The team behind the recent blockbuster hit, Elemental, had their work cut out for them with the creation of a complete CG character made out of water. The task required the pioneering VFX crew to explore new methods for creating a photoreal, living character that could exist within a wet and wild universe.
VFX Supervisor Guy Williams and the team at Moving Picture Company (MPC) faced the challenge of creating a unique and vivid character from flowing water. This involved crafting a character that was both liquid and realistically formed and in tune with the environment.
To create the crucial effects for this project, the MPC team paired a ton of practical work with the 3D CGI software, Houdini. Rather than crafting a character out of several static CGI elements, the crew harnessed the power of Houdini to simulate the environment around the character, and precisely control the look and feel of the water.
The key to success was recreating the nuances of real-life water, such as the bubbling and foaming of the surface, while integrating the character into the visuals. To bring this to life, the fluidity of the character was a key focus for the VFX crew. By using clever rotoscoping and camera tracking methods, the team successfully blended the simulated water for the character with the surrounding environment.
Furthermore, creating a movable face for the liquid character involved a combination of clever rigging and motion control techniques. This allowed the facial expressions of the character to be captured as accurately as possible.
At the end of the day, this VFX challenge was a great success. The team crafted a photorealistic character made entirely out of water and allowed the character to move and act within a water-based universe. The result was a stunning visual effect and a memorable character within the movie that audiences will never forget.
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