We were presented with a very exciting challenge when in 2016 we were commissioned to complete the entire VFX post-production and animation for Unlimited Pictures’ new high-concept advertising film. Such collaborations are common for us and in a significant percentage of cases we integrate into existing production structures and only take on the animation work. Director István Bán’s concept was the following: we see a battle scene in huge, apocalyptic landscapes, where two robust soldiers fight against an army of enemies. At the climax of the battle, it turns out that the giant warriors are actually just young people who have gotten too immersed in the Laser Corner laser tag game.
As with all VFX or greenbox-based films, the preparatory phase was one of the most important aspects here. The backbone of the story takes place on the surface of an alien planet. We decided that we wouldn’t be able to film everything in the studio, as we didn’t have enough space. So we scheduled two days of shooting: one in the studio and one on location. In the studio, we filmed all the close-ups and shots that required a controlled environment, as well as any shots where the background would need to be changed. On location, we filmed the wide shots, the shots where the actors interact with the ground, slide on the ground, slide down a hill, etc. On location, due to the absence of a greenbox, tricks are only possible to a limited extent, primarily atmospheric elements, flying projectiles, and set extensions. If everything goes according to plan, the two locations will reinforce each other, providing a more realistic experience. This was the production plan based on which the storyboard was assembled.
During the greenbox shooting, we primarily took static shots in 4K resolution, into which we subsequently added camera movement – primarily reactions to incoming projectiles and outgoing shots, and tremors.
The exterior filming location was in Gánt, at a well-known bauxite mine for Hungarian filmmakers. With the help of the selected and accepted greenbox clip list, we photographed the backdrops that later became the background or foreground of the keyed clips. We also took a lot of photos for the set extension, especially of the parts of the mines that we didn’t use on the set. We digitized rocks, walls, or pebbles one by one, as well as a complete background, and for the sake of safety, we also took a box of stones and earth back with us, in case we had to add something to the existing cuts on a field table.
Three materials were therefore recorded in the shooting phase: greenbox footage, outdoor footage, and thousands of photographs to expand the greenbox footage. This is what the fourth layer, digital animation, was added to during post-production. First of all, this meant a multitude of atmospheric elements, black smoke, kicked up sand, flying dust, and the purple steam coming out of the laser weapons, basically defined by imagination. This was completed by the projectiles, the ground exploding along the projectiles, sparks, and countless other small elements that made the film a truly lifelike, epic battle.
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