At Framestore, I was in charge of the visual development of the Statuary Sequence.
The main process was to use our assets already built in 3D to establish the look of our master shots. A single point perspective and Syd Mead design were the keys to achieve this sequence. If our original layout was not matching those criteria, I was able to adjust the layout in 3D, render a single frame and do a concept frame working out the haze amount and the top down sun for our 4 main angles which were sent for approval. Here is a before and after example :
The main process was to use our assets already built in 3D to establish the look of our master shots. A single point perspective and Syd Mead design were the keys to achieve this sequence. If our original layout was not matching those criteria, I was able to adjust the layout in 3D, render a single frame and do a concept frame working out the haze amount and the top down sun for our 4 main angles which were sent for approval. Here is a before and after example :
For the final shots, the layout was rendered as a single frame and re-projected in a 2.5D set-up to achieve the final look and match to concepts created for every shots :
The photography of this sequence was influenced by the sand storm of Sidney and from other places in the world. We use those natural events as a base to create our 2.5D setup in nuke for the haze with different haze layers such a base ramp haze, a lower ground cloudy haze and a concentric haze masked out to accentuate the lighter point in the center top frame from the sun. The onset photography was a great guideline as per the look Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins wanted but was constraining us in the range of values to add layers in the back so we could feel the Las Vegas city all around the statuary garden. The work on the concept frame was then really subtle in order to stay close to a photographic approach but still adding more depth to the surrounding environment.
The main center statues were shot on set and for composition work I was able to add other statues which had been modeled already and place them in the mid-ground between the plate and the city.
The Syd Mead architectural design was of course my main reference when designing new props and buildings to achieve the composition of each shot.
The Syd Mead architectural design was of course my main reference when designing new props and buildings to achieve the composition of each shot.
Matte painting shot : This shot was one of the master shot of our main crash site set-up. This one was created fully in matte painting. As this was one of the first shot to be created for this Sequence at Framestore, I had to go through a stage of concept in order to get the look of the sequence and in order to determine the area around the set which had the center boat pieces and the hill in the back as you can see in the breakdown created by Framestore just after.
Matte painting shot : I created the extension around the plate which is only the center area of the final shot. I also extended the facade and the reflections from the surrounding buildings, added in the inside of the lower floor and painted over the 3D render for the roof props :
Matte painting shot : cg enhancement for the mid-ground trash hills, matte painting the the background and sky.
Concept work for the aerial sequence before the Spinner falls down. I was involve in this sequence with other people from the team ; doing concept art work for different shots in order to explore the ground texture, color variation and haze treatment. During our visual research our main reference was the Chittagong ship breaking yard in Bangladesh which we had aerial footage from .
