JOACHIM AND THE APOCALYPSE PRODUCTION
Bringing visual consistency to Joachim and the Apocalypse was no small task. The film moves between different environments: candlelit abbeys, snow-covered Sila mountains and the reddish tones of the Holy Land. Some sequences, such as the backlit tonsure scene, presented specific challenges. “The biggest risk was losing depth in shadows,” recalls supervising colourist Ivan Tozzi. “We used False Colour on set to fine-tune exposure, and the RGB Parade tool in the grading suite to distribute saturation, making sure the image wouldn’t flatten out.” Night sequences were tricky. “Some on-set flames appeared clipped on the monitors, but working in DaVinci Wide Gamut, we could recover every nuance of the fire in post, restoring realism without sacrificing contrast.” To maintain the necessary balance between the characters and their surroundings, Tozzi tells us: “Magic Mask helped us refine lighting on faces without affecting the scene’s realism. For monastic interiors, this let us subtly remove modern distractions, like electrical cables, that would have broken the period authenticity.” Outdoor scenes posed an entirely different dilemma. One of the most visually striking moments happens when Joachim, now living as a hermit, meets a little girl just before collapsing from hunger. “We softened the highlights with a Glow Effect to give the scene an ethereal quality,” says Tozzi. Later, when Joachim discovers the site of the future monastery, the entire look shifts. “Colours lose warmth, contrast sharpens and a desaturated, austere palette reflects the weight of his inner journey. It becomes more ascetic and stripped back to perfectly mirror his transformation.” DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOOK
SNOW TO SAND Joachim and the Apocalypse goes to far-flung locations with various climates and terrains
allowed us to integrate everything from importing and managing 3D models to matte painting, advanced keying and rotoscoping with tracking, ensuring precise compositing,” he explains. The challenging battle sequence with the seven-headed dragon was a visual manifestation of Joachim’s fears and inner turmoil. For that, the creature was built using CGI, with a complex skeletal structure that allowed fluid and organic movements. “We carefully constructed and animated the dragon’s armour and rigging so that every movement, from the most subtle contractions to large-scale attacks, was physically accurate,” details Sganga. The environment, including the dragon’s cavernous lair, was recreated using photogrammetry and 3D scanning to ensure realism. “Fusion’s 3D workspace allowed integration of pre-rendered 3D models, live-action footage and live digital effects to visualise the creature’s interactions with the actors and environment in real
time,” observes Sganga. “It gave us lots of freedom to experiment until we found the best approach.” On-set, moving LED lights were in sync with the dragon’s simulated fire, creating realistic reflections and flickering shadows on the actors. “We enhanced the scene with particle effects in Fusion, such as smoke and embers,” Sganga notes. “Delta Keyer allowed us to achieve precise keying and preserve complex details like hair, skin tones and costumes to integrate the actors into the digital environments.” One of the biggest advantages of DaVinci Resolve was keeping VFX, editing and colour grading in a single unified workflow. “We didn’t have to switch between programs. Any changes immediately showed up in Fusion, so we could test colour adjustments on VFX shots without breaking the workflow,” he concludes. The film was distributed in DCP 4K for theatrical release, with final mastering completed in DaVinci Resolve Studio.
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