1. Can you describe your role as a VFX Supervisor in the production of 'King of Avalon: Orlando Bloom Back in the Game'?
I led a team of 10 VFX artists who worked on this project for 3 months, delivering over 40 heavy VFX shots to the client, Funplus. My role encompassed close collaboration with other key creatives such as the director, director of photography, producers, and post-production supervisors in the early stages of the project. This involved multiple meetings to discuss and finalize the production details and workflow for the KOA project. During production, I was responsible for leading the team in creating special effects shots, personally handling the most challenging shots, conducting quality control (QC) and providing feedback on shots produced by other VFX team members. Ultimately, I was accountable for the overall results of the visual effects produced for the KOA project.
2. What inspired you to specialize in Digital Compositing, and how has this influenced your career in film and television?
Ever since I was young, I've had a passion for watching movies. My father used to take me to the cinema every week, and I remember watching many Hollywood action movies during those times. Films like the Star Wars series, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy deeply fascinated me. I was especially curious about how these magical and otherworldly visual scenes were created, scenes that didn't exist on our planet. This curiosity and love for cinema eventually led me to pursue a career as a visual effects artist, and to study in San Francisco. This passion, rooted in childhood memories and love, has become a powerful driving force in my professional development. Whenever I face challenges or reach a bottleneck that needs to be overcome, I draw enough strength from these warm memories and my initial aspirations to find solutions to the problems at hand. This deep-seated love and the fond recollections of my early interest in this field serve as a constant source of inspiration and motivation, guiding me through the complexities and hurdles of my career.
3. How do you approach 2D look development and template creation for key/hero shots in feature films?
Firstly, it's crucial to understand the story the film is telling and the role these key shots play within it. Next, we engage in in-depth discussions with the director, screenwriter, and producer to explore the specific visual details and style of these key shots, seeking relevant references. Following this, we create concept keyframes to establish the tone for these critical scenes.
The next step involves collaboration with other VFX departments like modeling, animation, and particle effects to produce the necessary elements. Finally, the approved elements are integrated and continually optimized in the compositing phase to achieve the best visual effects. This process ensures that the VFX not only look stunning but also seamlessly align with and enhance the film's narrative.
4. In what ways do you experiment with technology, A.I, and real-time engines in filmmaking and environment creation?
Game engines like Unreal Engine 5 can rapidly render highly realistic visuals, and recent advancements in artificial intelligence have led to many revolutionary visual applications. Firstly, in the advertising project for "King of Avalon," we used game engine technology for background environment rendering. Its rendering speed is faster than traditional VFX software, and the background effects are sufficiently realistic, offering a high cost-performance ratio.
In the project "The Wandering Earth 2," we employed AI DEEPFAKE technology for de-aging and physique adjustment of the main actors. This technology uses machine learning and iteration techniques to learn and understand the appearance of actors in their youth and swiftly execute shot replacements across multiple scenes.
These are just a few examples. In the future, we plan to use more of these experimental technologies for visual effects production. These innovative approaches not only enhance efficiency but also open new possibilities for creativity in VFX.
5. How did your experience at the Academy of Art University shape your skills in 3D Animation and Visual Effects?
The Academy of Art University in San Francisco provided an excellent visual effects education program. I pursued a graduate degree in 3D Animation & Visual Effects, which lasted for three and a half years. In the first year, we primarily focused on various theoretical courses related to film and visual effects to lay a solid foundation for practical work later on. From the second year, we began learning about various relevant visual effects software, such as Maya and Nuke.
In the final year and a half of study, we specialized in compositing techniques. Our department head, Catherine Tate, a former senior compositor at Industrial Light & Magic, personally led us in the 400A program. The 400A program brought real industry projects into the school, allowing us to engage directly in actual projects in our final year of study. This experience was designed to help us integrate more smoothly and quickly into real companies and production processes upon graduation.
The 400A program was instrumental in giving us an early grasp of the knowledge required for real film effects production. It also allowed us to encounter and solve problems earlier and prepare adequately. Indeed, this preparation paid off as I transitioned smoothly into my professional career after graduation.
6. What was your experience working on 'The Wandering Earth 2', particularly in using AI techniques for de-aging effects?
Participating in "The Wandering Earth 2" project was an incredible experience. First and foremost, it was an honor to be involved in one of China's greatest sci-fi movies, which featured numerous highly challenging visual effects shots, representing the pinnacle of China's current VFX production capabilities.
A significant aspect of our work on "The Wandering Earth 2" was the use of the latest DEEPFAKE AI image processing technology. We used DEEPFAKE to de-age Wu Jing, one of the main actors, facially. Traditional VFX production techniques for this task would have involved expensive 3D asset creation and might not have guaranteed realism. However, the new AI technology allowed us to have AI conduct bidirectional machine learning and iteration based on the actor's current facial state and his younger appearance. The AI could then automatically recognize the actor's current appearance and replace it with his younger look.
The application of this technology was highly successful, significantly enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the facial de-aging process. This innovative approach not only saved time and resources but also contributed to the realism and quality of the final visual effects.
7. Can you elaborate on your creative process in restoring a realistic medieval battlefield in 'King of Avalon' using digital technology?
To achieve the realistic medieval scenes in KOA, we first collected a vast array of reference images of actual medieval castles and battlefields to spark inspiration. Next, we used software like Photoshop to create static battlefield concept art for the director and clients to review and select. Once we had settled on the desired style and scene layout, we utilized 3D software for scene modeling, texturing, lighting, and rendering. Owing to the rapid advancement of game engines, we employed Unreal Engine for background rendering, achieving a high cost-performance ratio in terms of speed and effect. Finally, by combining these elements with live-action footage, we merged the 3D scenes with the foreground actors and other elements, culminating in the final visual effect.
8. How did you manage the production of complex scenes and technical challenges while working on-set for various shoots?
The visual effects supervisor often needs to personally oversee the special effects shots being filmed on location. We have a specific process for managing the filming of various types of visual effects shots. First, we confirm the storyboard and shot list with the director, cinematographer, and key creative team, using rough sketches to illustrate the movement of the camera and actors. During the actual shooting, we collect various on-site data, such as the scene's color temperature, camera height, distance, lens type, and other parameters like this. We also use a 3D scanner to capture the entire filming environment to ensure all necessary conditions and parameters for post-production visual effects are met. Finally, once filming is complete, we review the footage multiple times with the director to ensure the shot is suitable for visual effects production.
9. What are the most significant lessons you've learned about project management and team coordination in the VFX industry?
In the VFX industry, besides possessing strong 'hard skills' like technical and artistic abilities, 'soft skills' are equally important. As a key or leading role in the team, the most crucial aspect is maintaining efficient communication with the team and constantly offering problem-solving capabilities. Providing a clear goal and leading the team effectively towards achieving these goals is the essential mission of a leadership role.
10. How did your contributions to 'The Flash' and 'Doom Patrol' influence their success at the Saturn Awards?
Answering this question is quite simple, just focus on your individual role. Visual effects are a highly complex field, requiring a collaboration of intensive technical and artistic talents, demonstrating teamwork. Therefore, if each member of this pipeline excels in their role, the overall result, according to the barrel theory, will be impressive. So, in projects like The Flash and Doom Patrol, as the key artist in charge of compositing, I need to coordinate with other departments to seamlessly integrate the well-crafted assets they produce with live-action footage using compositing techniques. This involves extensive communication and ongoing iterative improvements. Finally, with the oversight of the visual effects supervisor and client approval, our produced shots can pass and be broadcast on screen for the audience. Because our team is exceptionally skilled, the overall quality of the visual part is very high, earning us various awards and nominations, including the Saturn Awards.
11. What does be selected as a member of the Visual Effects Society mean to you and your career?
To become an active member of VES, an applicant must have been actively engaged in the production or creation of visual effects for at least five years within the past ten years preceding the application for membership. Additionally, an applicant must obtain endorsements from two other VES members. The endorsed application is then vetted by 20 to 30 VES Membership Committee members to select the most qualified applicants based on their outstanding achievements. Finally, the VES Board of Directors reviews each applicant's qualifications and makes the final selection. The Board consists of 30 professionals from the visual effects industry. These members are internationally recognized experts, known for their own outstanding achievements in the field.
Therefore, becoming a member of the VES (Visual Effects Society) is a highly selective and prestigious honor. It represents recognition of your achievements and efforts by one of the top associations in the industry.
Contact Information
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www.gtktalentagency.com
Writer: Sherry Lee
