This week, we discuss the work behind two films nominated for Oscars in Best Visual Effects. From the whimsical world of Wicked and the acidic atmosphere of Alien: Romulus—Pablo Helman, David Shirk, and Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser share their insights and learnings in crafting the visual effects behind these blockbuster hits.
Todd and Rob break down the process of how films are selected for nomination in the Oscars' Best Visual Effects category. We discuss highlights from the five nominated films—Alien Romulus, Better Man, Dune: Part Two, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Wicked—and we revisit the shower door myth.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 2025 Academy Award nominations and ILM visual effects teams received two nominations in the Visual Effects category. ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser was nominated for his work on Fede Álvarez’s sci-fi/horror-thriller Alien: Romulus and ILM’s Pablo Helman and David Shirk were each nominated for...
ILM teams from around the world earn recognition for projects as diverse as Wicked, Gladiator II, Ultraman: Rising, Deadpool & Wolverine, and What If…? – An Immersive Story.
ILM Art Director Amy Beth Christenson (Transformers One, Star Wars Rebels) discusses the complexities and pure joy of working with established Star Wars and Transformers characters while introducing new elements for today’s audiences. Amy shares stories of adapting her portfolio to catch the attention of recruiters and highlights from her 25 years with Lucasfilm and...
Today, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced their longlists for the 2025 EE Film Awards. 10 films will advance in the Special Visual Effect category. Members of the SVFX chapter vote to determine the longlist and the nominations. In the final round of voting, all film-voting members will vote for the overall...
Rob, Todd and Jenny share their own rejection letters and answer some lingering questions from the mailbag. Todd corrects another VFX myth in Misinformation Corner. The team shares their favorite things from the year as we say farewell to 2024 in this bonus episode of Lighter Darker!
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences yesterday announced shortlists in 10 categories for the 97th Academy Awards®: Visual Effects, Sound, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, and Live Action Short Film. Ten films remain in the running in...
Join legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey (Apollo 13, The Mandalorian) on our final episode of 2024. From his early days collaborating with John Carpenter on horror classics like Halloween and The Thing to groundbreaking work on Jurassic Park and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cundey has shaped the visual landscape of cinema. Dean Cundey shares behind-the-scenes stories from the set and personal experiences breaking into the industry.
This week, we delve into the world building techniques behind two of the year's most anticipated films: Gladiator II and Wicked. VFX Producer Ed Randolph (Gladiator II) and VFX Supervisor Anthony Smith (Wicked) give us behind-the-scenes stories of building these worlds and share insights into some of their favorite shots from their impressive careers.
Director Shannon Tindle (Kubo and the Two Strings, Lost Ollie) and VFX supervisor Hayden Jones join us to discuss the role of empathy in animation. We talk about Tindle’s latest film, Ultraman: Rising as well as the importance of collaboration and infusing personal experiences into characters and storytelling.
For Transformers one, the art department aimed to create shapes and silhouettes that appeared clean and simple from a distance, yet included intricate, purposeful details up-close, such as cut lines in the panels, smaller inset geometry, and layered panel work. Given that iconic Transformer designs often stem from their helmet shapes, the art department worked...
