The session VFX: Bridging the Missing Global Links at day 1 on FRAMES was a wonderful one with a lot of insight into how some of the most renowned VFX practitioners and film makers approach their craft. Moderated by Geon CEO Jon Labrie, the panelists included renowned producers Barrie Osborne, Vice Chairman -Geon; Michael Peyser Director of Operations Los Angeles, Geon; Apurva Shah Senior Technical Director and VFX Supervisor, Pixar; and Charles Darby VFX director and Co Founder Eyeqube.
Jon began by saying, “Even though visual effects can enhance your movie, they have to tell your story.” Jon showed a slide pointing out a slide of the top ten grosser of all time. Bypassing the trend of showing that how all of those films were either VFX intensive or animation films, he pointed out that they all belonged to one genre that of fantasy action adventure. Showing another slide of top grosser all time, this time with ticket rates adjusted, he pointed out that while this list did not feature VFX intensive films, they still were epic in nature.
The point he stressed was, that it was not a vfx intensive film made for the effect alone that was a top grossing genre, but rather the subject mater of grand epic, cinematic experiences that by their story demanded visual effects.
Darby@detail
We started a film called Alladin about two years ago, a live action film and we have been in post for this film for the past eight months. Every single day the two words I use all the time is quality and detail and for me attention to detail, whether it be in the production design, in each shot or in anything that we do, is very important.” Began Charles Darby of Eyeqube, adding, “I want India to be proud, we have 1500 shots and counting its big city scapes, character animation, I would rather that it be 80 shots, but these 1500 shots, they are not wasted shots. When we are done the film will seem a 100 times bigger than what it would have without the visual effects. At the end of Alladin, I want to be able to take those images and show them to the world and they should be able to say that is great work. And the reason why, we are able to do that is because if something is not right we do it again., we have to be pragmatic, we are not working with the most experienced artists in the world, but there is always a way”
Story, research, detail: Pixar‘s Apurva Shah
“Story is what Pixar lives and dies by.” Shared Apurva “I think one of the key things, we all in the panel agree with, is that the movie needs to call for a certain style of effects. Badly done VFX will destroy the movie but rarely will VFX make it better, what it does is provides a broader canvas. In Ratatouille, food was an integral part of the movie.. the CG food, audience had to respond to the physical nature of the food. Initially we were trying to make something like human skin and then we realized we were wanting to make made up skin shot under cinematic light… similarly for the Ratatouille food shots, we went to food photographers, we went to cooking classes, detail helps taking stylistic also to believable space.”
“Also for effects to be successful they have to be cinematically contextual in the film and they need some space to breathe, you need to build up to it and give it room to breathe” he added.
On being asked how much time did they take to develop stories at Pixar, Apurva replied that they got a luxurious 4-5 years from the idea to story to final product.
Michael Peyser on Immersive environments
“We went fully green screen for Warrior‘s way. Why? It was about creating an immersive environment which was magical in its own way and which had its own reality. Just like Indian cinema which has its own reality, songs and dance and operatic. We were making a specific myth hybrid movie. It had Asian story myths and western story myths. And it sustains all the way through, it did push the movie ten million dollars more expensive though.”
“We decided to do that size and scope in a budget and did it at half of what it would have cost any Hollywood Studio, we did a tremendous amount of planning.” He added.
Talking about Geon, Michael shared, “Quality, not quantity is our focus. We have made a special effort to bring our pipeline to a certain level of maturity before we even take on work”
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Barrie and the experience with Pre Visualization
“The first thing I like to see typically is shot break downs, and if there is more pre visualization then its even more practical. It takes 24-25 weeks to do the pre pro of a VFX Movie. If you are doing a picture allocating to different vfx houses than you need a very strong vfx team in-house, supervisor, producer and a team of people to help and support them to ensure uniformity and consistency across the board.
Barrie also emphasized and laid great stress on how pre viz was critical and many a times, the pre viz team would end up giving camera moves which were not physically possible. He added that, “If you know who you are going with for VFX then its best to have the same house do the pre visualization for you as well”
The best thing about the business
Before ending the panel, Jon asked an interesting question to the panelists. What is it that you like best about what you do?
The answers were equally interesting.
Michael Peyser: I just like the process of telling stories. It‘s the most uniquely human thing. I read the script and then make the movie in my heart and mind and then it may take years to make that movie, but in my heart, its already made.
Charles Darby: I love making beautiful shots, that inspires the audience where the music matches with the vision, the scale, the grandeur, the cinematic beauty of it.
Barrie: I like making movies, I like figuring out how to make the movie in pre pro, I Lke telling stories, I love figuring out ways to solve problems as well.
Apurva: I love challenges, working with the director and taking it to screen and maybe beyond the expectations. I love the collaborative aspect as well.