WATCH THE REEL
FINAL FRONTIER Uranus’ auroras (left) and Europa’s ice (right) showcase the beauty of space
on Titan and the caverns of Miranda, as the audience follows a rock into Uranus. “Some of the planet’s surfaces have never been explored, so part of the challenge was unpacking the latest data before delivering high-end photorealistic environments,” says Hifle. “To achieve this level of fidelity, it was imperative for our team of supervisors – Clive Llewellyn, Timmy Willmott and Tav Flett – to work closely and create an efficient pipeline.” Creating realistic on-planet visuals was critical to the series’ visual narrative. Collisions, dust storms and atmospheric effects were produced using a variety of techniques. FX artist Clive Llewellyn used procedural processes within Houdini to simulate large swirling clouds of sand and debris for the dust storms. Many terabytes of data were used to create these shots, making meticulous planning crucial. Close collaboration with production teams and clients allowed
Lux Aeterna to schedule these mammoth simulations around other deliveries. These included collision geometry, fluid simulations and physical representations of input terrain. “Once we created the collision sources, we reprojected the plate over the new geometry collision source. This enabled us to run very high-resolution fluid and white water simulations with plausible physics,” Llewellyn adds. “This approach also allowed the colours and details from the original plate to bleed into the transmission and reflectivity of the CG water, embedding the water into the shot and enhancing photorealism.” These techniques gave the series an authentic feel, making the interactions between natural phenomena and the environment believable.
Reflecting on the challenges of producing a series like Solar System , BBC executive producer Gideon Bradshaw highlights the demands of managing a global production. “Series like this come with extremely high expectations – they need to look and sound fantastic, as well as work for a global audience. Lux Aeterna is brilliant at helping production ensure that the most ends up on screen.” Lux Aeterna is a multi-BAFTA and Emmy-winning independent VFX studio, bringing more than 25 years of experience to the table. Comprising a team of talented VFX artists and passionate storytellers, the studio delivers a world-class VFX pipeline.
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