VFX BREAKDOWN POS T- PRODUC T I ON .
CRATE ESCAPE! Each of the flying daisy chain’s crates had its turn on robotic arms in line with the unfolding action, with others placed beside them in post-production
death-defying sequence of leaps – albeit rather more safely. “The performers really had to struggle – and their eyeline was always moving. Little nuances make a big difference to the success of the ultimate shot,” continues Jarrett. To enhance this effect, his team placed the crate-and-arm set- up at a steep vertical angle, then shot it sideways, so as to appear horizontal, with a strong headwind in the final cut. “To film, we had the camera operator on the arm, right in front of Tom at times. We also used cranes, as well as a wirecam for one fly-by shot. I think that added even more authenticity to the sequence, in the sense that the cameras weren’t doing impossible moves.” WORLD-BUILDING Filmed in the open air against a blue screen, the next step of Uncharted ’s VFX process required placing the live action in an equally convincing environment. A helicopter was sent to Thailand to capture reference plates, which were subsequently given to DNEG’s VFX supervisor Sebastian von Overheidt, and his team, to rebuild virtually. “Despite filming plenty of kinetic energy and movement in the plates, we wanted even more. So, we ended up cutting some of the crates and adding rotation,” Jarrett explains. “To heighten the sense of speed, we also inserted a lot of environmental detail, like thin whisps of cloud. If we put those close to
“The performers really had to struggle – and their eyeline was always moving. Little nuances make a big difference to the ultimate shot”
of the blue screen, which could be pushed in for a harder effect. “In post, we wanted to continue that sense of fluctuating light. The team animated the light up and down in the compositing software, Nuke, to deliver the effect of flying in and out of cloud cover. It’s almost imperceptible,” Jarrett continues, “but really helps to keep the scene active.”
the action, we could have a mid-layer of atmospherics further back, then more distinct clouds even further off in the distance to create parallax.” Lighting was also manipulated in post, to a subtle, yet effective end. “We were filming outdoors, so hung an enormous silk on a crane to diffuse the natural light – although we removed it often. There were also 20K lamps on top
69. APRIL 2022
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