Visual Effects in Ghost in the Shell Film: An Expert Opinion
Summary
In this expert Q&A article, Max Seymour, a professional writer from FXguide.com, discusses the remarkable visual effects in the film Ghost in the Shell made by MPC. He shares insights on the production design, VFX supervisors, pre-visualization, digital replacement of Scarlett Johansson’s suit, the creation of photorealistic solograms, and the software developed to deal with volumetric data.
Table of Contents
- The Shelling Sequence
- Production Design and VFX Supervisors
- Digital Reconstruction of Scarlett Johansson’s Suit
- Creation of Solograms
- Software Developed for Managing Volumetric Data
Introduction
Ghost in the Shell, the action-packed science-fiction film, is known for its spectacular visual effects. The film’s VFX supervisors, John Dykstr and Guillaume Rochon, and the team at MPC worked together tirelessly to capture the essence of the original anime while maintaining a grounded and realistic ethos in their approach. In this article, we will take a further look at the processes behind the creation of the opening shelling sequence, how the team incorporated Weta Workshop’s props, and created the photorealistic solograms.
The Shelling Sequence
The shelling sequence, which is the opening sequence of the film, features the creation of a cyborg, Majo, through a blend of computer graphics and practical animatronics from Weta Workshop. According to Seymour, nearly every shot in this sequence was filmed as live action. However, about 70% of the sequence ended up being completely digital. This allowed MPC to incorporate a more complex camera move, utilize backlighting and scattering effects, and create a truly realistic-looking sequence.
Production Design and VFX Supervisors
The production design in Ghost in the Shell is noteworthy and not limited to the character, Major. From the iconic assassin geisha bot to the wicked spider tank, every character and its associated VFX were intricately designed. MPC worked closely with the production design team to incorporate digital versions of the physical props. Additionally, they astutely analyzed the complex lighting to make it consistent across the required shots. John Dykstr and Guillaume Rochon led the team of VFX supervisors, producing seamless VFX with the highest level of sophistication.
Digital Reconstruction of Scarlett Johansson’s Suit
Major’s invisibility suit required a glimmering effect, even when it was not transparent. MPC’s team had to rotoscope the suit and remove wires and rig in many shots. The decision was made to replace Scarlett Johansson’s suit with a fully digitally created one. Apart from two shots, where Scarlett’s suit was too close to the camera and out of focus, all other shots featuring her suit were entirely digital. The replacement of the suit was especially challenging in the water fight sequence where Major’s suit and the invisibility effect is shown.
Creation of Solograms
The team relied on photogrammetry to create solograms in the film. The technology used cameras in special arrays that are either 2D computer vision cameras or digital stills cameras. The team used photogrammetry on every frame and utilized 32,000 3D scans to create the characters. The voxel grid exhibited less than excellent resolution in less affluent areas, thus making them seem elderly. In contrast, it was excellent in the wealthier parts of the city. Every frame of this multi-frame photogrammetry technique must be generated anew. As a result, there is no relation between frames. The output of the Houdini software is a Lego-style 3D model with small boxes lit up by the average color of the surface points inside.
Software Developed for Managing Volumetric Data
Working with vast amounts of volumetric data can be challenging. MPC’s R&D team developed new software to enable the reconstruction, processing, manipulation, and subsequent placement of volumetric data into shots. The team then examined the voxel grid that allocated the points into these little boxes, which were then lit up by the average color of the points inside of them. The software also allowed the team to cast bounce light-onto the 3D models and adjust the lightings of the film’s solograms.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the visual effects team at MPC did an outstanding job of bringing the world of Ghost in the Shell to life. From the creation of Majo and the reshaping of Scarlett Johansson’s suit to the use of photogrammetry techniques and the development of new software to manage volumetric data, the team demonstrated their skill and expertise in creating a visually stunning film that paid tribute to the source material while developing its unique style.
