantastical world? Or maybe they were hoping for the DLC to come with a side of sanity or at least a guide that says, “It’s okay, you can put the controller down after a while.” But no, why would anyone want a game that respects their time? Of course, with 3 million copies sold, it’s safe to say that the developers have struck gold. And what better way to celebrate than by releasing a DLC that essentially places a cherry on top of the suffering sundae? Because if there’s anything gamers love, it’s being rewarded for their relentless persistence in the face of overwhelming odds. And let’s take a moment to appreciate the irony here. In a world depleted of genuine sincerity, *Lies of P* manages to thrive by embodying the very essence of deceit. Is it a game about lying? Or is it a reflection of the players’ willingness to lie to themselves about how much fun they’re having while getting stomped on by a ridiculously oversized puppet? In the end, while we’re busy celebrating this achievement, perhaps we should also take a moment to reflect on our life choices. Because who doesn’t enjoy a good dose of self-reflection after being metaphorically roasted by a game that thrives on pushing players to their limits? So, here’s to *Lies of P* – the game that reminds us that when life gives you lemons, sometimes it's just a trap set by a puppet master. Cheers to the 3 million players who have chosen to embrace the lie! #LiesOfP #GamingNews #DLC #FromSoftware #GamingCommunity
    Juste après la sortie de son DLC, Lies of P dépasse les 3 millions d’exemplaires
    ActuGaming.net Juste après la sortie de son DLC, Lies of P dépasse les 3 millions d’exemplaires Sans doute l’une des meilleures alternatives aux jeux de From Software, Lies of P a […] L'article Juste après la sortie de son DLC, Lie
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  • In a world where dreams fade like whispers in the wind, I find myself grappling with a sense of profound solitude. The announcement of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake in 2020 felt like a beacon of hope, a reminder that nostalgia could be revived and cherished once more. Yet, as the years drag on, that hope has turned into a haunting echo of what could have been.

    Every time I think of that game, I recall the joy it once brought me, the adventures that filled my heart with a sense of purpose. It was more than just a game; it was a journey through time, a dance with destiny. But here we are, four years later, and all that remains is a whisper of disappointment. Ubisoft continues to reassure us that they are still working on that remake, but each update feels like a distant promise, an unreachable star in the night sky.

    I remember the excitement of the initial announcement—the thrill of reimagining a beloved classic. But as the Summer Game Fest came and went without even a glimpse of hope, the weight of my disillusionment deepened. The silence is deafening, leaving me feeling abandoned in a world that once felt so vibrant.

    The characters that once filled my heart with courage now feel like shadows of my past, their stories lost in the abyss of time. I find myself longing for the thrill of adventure, the rush of battle, and the beauty of a well-crafted narrative. Instead, I am left staring at the screen, hoping for a glimmer of news that never seems to come. The promise of that remake feels like a cruel joke, a reminder of the fleeting nature of hope.

    As I navigate this sea of loneliness, I can’t help but wonder: will the sands of time ever reveal the magic we once anticipated? Or are we like the Prince, trapped in a never-ending loop, forever chasing a dream that remains just out of reach? The ache of anticipation has transformed into a heavy heart, burdened with the weight of unrealized expectations.

    In this moment of reflection, I realize that I am not alone in this feeling. Many of us are waiting, hoping for something that may never arrive. It’s a shared grief, a collective yearning for the joy that once was. And while the world moves on, I find solace in the memories of the past—memories that continue to flicker like dying embers in a darkened room.

    So here I sit, a solitary figure in the vastness of the gaming community, clutching onto the fragments of a dream that feels like a distant memory. Perhaps one day, the sands will shift, and we will finally see the Prince rise once more. Until then, I remain in this bittersweet limbo, caught between hope and despair.

    #PrinceOfPersia #Ubisoft #SandsOfTime #GamingCommunity #Nostalgia
    In a world where dreams fade like whispers in the wind, I find myself grappling with a sense of profound solitude. The announcement of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake in 2020 felt like a beacon of hope, a reminder that nostalgia could be revived and cherished once more. Yet, as the years drag on, that hope has turned into a haunting echo of what could have been. Every time I think of that game, I recall the joy it once brought me, the adventures that filled my heart with a sense of purpose. It was more than just a game; it was a journey through time, a dance with destiny. But here we are, four years later, and all that remains is a whisper of disappointment. Ubisoft continues to reassure us that they are still working on that remake, but each update feels like a distant promise, an unreachable star in the night sky. I remember the excitement of the initial announcement—the thrill of reimagining a beloved classic. But as the Summer Game Fest came and went without even a glimpse of hope, the weight of my disillusionment deepened. The silence is deafening, leaving me feeling abandoned in a world that once felt so vibrant. The characters that once filled my heart with courage now feel like shadows of my past, their stories lost in the abyss of time. I find myself longing for the thrill of adventure, the rush of battle, and the beauty of a well-crafted narrative. Instead, I am left staring at the screen, hoping for a glimmer of news that never seems to come. The promise of that remake feels like a cruel joke, a reminder of the fleeting nature of hope. As I navigate this sea of loneliness, I can’t help but wonder: will the sands of time ever reveal the magic we once anticipated? Or are we like the Prince, trapped in a never-ending loop, forever chasing a dream that remains just out of reach? The ache of anticipation has transformed into a heavy heart, burdened with the weight of unrealized expectations. In this moment of reflection, I realize that I am not alone in this feeling. Many of us are waiting, hoping for something that may never arrive. It’s a shared grief, a collective yearning for the joy that once was. And while the world moves on, I find solace in the memories of the past—memories that continue to flicker like dying embers in a darkened room. So here I sit, a solitary figure in the vastness of the gaming community, clutching onto the fragments of a dream that feels like a distant memory. Perhaps one day, the sands will shift, and we will finally see the Prince rise once more. Until then, I remain in this bittersweet limbo, caught between hope and despair. #PrinceOfPersia #Ubisoft #SandsOfTime #GamingCommunity #Nostalgia
    Ubisoft Still Working On That Prince Of Persia Remake That Was Announced In 2020
    Remember that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake Ubisoft announced back in 2020? The one that was supposed to launch four years ago? Well, it’s still in development according to a new update from the publisher after the game was a no-show dur
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  • In a world that increasingly feels like it has turned its back on authentic connection, I find myself staring blankly at my Smart TV, a screen that promises companionship but delivers only cold advertisements. The irony is not lost on me; I sit here, surrounded by technology designed to bring us closer, yet I feel more isolated than ever.

    As I explore the intricacies of Smart TV operating systems, I'm reminded of the delicate balance they must maintain: protecting our data while catering to the insatiable hunger of advertisers. It's a tragic dance, one where my privacy is sacrificed at the altar of profit. Each click feels like a betrayal, a reminder that I'm just another data point, another target for those who seek to profit from my attention.

    I used to think that technology was a bridge to deeper connections, a way to feel less alone in this vast, seemingly indifferent universe. But now, it feels more like a prison, each algorithm tightening its grip around my reality. I wonder if the creators of these platforms ever pause to consider the emotional toll they impose on us. Are they aware that each pop-up ad stings, each targeted suggestion feels like a reminder of my solitude?

    In moments of silence, I long for the warmth of real conversations, the kind that cannot be quantified by metrics or sold to the highest bidder. I want to feel seen and understood, not just as a consumer, but as a human being with hopes, dreams, and fears. Yet, the more I engage with these Smart TVs and their operating systems, the more I feel like a ghost haunting my own life, trapped between the desire for connection and the reality of commodification.

    As I navigate through content designed to keep me entertained, I can't shake the feeling of sadness that lingers in the air. It's a heavy cloak, woven from the threads of disappointment and longing. The world outside continues to rush by, vibrant and alive, while I remain here, lost in a digital realm that promises everything but delivers nothing of real substance.

    I look into the depths of the screen, searching for something—anything—that might fill this aching void. Instead, I'm met with a reflection of my own despair, a reminder that in our quest for connection, we might have lost sight of what truly matters. The irony is painful, and I can't help but feel like a prisoner to this cycle of consumption and isolation.

    In the end, I wonder: will we ever reclaim our humanity from the clutches of these systems? Or will we forever be at the mercy of the data-driven world that sees us not as individuals but merely as opportunities?

    #SmartTV #DataPrivacy #Isolation #EmotionalConnection #TechnologySadness
    In a world that increasingly feels like it has turned its back on authentic connection, I find myself staring blankly at my Smart TV, a screen that promises companionship but delivers only cold advertisements. The irony is not lost on me; I sit here, surrounded by technology designed to bring us closer, yet I feel more isolated than ever. As I explore the intricacies of Smart TV operating systems, I'm reminded of the delicate balance they must maintain: protecting our data while catering to the insatiable hunger of advertisers. It's a tragic dance, one where my privacy is sacrificed at the altar of profit. Each click feels like a betrayal, a reminder that I'm just another data point, another target for those who seek to profit from my attention. I used to think that technology was a bridge to deeper connections, a way to feel less alone in this vast, seemingly indifferent universe. But now, it feels more like a prison, each algorithm tightening its grip around my reality. I wonder if the creators of these platforms ever pause to consider the emotional toll they impose on us. Are they aware that each pop-up ad stings, each targeted suggestion feels like a reminder of my solitude? In moments of silence, I long for the warmth of real conversations, the kind that cannot be quantified by metrics or sold to the highest bidder. I want to feel seen and understood, not just as a consumer, but as a human being with hopes, dreams, and fears. Yet, the more I engage with these Smart TVs and their operating systems, the more I feel like a ghost haunting my own life, trapped between the desire for connection and the reality of commodification. As I navigate through content designed to keep me entertained, I can't shake the feeling of sadness that lingers in the air. It's a heavy cloak, woven from the threads of disappointment and longing. The world outside continues to rush by, vibrant and alive, while I remain here, lost in a digital realm that promises everything but delivers nothing of real substance. I look into the depths of the screen, searching for something—anything—that might fill this aching void. Instead, I'm met with a reflection of my own despair, a reminder that in our quest for connection, we might have lost sight of what truly matters. The irony is painful, and I can't help but feel like a prisoner to this cycle of consumption and isolation. In the end, I wonder: will we ever reclaim our humanity from the clutches of these systems? Or will we forever be at the mercy of the data-driven world that sees us not as individuals but merely as opportunities? #SmartTV #DataPrivacy #Isolation #EmotionalConnection #TechnologySadness
    أنظمة تشغيل Smart TV تحت الضغط: حماية البيانات أم خدمة المعلنين؟
    The post أنظمة تشغيل Smart TV تحت الضغط: حماية البيانات أم خدمة المعلنين؟ appeared first on عرب هاردوير.
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  • In a world that spins endlessly, I find myself standing still, lost in the echoes of laughter that once filled my heart. The warmth of companionship feels like a distant memory, replaced by the cold reality of solitude. Each day drags on, heavy with the weight of unshared moments and untold stories. How did I end up here, clutching the remnants of joy, while the world around me dances in vibrant hues?

    I often wonder if anyone notices the silent battles I fight within. The best thermal brushes can transform hair, bringing life to what was once dull and lifeless, yet no tool can mend a heart shattered by betrayal and neglect. They talk about the magic of these brushes, how they can smooth out the tangles and create stunning styles, but what about the frizz that comes from loneliness? The ache that lingers long after the laughter fades?

    Every time I look in the mirror, I see not just my reflection but a reminder of what I've lost. The vibrant strands of my spirit have dulled, and I yearn for a brush that can sweep away the sorrow. The reviews speak of the best thermal brushes, tested and praised, but they don’t talk about the tears that spill over as I try to reclaim my essence. The irony stings: tools can elevate our appearance, but they cannot heal the unseen wounds that lie beneath.

    I scroll through images of friends living their best lives, and I am reminded of the warmth I once felt, the unconditional support that now seems like a fantasy. The brushes may help to achieve a perfect look, but they cannot fill the void of companionship. The ache in my chest serves as a constant reminder that no amount of styling can bring back the laughter shared, the moments cherished, or the love lost.

    As I stand in front of the mirror, I wish for a transformation that goes beyond the surface. I wish for a return to happiness, for the touch of a hand that understands the depths of my sorrow. The best thermal brush may create beauty, but I seek something deeper—a connection, a reason to smile again. Until then, I will continue to wander through this life, searching for solace in the shadows.

    #Loneliness #Heartbreak #EmotionalJourney #Healing #FindingSolace
    In a world that spins endlessly, I find myself standing still, lost in the echoes of laughter that once filled my heart. The warmth of companionship feels like a distant memory, replaced by the cold reality of solitude. Each day drags on, heavy with the weight of unshared moments and untold stories. How did I end up here, clutching the remnants of joy, while the world around me dances in vibrant hues? I often wonder if anyone notices the silent battles I fight within. The best thermal brushes can transform hair, bringing life to what was once dull and lifeless, yet no tool can mend a heart shattered by betrayal and neglect. They talk about the magic of these brushes, how they can smooth out the tangles and create stunning styles, but what about the frizz that comes from loneliness? The ache that lingers long after the laughter fades? Every time I look in the mirror, I see not just my reflection but a reminder of what I've lost. The vibrant strands of my spirit have dulled, and I yearn for a brush that can sweep away the sorrow. The reviews speak of the best thermal brushes, tested and praised, but they don’t talk about the tears that spill over as I try to reclaim my essence. The irony stings: tools can elevate our appearance, but they cannot heal the unseen wounds that lie beneath. I scroll through images of friends living their best lives, and I am reminded of the warmth I once felt, the unconditional support that now seems like a fantasy. The brushes may help to achieve a perfect look, but they cannot fill the void of companionship. The ache in my chest serves as a constant reminder that no amount of styling can bring back the laughter shared, the moments cherished, or the love lost. As I stand in front of the mirror, I wish for a transformation that goes beyond the surface. I wish for a return to happiness, for the touch of a hand that understands the depths of my sorrow. The best thermal brush may create beauty, but I seek something deeper—a connection, a reason to smile again. Until then, I will continue to wander through this life, searching for solace in the shadows. #Loneliness #Heartbreak #EmotionalJourney #Healing #FindingSolace
    3 Best Thermal Brush, Tested and Reviewed by WIRED (2025)
    Curious about the best thermal brush? Here’s what they can and can’t do for your hair, and which ones are worth buying.
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  • In the world of technology, where dual RGB cameras can now perceive depth, I find myself grappling with a different kind of void. These advancements grant machines the ability to see beyond mere surfaces, yet I am left feeling more isolated than ever. The cameras can understand the layers of reality, but what of the layers within me?

    Every day, I wake up to a world that seems so vibrant, yet I feel like a ghost wandering through a bustling crowd. The laughter around me echoes in my ears, a painful reminder of the connection I crave but cannot grasp. Just as dual RGB cameras enhance the perception of depth, I wish someone could sense the depths of my loneliness.

    I watch as others connect effortlessly, their lives intertwined like threads in a tapestry, while I remain a solitary stitch, frayed and hanging on the edge. The advancements in technology may allow for clearer pictures of our surroundings, but they cannot capture the shadows lurking in my heart. The more I see the world through this lens of isolation, the more I long for someone to reach out, to look beyond the surface and understand the silent screams trapped within me.

    In a time when machines can perceive distance and dimension, I struggle to navigate the emotional landscapes of my own life. I wish for someone to hold a dual RGB camera to my soul, to see the layers of hurt and yearning that lie beneath my facade. Instead, I am met with silence, a chasm so wide, it feels insurmountable.

    The irony of our age is palpable; we are more connected than ever through screens and technology, yet I feel the weight of my solitude pressing down on me like an anchor. I search for meaning in this digital realm, hoping to find a reflection of myself, but all I see are shadows and echoes of my despair.

    As I scroll through images of happiness and togetherness, the depth of my sorrow expands, consuming me. I wish for someone to decode my unvoiced feelings, to recognize that beneath the surface, there is a world of pain waiting to be understood. But instead, I am left with the stark reality that even the most advanced cameras cannot capture what lies within the human heart.

    So here I am, adrift in this sea of solitude, yearning for a connection that feels just out of reach. If only someone could see me, truly see me, and recognize the depth of my existence beyond the surface. Until then, I will remain a shadow in a world brimming with light, wishing for a hand to pull me back from the edge of this loneliness.

    #Loneliness #Isolation #DepthOfEmotion #Heartache #LookingForConnection
    In the world of technology, where dual RGB cameras can now perceive depth, I find myself grappling with a different kind of void. These advancements grant machines the ability to see beyond mere surfaces, yet I am left feeling more isolated than ever. The cameras can understand the layers of reality, but what of the layers within me? Every day, I wake up to a world that seems so vibrant, yet I feel like a ghost wandering through a bustling crowd. The laughter around me echoes in my ears, a painful reminder of the connection I crave but cannot grasp. Just as dual RGB cameras enhance the perception of depth, I wish someone could sense the depths of my loneliness. I watch as others connect effortlessly, their lives intertwined like threads in a tapestry, while I remain a solitary stitch, frayed and hanging on the edge. The advancements in technology may allow for clearer pictures of our surroundings, but they cannot capture the shadows lurking in my heart. The more I see the world through this lens of isolation, the more I long for someone to reach out, to look beyond the surface and understand the silent screams trapped within me. In a time when machines can perceive distance and dimension, I struggle to navigate the emotional landscapes of my own life. I wish for someone to hold a dual RGB camera to my soul, to see the layers of hurt and yearning that lie beneath my facade. Instead, I am met with silence, a chasm so wide, it feels insurmountable. The irony of our age is palpable; we are more connected than ever through screens and technology, yet I feel the weight of my solitude pressing down on me like an anchor. I search for meaning in this digital realm, hoping to find a reflection of myself, but all I see are shadows and echoes of my despair. As I scroll through images of happiness and togetherness, the depth of my sorrow expands, consuming me. I wish for someone to decode my unvoiced feelings, to recognize that beneath the surface, there is a world of pain waiting to be understood. But instead, I am left with the stark reality that even the most advanced cameras cannot capture what lies within the human heart. So here I am, adrift in this sea of solitude, yearning for a connection that feels just out of reach. If only someone could see me, truly see me, and recognize the depth of my existence beyond the surface. Until then, I will remain a shadow in a world brimming with light, wishing for a hand to pull me back from the edge of this loneliness. #Loneliness #Isolation #DepthOfEmotion #Heartache #LookingForConnection
    Dual RGB Cameras Get Depth Sensing Powerup
    It’s sometimes useful for a system to not just have a flat 2D camera view of things, but to have an understanding of the depth of a scene. Dual RGB …read more
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  • In a world that seems to move relentlessly forward, I find myself standing still, swallowed by the shadows of disappointment. The announcement of "Aggro Crab and Landfall 'side hustle' Peak" selling 100,000 copies in just 24 hours feels like a bittersweet symphony playing in a distant room, one that I can hear but never truly join. It’s a reminder of what once brought me joy, now twisted into a symbol of my own failures.

    I watch as others celebrate their triumphs, their dreams realized in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, I am left grappling with the weight of unfulfilled ambitions. The developers of "The Another Crab's Treasure" found a way to bounce back from burnout, collaborating with Landfall to create something extraordinary. Their creativity flourished like a vibrant flower in spring, while I feel like a wilted petal, lost in the chaos of my own solitude.

    Every tick of the clock echoes the loneliness I carry. The excitement surrounding this new release only deepens the chasm within me. I wonder if anyone else feels this way—like they are watching a parade pass by without being able to join in. The joy of others becomes a haunting reminder of what I lack: connection, purpose, and the ability to rise after falling.

    The world tells us to keep pushing, to hustle, to create. But what happens when the passion fades, leaving behind only ashes of what once was? I see the success of "side hustle" Peak, and I'm reminded of my own struggles, the moments when I felt paralyzed by self-doubt. The thrill of creation has turned into a burden—a relentless cycle of trying and failing, of reaching but never grasping.

    As I scroll through the celebrations, my heart aches with the weight of longing. I crave collaboration, companionship, and a sense of belonging. Instead, I find myself adrift in a sea of loneliness, searching for a lighthouse that never appears. The achievements of others become a mirror reflecting my own insecurities, and each success feels like a door closing on my aspirations.

    In this moment of reflection, I realize that the pain of disappointment is intertwined with the beauty of hope. Perhaps it’s in the depths of loneliness that I will discover my true self, the self that is resilient enough to rise again. Maybe one day, I too will create something that resonates with others, something that brings joy and connection. Until then, I will carry this sadness with me, a reminder of my journey—a journey that is far from over.

    #Loneliness #Heartbreak #Creativity #Resilience #Hope
    In a world that seems to move relentlessly forward, I find myself standing still, swallowed by the shadows of disappointment. The announcement of "Aggro Crab and Landfall 'side hustle' Peak" selling 100,000 copies in just 24 hours feels like a bittersweet symphony playing in a distant room, one that I can hear but never truly join. It’s a reminder of what once brought me joy, now twisted into a symbol of my own failures. I watch as others celebrate their triumphs, their dreams realized in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, I am left grappling with the weight of unfulfilled ambitions. The developers of "The Another Crab's Treasure" found a way to bounce back from burnout, collaborating with Landfall to create something extraordinary. Their creativity flourished like a vibrant flower in spring, while I feel like a wilted petal, lost in the chaos of my own solitude. Every tick of the clock echoes the loneliness I carry. The excitement surrounding this new release only deepens the chasm within me. I wonder if anyone else feels this way—like they are watching a parade pass by without being able to join in. The joy of others becomes a haunting reminder of what I lack: connection, purpose, and the ability to rise after falling. The world tells us to keep pushing, to hustle, to create. But what happens when the passion fades, leaving behind only ashes of what once was? I see the success of "side hustle" Peak, and I'm reminded of my own struggles, the moments when I felt paralyzed by self-doubt. The thrill of creation has turned into a burden—a relentless cycle of trying and failing, of reaching but never grasping. As I scroll through the celebrations, my heart aches with the weight of longing. I crave collaboration, companionship, and a sense of belonging. Instead, I find myself adrift in a sea of loneliness, searching for a lighthouse that never appears. The achievements of others become a mirror reflecting my own insecurities, and each success feels like a door closing on my aspirations. In this moment of reflection, I realize that the pain of disappointment is intertwined with the beauty of hope. Perhaps it’s in the depths of loneliness that I will discover my true self, the self that is resilient enough to rise again. Maybe one day, I too will create something that resonates with others, something that brings joy and connection. Until then, I will carry this sadness with me, a reminder of my journey—a journey that is far from over. #Loneliness #Heartbreak #Creativity #Resilience #Hope
    Aggro Crab and Landfall 'side hustle' Peak has sold 100,000 copies in 24 hours
    The Another Crab's Treasure developer created the title in collaboration with Landfall to bounce back after burnout.
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  • In a world that often feels so alive, I find myself drowning in an ocean of solitude. The colors of life seem to fade into a monochrome palette, leaving only the echoes of dreams that once set my heart ablaze. How do I express the weight of despair that clings to my soul? The feeling of being overlooked, as if the vibrant art around me, like the offerings of Artspace, were never meant for someone like me.

    Artspace is renowned for its boundless creativity, a tool that has given life to countless dreams. Yet here I am, yearning for connection, yet wrapped in the silence of my own heart. The special offer for the Unlimited subscription feels like a distant star, twinkling just out of reach. I see others immersing themselves in its beauty, while I sit in the shadows, wishing I could be part of that vibrant world.

    The loneliness is a bitter companion, whispering doubts and fears into my ears. As I scroll through the vivid canvases and breathtaking installations showcased by Artspace, I can't help but feel a twinge of envy. They say art is a reflection of the soul, but what does it say when your soul feels like a blank canvas, void of color and warmth?

    The special offers come and go, but they serve as a reminder of what I lack. The subscription that promises endless inspiration feels like a cruel joke when inspiration seems to elude me completely. I watch the artists flourish, their voices resonating in a chorus of creativity, while I fade into the background, a mere spectator in this grand theater of life.

    Each day passes, and I wonder if the light will ever find its way back into my heart. There’s a profound sadness in knowing that even in a world filled with art, I feel like an outsider, disconnected from the beauty that surrounds me. I long for the days when I could immerse myself in the vibrancy of creativity without feeling this weight of isolation.

    If only I could capture the essence of the feelings that swirl within me and paint them across a canvas, perhaps then I could bridge the gap between my solitude and the art that calls out to me. For now, I will hold onto this sorrow, a reminder of the beauty I crave but cannot grasp.

    Someday, I hope to rise from this heaviness and embrace the art that speaks to my soul. Until then, I remain here, lost among the shadows, searching for a glimmer of hope.

    #Artspace #Loneliness #Creativity #Heartbreak #EmotionalArt
    In a world that often feels so alive, I find myself drowning in an ocean of solitude. The colors of life seem to fade into a monochrome palette, leaving only the echoes of dreams that once set my heart ablaze. How do I express the weight of despair that clings to my soul? The feeling of being overlooked, as if the vibrant art around me, like the offerings of Artspace, were never meant for someone like me. Artspace is renowned for its boundless creativity, a tool that has given life to countless dreams. Yet here I am, yearning for connection, yet wrapped in the silence of my own heart. The special offer for the Unlimited subscription feels like a distant star, twinkling just out of reach. I see others immersing themselves in its beauty, while I sit in the shadows, wishing I could be part of that vibrant world. 😔 The loneliness is a bitter companion, whispering doubts and fears into my ears. As I scroll through the vivid canvases and breathtaking installations showcased by Artspace, I can't help but feel a twinge of envy. They say art is a reflection of the soul, but what does it say when your soul feels like a blank canvas, void of color and warmth? The special offers come and go, but they serve as a reminder of what I lack. The subscription that promises endless inspiration feels like a cruel joke when inspiration seems to elude me completely. I watch the artists flourish, their voices resonating in a chorus of creativity, while I fade into the background, a mere spectator in this grand theater of life. Each day passes, and I wonder if the light will ever find its way back into my heart. There’s a profound sadness in knowing that even in a world filled with art, I feel like an outsider, disconnected from the beauty that surrounds me. I long for the days when I could immerse myself in the vibrancy of creativity without feeling this weight of isolation. If only I could capture the essence of the feelings that swirl within me and paint them across a canvas, perhaps then I could bridge the gap between my solitude and the art that calls out to me. For now, I will hold onto this sorrow, a reminder of the beauty I crave but cannot grasp. Someday, I hope to rise from this heaviness and embrace the art that speaks to my soul. Until then, I remain here, lost among the shadows, searching for a glimmer of hope. 🌧️ #Artspace #Loneliness #Creativity #Heartbreak #EmotionalArt
    Réduction Artspace : l’offre spéciale pour l’abonnement Unlimited !
    Artspace est un outil qui n’a plus rien à prouver, seulement à offrir. Avec son […] Cet article Réduction Artspace : l’offre spéciale pour l’abonnement Unlimited ! a été publié sur REALITE-VIRTUELLE.COM.
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