
Charlie Holloway surprises his love interest Elizabeth Shaw on the spaceship Prometheus by walking through a hologram to present her with a single rose. The effect - along with the graphics on Elizabeth's handheld computer - only take a few seconds of screen time, but add to the film's futuristic feel and emotional core.

|
Luma Pictures Digital Production Manager Michael Perdew
|
These effects, which were done by
Luma Pictures, shine a light on how VFX supervisors divvy up the massive number of effects, often assigning discrete sequences to a single visual effects facility. "They split the work off because it was its own unique effect," says Luma Pictures Digital Production Manager Michael Perdew. "It wasn't our largest project but it had its challenges."
How to distort a hologram was the subject of look-dev discussions between the Luma Pictures team and Prometheus Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Stammers. "It was the only scene where someone distorts a hologram, so it was a stand-alone look in the movie," says Perdew. "They wanted it to look fluid."
The team, headed by Luma Pictures VFX Supervisor Vincent Cirelli, first created detailed holdout geometry and matchmoves of the actors, so they would integrate properly within the CG fluid. To create a fluid look for the distortion as Charlie walks through the hologram, they used
FumeFX for
Maya, which, reports CG Supervisor Richard Sutherland, they had recently worked with developer Sitni Sati to implement.
Nuke was the final compositing tool.
Luma Pictures also added the graphics that showed a DNA breakdown on Shaw's handheld computer. "We had the graphics provided to us," says Perdew, who reports that, "everyone here is a huge fan of Ridley Scott and
Alien. The filmmakers had put so much love and care into the 3D aspect of the film that we wanted to give this graphics information some depth."
The effect only takes a few seconds of screen time, but adds to the film's futuristic feel and emotional core.
Sutherland notes that on set, the filmmakers used transparent plastic blocks that "looked cool but were difficult to track, especially in stereo." He adds, "We developed tools for our trackers, compositors and paint team to help them judge stereo quality at their desks before reviewing on our 2K stereo projector."
Elizabeth's handheld computer is only a centimeter thick, but needed depth created and the effect of a hologram floating inside.
The team object-tracked the graphics using
SynthEyes and brought the geometry into Nuke for compositing. "The computer is only a centimeter thick, so it wasn't much," Perdew says. "But if you look, you can see there's a bit of depth, like a hologram floating inside."
Although Luma Pictures' footprint on
Prometheus is limited, the company was tapped to provide a singular poetic effect. It's an insight into how these huge VFX movies are handled, with VFX supervisors choreographing a division of labor that makes sense and results in the best work possible.
In this completed scene, Charlie Holloway steps through a hologram to hand a rose to Elizabeth Shaw
Related Articles / Tutorials: |
Art of the Edit
VFX Soup: Luma Pictures Builds The Destroyer and Thor's VFX
Marvel Entertainment's epic adventure Thor has dominated the box office in the last few weeks, with a worldwide gross of $357.6 million. In this cinematic version of the super hero tale, the powerful but arrogant mighty Thor is exiled from the mystical realm of Asgard to live on earth, in punishment for his reckless actions that have reignited an ancient war. Forced to live among humans, Thor's powers are tested when The Destroyer, a monstrous suit of living armor, is sent to earth. In the process, Thor learns how to be a true hero.
This fantastical action-adventure was helmed by renowned British actor/director Kenneth Branagh and stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth as Thor, the ancient Norse god; Tom Hiddleston as Loki, his chaotic brother; Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Thor's love interest and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, the father of Thor and Loki.
In this article in the Creative COW Library, Luma Pictures takes us inside the building of The Destroyer and the Bifrost arrival to earth, the mystical storm that delivers the gods to the other worlds. Let Creative COW's Debra Kaufman take you to the realms of mythology and VFX possibility.
Feature Debra Kaufman |
Cinematography
VFX Soup: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
If you've been captivated by the dashing Jack Sparrow ripping through the streets of 18th Century London on a flaming coal cart, you have Cinesite London to thank for that rollicking and truly convincing ride, as they nail a 200-shot blue-screen carriage chase. Debra Kaufman goes "Behind the Lens" and interviews Cinesite Visual Effects Supervisor Simon Stanley-Clamp for the details about how Cinesite rose to the challenge.
Feature, People / Interview Debra Kaufman |
MAYA
VFX Soup: Tintin VFX Supe Joe Letteri Talks 3D and Mocap
Four-time VFX Oscar-winner Joe Letteri describes the advanced technology behind Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin, discussing his own adventures with virtual cameras, motion capture, 3D, and three years of pre-production with the team at Weta Digital.
Feature, People / Interview Debra Kaufman |
TV & Movie Appreciation
Cinesite Creates Effects for Disney's JOHN CARTER
Cinesite Visual Effects Supervisor Sue Rowe approached the mammoth job of creating 831 visual effects for John Carter -- which marks the live-action debut of noted animation director Andrew Stanton -- with a lot of experience under her belt.
Feature Sue Rowe |
Art of the Edit
Luma Pictures Takes On The Avengers
Luma Pictures took on another Marvel superhero production - The Avengers. Luma completed nearly 200 shots, focusing on creating the interior of the Helicarrier by digitally extending and enhancing a practical set. The company also reprised its role in creating Thor's supernatural armor.
Feature Debra Kaufman |
MAYA
VFX Files: Khaos Digital Helps Bones Tell Its Stories
A key element in the hit TV show Bones is the images on The Angelatron, an 8-foot screen that shows detailed images proving how the victim died. Khaos Digital's David Watkinson creates all those images for Bones, and specializes in creating content for screens that play back in real-time during production. Creative COW looks at how it's done.
Feature Debra Kaufman |
Art of the Edit
Cate Haight ACE on Editing The Sundance Hit Indie, Puzzle
Cate Haight, ACE, has edited some of the most memorable films and television shows in the last few years. Her latest indie feature Puzzle -- which tells the story of a suburban mom who discovers a passion for competitive jigsaw puzzling -- debuted at Sundance Film Festival this year. Creative COW Contributing Editor Alee Caldwell sat down with Cate to talk about going to the fest, advocating for change, and putting together the pieces of Puzzle.
People / Interview Alee Caldwell |
Art of the Edit
What Picasso Can Teach Us About Filmmaking
Feature film editor Sven Pape takes a unique, entertaining look at Pablo Picasso's approach to art, and offers specific examples from a variety of movies, as well as Picasso's own advice. As Sven puts it, success requires action. Make a film. Fail. Then fail harder. Of course, Picasso and Sven have great advice for succeeding too! You'll get a kick out of this one.
Tutorial, Feature Sven Pape |
Art of the Edit
Always Be Editing: Sculptors & Bricklayers Revisited
Do you edit like a sculptor, or like a bricklayer? It seems a simple enough question, but as longtime editor, post house owner, and VFX software developer Simon Ubsdell shows, the implications for how this affects the way you edit can be profound. His advice, regardless of where you land on the spectrum? Always be editing.
Simon Ubsdell |
|
MORE |