How ILM crafted the sprawling kingdom of Atlantis in James Wan’s ‘Aquaman’

James Wan’s Aquaman was a welcome release for the DC Universe and it’s disgruntled fans. Not only was it’s story gripping, but the movie also turned out to be a breath of fresh air from a VFX’s vantage point.

Shedding DCEU’s peculiar dark, dolorous themes for more bright and colorful palette, Aquaman served a visual nirvana. Also the CGI-driven creatures such as the Trench, Sea Lobsters and Sea Dragons were beautifully crafted and perfectly complemented the plot.

Aquaman also riposted Marvel’s Wakanda with a pristine wonderland of its own in Atlantis. VFX outfit Industrial Light and Magic were at the credits for the creation of the aquatic civilisation, and VFX supervisor Jeff White takes us through the rigorous process that went into it’s making.

He said, “Atlantis was an incredibly challenging environment. The aesthetic James was looking for was both streamlined and high tech, while being based on organic creatures and structures. Each of the over 7000 buildings that make up Atlantis are highly sculptural and full of lights, translucency, and even movement.

“Our real struggle was that we couldn’t just build a city and stick a camera in it, which would have been overwhelming visually. Instead each shot is a hand crafted layout that uses lighting and atmosphere to create separations between the buildings and traffic.”

The sprawling kingdom of Atlantis was rich in aquatic flora and fauna, and White says it was the key to bringing the environment alive. “Because so much of the image was CG, we relied on always putting natural materials like swaying kelp or swimming schools of fish to ground the image in reality. Animals also became a huge part of the third act, when they join the battle against Orm’s army.

“For that sequence we developed hundreds of sea life assets and the real challenge was to figure out how they would do battle against ships and soldiers.  We had a lot of fun putting those animation vignettes together.”

An iconic moment in Arthur Curry’s adventures was the full throttle battle between him and his half-brother Orm on the ‘Ring of Fire’. And even though it didn’t really end up in Arthur’s win, the whole setting was eye-catching to say the least. “The ring of fire started as amazing concept art,” said White. “It was a real challenge trying to find the right color balance to achieve all the vibrant lava color James wanted while keeping it looking realistic.

“In the end, we employed a cheated version of underwater physics and just concentrated on what made great looking images. In that sequence, we also developed the boba time effect where the tridents leave behind a concussion ripple as they fight their way around the arena.”

Aquaman culminates with a similarly fierce fight but naturally on a much larger scale. White feels working on it’s visuals were the most challenging aspect of the movie.

He said, “There were hundreds of shots with lots of complex interdependencies between departments. Animation would feed crowd simulation and hair simulation. Crowd simulation would feed the FX department to generate all the lasers and explosions that were needed to create interactive light on the main characters. Not to mention that a two mile long creature comes bursting through the seafloor to add to the mayhem!”

But on the whole, White feels this entire project really pushed the team to the edge and tested every department. “No job was easy from complex body match animation, to comps full of thousands of elements. But the result is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the incredible artists at ILM,” he exclaimed.

“James [Wan] is amazing, we had so much fun working together. He pushed us to create a beautiful, vibrant magical world for audiences to experience, and clearly he found an aesthetic that connected with audiences,” said White, recalling his experience of working with the director.

Based on DC Comics, Aquaman earned $1.15 billion at the global box-office to become the highest grossing movie ever in DC’s history.

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Marvel India conducts a multi-city fan event with Robert Downey Jr in a live video conference

Marvel India surprised its fans in India with a one-of-a-kind-fan-event where they got to meet their favourite superhero Iron Man (Tony Stark) aka Robert Downey Jr in a LIVE video conference.

Gathering at respective assigned venues from four cities- New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru, fans flocked in huge numbers to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their favourite superhero, even if it was virtual, and get their questions answered.

Presently on a series of press tour for Avengers:Endgame, Downey Jr. was live from Korea and happily answered the questions that fans asked him. His answers reflected why he’s Iron Man more than anybody else because of the terrific wit and charm. Few of them were:

> Which is your favorite Iron Man Costume?

RDJ:  The one you haven’t seen yet. I particularly love Mark 1 and Mark 42.

> You and Pepper Potts were thinking of settling down before Thanos ruined it. If you were to name your kids what are some names you are considering?

RDJ: Well, if we have triplets I guess we’ll have to call them Marks I, II and III.

> Sir, could you please share some fun stories from the ‘Avengers : Endgame’ Wrap party?

RDJ: Right, well I have no memory of it so must have been pretty good. I got to tell you honestly, we made both Infinity War and Endgame, we basically shot them back to back and it was the most time that the most Avengers and Guardians and everyone was spending most time together. Endgame really represents the culmination of probably the time in our lives that we have been the closest.

He also showered his love to Indian fans after he was greeted with his signature moves in Instagram posts. He laughed and ‘bowed’ to the fans and said,”You guys are just amazing fans. I can’t wait. I cannot believe I haven’t been to India. I’m coming there so damn soon.”

We’re keeping our fingers crossed!

Till then, we get to see him on big screen on 26 April in Avengers:Endgame. 

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‘HalaPlay’ signs Krunal and Hardik Pandya as their official brand ambassadors

 HalaPlay Technologies, the online daily fantasy sports platform in India, today, announced their brand ambassadors, Krunal and Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder brothers will officially represent the Daily Fantasy Sports platform going forward.

HalaPlay is offering winnings up to Rs100 crore on their fantasy sports platform this cricket season. Players get an opportunity for big wins, making the game potential even more exciting. Fantasy sports is largely structured as paid competitions, typically, referred to as contests’ enabling the winners to receive a share of a pre-determined pot funded by their entry fees. In the case of HalaPlay, they have chosen to do away with the platform fee.

Hardik Pandya adds “What excites me the most about this association is that it keeps me motivated to ensure that my fans continue to choose me to be on their HalaPlay team and I get a chance to fulfil their expectation as an all-rounder.

Krunal Pandya comments “Fantasy sports is new and exciting in the modern-day digital sporting world. Playing on HalaPlay gives me an opportunity to go beyond the field to the small screen and connect with millions of cricket loving fans.

HalaPlay co-founder, Prateek Anand says “In a cricket loving nation like India, fantasy sports has become a way of life, which is where we see our exponential growth. Having the Pandya brothers on board is the right fit. Their all-rounded talent and fresh energy resonates with the essence of HalaPlay, as we are a young company with a lot to offer.”

“It is important for our audience to know that they can invest their time and money in a place where they will get legitimate results. That is why we have recently changed our product from a fixed fee to a zero platform fee model. Now HalaPlay users don’t have to pay any platform fee and this will give our gamers the winnings they deserve with the thrill of game play” he adds.

This new mode of gaming in India already has a fan base of more than 20 million today and the Indian fantasy sports industry is worth Rs 43.8 billion, it is estimated to reach Rs 118.8 billion by FY23 according to the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG) and KPMG report.

HalaPlay recently received Rs 40 crores in their Series-A round of funding from Nazara Technologies  India’s leading mobile games publisher and Delta Corp Limited, Indian based casino gaming company.

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New ‘Avengers: Endgame’ teaser revealed; Russo brothers confirm Stan Lee’s cameo in the film

Marvel has recently released another Avengers: Endgame teaser, that shows the ‘Earth’s mightiest heroes’ splitting up as teams and planning against Thanos.

After the Mad Titan wiped out half of the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, few Avengers who’re left, are going to need all the plans to succeed against Thanos. To make their plan a reality, Steve Rogers aka Captain America is doing what he does best: rallying the troops and explaining just how they’re going to split up into smaller groups with specific missions and save the day.

In the clip Rogers explains that everyone knows their teams and what their missions are, and that no one can afford to make any mistakes.

Given the countdown for Endgame has already begun, excitement and expectations are reaching heights and Marvel has hit just the right spot with the teaser.

In the meantime, Endgame co-director Joe Russo also revealed that Endgame will be the last film to feature the final cameo of Stan Lee. When Excelsior passed away late last year, the fans had really hoped that he’d be in all the upcoming films- Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Russo told Mashable, “It’s his last one committed to film. I have to say, I think it’s astonishing that this would be his last cameo. It’s just kind of mind-boggling that he made it to the end of this run. I can’t believe it.”

Anthony Russo further added, “We have all these movie stars on that set, and when Stan came to set, everybody would be like kids again,” Joe’s brother Anthony said. “It was always a lot of fun shooting these cameos because he was very charming, and he would maybe get the crew going, and everybody would be laughing and having a good time.”

For one last time, Avengers assembling together and Lee’s cameo, on 26 April.

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Disney unveils new streaming service, Disney+ at $6.99

The Walt Disney Company announces its new family-friendly streaming service that is set to launch on 12 November and will cost $6.99 per month.

The service called Disney+, in addition to Disney films and TV shows will feature programs from the Marvel superhero universe, the Star Wars galaxy, Pixar animation and National Geographic channel.

Marvel Studios is working on three Disney Plus shows. One will focus on Loki from the Avengers movies, with Tom Hiddleston reprising the role. Another Avengers star, Elizabeth Olsen, will reprise her Scarlet Witch character in a second series. A third show will be associated with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with Anthony Mackie returning as the Falcon.

Roughly 500 films from Disney’s library, including new movies like Captain Marvel, and 7,500 episodes of old Disney-branded television shows like Hannah Montana will anchor Disney+.

The company said it has struck deals with Roku and Sony to distribute Disney+ on streaming devices and console gaming systems and expects it to be widely available on smart televisions, tablets, and other outlets by launch.

Disney said it intended to roll out the streaming service in Europe and Asia starting next year. It expects subscribers to total 60 million to 90 million by 2024.

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ESL and NODWIN team up to bring ‘Dota 2’ festivals to India

ESL and NODWIN Gaming have announced the debut of ESL One powered by Intel in Mumbai, India on 19  to 21 April 2019. With a capacity of up to 8,000 seats, the NSCI Dome is well designed to host large scale entertainment and sports events, serving as a fitting new home for ESL One Mumbai 2019. Twelve of the best Dota 2 teams will battle over a lion’s share of the $ 300,000 prize pool and the coveted championship trophy at India’s first Dota 2 mega event.

ESL One Mumbai 2019 will host seven directly invited teams and four teams that need to fight their way up through the online qualifiers, which are set to take place in the regions Europe, North America, Greater China and Southeast Asia. Additionally, a local qualifier will be held in India to find the last participating team among India’s best. Eight out of the twelve teams taking part in the group stages on 16 to 18 April  will get the chance to play on the big stage in front of thousands of enthusiastic Dota 2 fans.

“We can’t wait to bring ESL One to a completely new location – especially since this will mark the first big Dota 2 tournament in India.We see great potential in the Indian esports market and are looking forward to further foster the growth of the local scene together with our partner NODWIN Gaming ”, said ESL senior vice president of product Ulrich Schulze.

“ESL One commands global reverence in the world of esports and for India to play host to this event is indeed a landmark for the country’s esports history.NODWIN Gaming has firsthand experience of the passion of the Indian Dota 2 community over multiple years and this is our gift to them – to come and meet the best Dota 2 gamers of the world at ESL One Mumbai 2019 ,” said NODWIN Gaming managing director Akshat Rathee.

“As the technology leader for esports and gaming and ESL’s Global Technical Partner, Intel is looking forward to delivering a world-class gaming experience to Dota 2 fans in India and around the world, at the inaugural ESL One Mumbai 2019,” said Intel India managing director – sales and marketing group Prakash Mallya.

Besides the tournament, ESL One Mumbai 2019 will feature an array of exciting activities including ESL One’s famous Dota 2 cosplay competition and opportunities to interact with teams and pro players. Tickets for ESL One Mumbai 2019 will go on sale on Thursday, 17 January at 3pm (IST), and will range from Rs. 499  for Single Day tickets up to Rs.2,499 for Premium tickets. Further details on each available ticket type can be found here.

 

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Netflix adds 10 new original films to its Indian slate

Netflix has expanded its India slate with 10 new original films from some of Bollywood’s leading players, spanning multiple genres. By the end of 2020, a total of 15 new original Indian films, including previously announced titles such as Music Teacher, Cobalt Blue, Chopsticks, Upstarts and Bulbul, will be available on the service.

Netflix director international original film India Srishti Behl Arya said, “Given our diversity, history and culture, India is home to powerful stories waiting to be told to audiences around the world. We want to be a home for India’s finest filmmakers where their stories travel to more people than ever before.”

Ghost Stories reunites directors Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap after they delivered the earlier Love Stories. Ghost Stories will be produced by RSVP and co-produced by Ashi Dua.

Produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and directed by Atul Sabharwal, Class of ‘83 explores the story of an upright policeman-turned-trainer whose students grapple with the complexities of honour, morals and devotion to the nation.

Directed and produced by Banerjee, Freedom is the story of an Indian family interwoven with the personal, ideological and sexual history of India and how desire plays a common role in each.

Dharma Productions’ recently launched digital arm Dharmatic will produce Guilty, directed by Ruchi Narain, which explores the versions of truth that emerge when a small town girl accuses the college heartthrob of rape.

When her husband is framed and imprisoned for serial murders, a doting wife must perform a murder exactly like the serial killer, to prove her husband innocent. The thriller Mrs. Serial Killer is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by Farah Khan.

Writer-director Sooni Taraporevala and produced by Roy Kapur Films, Yeh Ballet revolves around two Mumbai boys from poor families who discover ballet and use that as a way of escaping their challenging circumstances.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh and Samit Basu, written by Basu and produced by India Stories, House Arrest is the story of a man – trapped in his own fears – who locks himself at home, only to find that while he can restrict his interaction with the world, he can’t keep the world from entering his domain.

Kaali Khuhi is directed by Terrie Samundra and produced by Manomay Motion Pictures. It will touch upon female infanticide and mysterious deaths in a village in Punjab state.

Maska is about a confused millennial who sets out to fulfill his fantasy of becoming a movie star, until a summer romance with a clear-headed girl helps him discover the fine line between dreams and delusions. The film is directed by Neeraj Udhwani and produced by Seher Aly Latif and Shivani Saran’s Mutant Films.

Veteran film-maker Sudhir Mishra will direct Serious Men, a film based on Manu Joseph’s book. Produced by Bombay Fables and Cineraas Entertainment, the film is about a wily slum dweller, who cons the country into believing his dim-witted 10-year-old son is a genius, to realise that the only victim of his dangerous game is his son.

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Gameskraft is about to launch new fantasy cricket ‘Gamezy’ to revolutionize gaming scenario in India

Fantasy sports are immersing into innovative gaming pool as these sports are engaging new fans every day. As the cricket fever is on with IPL and upcoming cricket World Cup, India is bracing fantasy sports at an impressive rate and more and more new fantasy cricket apps are joining the bandwagon. In conversation with AnimationXpress Gameskraft founder and CTO Prithvi Singh shares about the fantasy cricket scenario in India along with the launch of Gamezy. Here are the excerpts:

What is your inspiration and idea behind Gameskraft?
I like to think of myself as an avid gamer. In fact, I started showing interest in gaming from quite a young age. While I never planned on becoming a professional gamer, I spent a lot of time playing video games during my college years. It was around that time when I realised that India’s gaming space is mostly dominated by internet players and therefore the games are not specific to the Indian market. My idea behind Gameskraft was simple – to create games that includes some Indian context and provides our customers with world-class gaming experience.

What’s your take on the current scenario of the Android-iOS gaming industry in the country?
The mobile gaming industry in India is thriving currently and its future looks promising too. With a prominent rise in smartphone ownership and internet usage across the country, the user base of online games keeps increasing by the day. The sudden spike in demand has resulted in the mushrooming of many gaming companies and start-ups, but the market is not saturated yet. If we go by the stats, a recent research report released by KPMG and the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG) projects that India’s online gaming industry could generate a whopping Rs. 11,900 crore by 2023.

Analyzing the market can you share what are the mantras behind the success of a game?
At present, India’s gaming space is dominated by fantasy sports games. With the ongoing IPL season and the upcoming Cricket World Cup, the enthusiasm around fantasy cricket leagues is contagious. The success of a game depends on a multitude of factors, but a game can gain popularity if it offers entertainment, rewarding experiences and a sense of control.

What is the role of marketing behind the success of a game?
Marketing undoubtedly plays an instrumental role in determining a game’s fate. A game can have a highly-engaging interface but it can fail commercially if there are no marketing efforts made. When it comes to Gameskraft, we initially relied heavily on SEO marketing and referral programmes. However, in the beginning, word-of-mouth worked the best for us.

What is the project Gameskraft is currently working on? Can you share a brief about it?
We just about launched our latest offering, foraying into the fantasy sports segment. Our fantasy sports platform is called Gamezy and has been received well. We have been working relentlessly on this project and it is great to see it take shape. It is a real money game wherein participants can create their own virtual cricket team with real players. And, they win cash rewards based on the real-life performance of those chosen players. Only thing is, on Gamezy, we are a lot more rewarding and a lot more engaging. It is not just all about the matches, it is cricket experience at its best.

How it is unique from the existing ones available in the market? Why you have planned of entering into fantasy sports league when India is pouring with such fantasy sports app?
As I have mentioned earlier, the scope of fantasy gaming is huge. The fact that the user base of fantasy sports platforms will cross 100 million by next year says a lot about the market’s future potential.
Of course, there are numerous fantasy sports apps available to download, but only a few manage to pique the interest of users. We worked closely with industry experts and a couple of professional gamers to understand the current trends in the space.

Our research showed that most of the fantasy cricket apps out there were just all about the upcoming matches, mostly in participate and win formats. We wanted to bring the REAL cricket experience closer to the audience. So we conducted surveys and dug deep. to find out what the users wanted. Gamezy is as real as it can get – a mix of fun and entertainment along with the fantasy experience. We are more rewarding and we are all about making sure the users get their time’s worth on our platform.

Who will be your target audience for the project?
It will be a sports aficionados who like playing online games. However, on Gamezy, we have ensured that even people with less interest in sports can participate by helping them learn more about playing fantasy sports and offering practice games.

India has witnessed a fantasy sports rush since last year. According to you what are the reasons behind such a shift of interest of players and developers in the sector?
Well, the fantasy gaming market in India started experiencing upward growth only after the launch of popular sporting events like IPL (Indian Premier League) and ISL (Indian Super League). The country has witnessed a surge in demand for fantasy sports platforms in the last couple of years, with students and young professionals across metros and small towns participating in fantasy sports leagues. I think the main reason behind such a shift of interest is the changing dynamics of sports broadcasting. Unlike earlier, fans want to become a part of the game itself, rather than just being mere spectators.

The market size of fantasy sports is over a billion. Where do you think fantasy sports will be in 2020 and will it be able to sustain and maintain popularity?
I think it’s safe to say that fantasy gaming is not just a fad. Instead, it’s a trend that will continue to gain traction in 2020. More users will try their hands at fantasy sports. As per the KPMG-IFSG report, more than 100 million users will play fantasy sports games next year.


Why do you think India is one of the biggest markets for fantasy sports? Can you share the factors responsible for the popularity?
India’s obsession with sports is a well-known fact. Cricket, in particular, is not less than a religion that binds people from all corners of the country. This extreme affinity for sports explains why India is poised to become one of the biggest markets for fantasy sports. And other factors like increased availability of budget smartphones and cheap data plans have worked in favour of the fantasy gaming industry.

What were the positive signs on the monetization side in 2018?
2018 was our growth phase and we grew to be a million registered users company. And we also became profitable, so it was a great year for us.

What are 2019 year goals for the studio?
The current focus is on ensuring Gamezy emerges as one of the top fantasy sports platforms. The response has been great so far and we would like to continue this momentum. In the long run, we look forward to establishing Gameskraft as one of the most prominent names in the online gaming space of India. Over the next two years, we plan to generate a country-wide interest for Gamezy to make it India’s favourite fantasy gaming platform. Apart from this Gameskraft wants to keep all the online gaming enthusiasts hooked to games that are entertaining as well as high on rewards.

Can share the future funding scenario of Gameskraft?
Gameskraft, in most parts, is a bootstrapped company. However, we are open to exploring funding opportunities in the future.

What are the expansion plans of the company?
The current focus is on ensuring Gamezy emerges as one of the top fantasy sports platforms. The response has been great so far and we would like to continue this momentum. In the long run, we look forward to establishing Gameskraft as one of the most prominent names in the online gaming space of India. Over the next two years, we plan to generate a country-wide interest for Gamezy to make it India’s favourite fantasy gaming platform. Apart from this Gameskraft wants to keep all the online gaming enthusiasts hooked to games that are entertaining as well as high on rewards.

Fantasy cricket is has created a new wave in online gaming and is all set to grow as one of the prime forms of entertainment in the next five years.

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How VFX won the Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones has constantly been at the center of a lot buzz, anticipation and fan-theory conjectures over the past year. Fans have been waiting for season 8 to discover how things unfold in the final season. 

GOT franchise plays host to a breadth of fantasy elements like massive battles, sea voyages, flying fire-breathing dragons, magical fumes, gritty action, blood splashes, castles and much more. 

The stuff of fantasy constitutes imagery that has to be generated with the VFX techniques and we have been curious since day one as to what sort of visual effects work went on behind the scenes.

Since today marks the first episode of the final and likely the most anticipated season, we wish to delve into the seasons in recognition of the breathtaking artistry of the VFX studios that breathed life into the scenes.

Season 1

Screen Scene VFX, Blue Bolt



While one can see the background replacement work carried out very meticulously to enhance Westeros, the third eye has been applied with the help of CGI. One can clearly see how blue chroma screens have been used to increase the grandiose of the castle as well as the snow regions by extending the scope of the background. CG dragon freshly hatched and perched on the ash-ridden Dragon Queen is an exquisite piece of work.


Season 2

Pixomondo, Peanuts

Compositing and VFX work characterised by a huge amount of background replacement as well as plates play extensions and brilliantly mesh into the shots. Geoffrey’s background seems seamlessly extended. Here one can appreciate the efforts of the artists extensively in the attack launched on the ships in the sea. Firebolts in green and orange ricocheting at the ships and the explosions are truly magnificent.


Season 3

SpinVFX, Pixomondo, Gradient Effects

Game of Thrones – SpinVFX from John Doe on Vimeo.

More shelled out and VFX-heavy scenes with Lidar footage cleaned out with background extensions and CGI dragons, this time three of them with flames. Here you also see a huge amount of crowd simulation.


Season 4

Rodeo FX, Mackevision, ScanlineVFX, Baked FX

Game of Thrones Season 4 | VFX Breakdown by Rodeo FX from Rodeo FX on Vimeo.

Season 4 exhibits world-class imagery created spanning giant Whitewalkers and CGI creatures and flight of dragons. Picturesque scenes and fire effects as well. White Walkers’ intricate appearance along with icy cold effects and more crowd simulations to depict armies and attacks are deservedly noteworthy.

Season 5

Rodeo FX, Image Engine, Mackevision, El Ranchito, Rhythm & Hues

GAME OF THRONES – SEASON 5 from Image Engine on Vimeo.

The season is characterised by smoke effects, compositing work, creatures and fantastic environments that excellently portray the imagination of the author.


Season 6

RodeoFX, Mackevision, Pixomondo, Iloura, Rising Sun Pictures

Game of Thrones Season 6 – Breakdown Reel from Image Engine on Vimeo.

Battle of the Bastards being the highlight that really goes to show the extent to which VFX can help portray dastardly battles with arrow attacks, dirt splashes, blood and gore and standoffs.
Game of Thrones has won the last four Emmys for outstanding visual effects, and The Battle of the Bastards is the most vfx-heavy episode by far.

Season 7

Image Engine, El Ranchito, Rodeo FX, Pixomondo, Iloura, Screen Scene VFX, Weta Digital, Zoic Studios, Mackevision

Game of Thrones – Season 7 | Breakdown Reel | Image Engine VFX from Image Engine on Vimeo.

Concept art, as well as the ‘making-of’ of the sea battle and wall destruction in the finale are some of the highlights of the second-last season. Simulations and CG environments included a CG ocean, CG background ships, extended parts of Yara’s ship, added extensions, as well as extending the Silence set piece to create a whole ship were some of the elements in the portrayal of the story.

Fire augmentation in the plates, the foreground on-set fire with CG or fire elements in the background are interesting learning points for any VFX-oriented observer. Dragon flights are immensely breathtaking. In fact, the team went on earned a VES award earlier this year for their effects simulations on the destruction of the wall at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea on the season finale.

We look forward to the new episode of the final season which has already set the fans abuzz. It’s interesting to note that it might be the summertime here in India but it’s the Winter that has come at our altar.

This story has been jointly written by Poonam Mondol and Parth Kaushik 

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One Piece: New Trailer teases a reunion of characters

One Piece is celebrating its landmark 25th Anniversary this year, and part of that celebration is the release of a huge new film One Piece: Stampede. Though fans still know very little about the film as such, more details have been slowly revealed as we get closer to its Summer release in Japan. The film recently shared a new teaser trailer, and while the story is still a mystery, there are some major confirmations.

As One Piece marks the 25th anniversary this year, the rejoicing theme of the celebration is the new film One Piece: Stampede. Stampede which fans know very little of has been a subject of interest. The film recently shared a new trailer which reveals a little more for analysis.

Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece first began serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997. It has since been collected into over 80 volumes, and has been a critical and commercial success worldwide with many of the volumes breaking printing records in Japan. The manga has even set a Guinness World Record for the most copies published for the same comic book by a single author, and is the best-selling manga series worldwide with over 430 million copies sold. The series still ranked number one in manga sales in 2018, which surprised fans of major new entries.

One Piece: Stampede teases a full Worst Generation reunion with each of the eleven Supernovas amid a huge cast of returning favorites. The trailer is short however there are about 30 or so characters constituting this new film. While new characters include Gol D. Roger’s pirate crew, there are shots of returning friends such as Bartlomeo, former enemies such as Rob Lucci, but more significantly, it seems like the 11 Supernovas of the Worst Generation all to reclaim their mark.

While it’s not quite clear as to why all of these Supernovas will be gathered in one place, they will be appearing in the film one way or another.

This roster includes Luffy, Zoro, Trafalgar Law, Basil Hawkins, X Drake, Scratchmen Apoo, Capone “Gang” Bege, Jewelry Bonney, Urouge, Eustass Kidd, Killer. Then, of course, Marshall D. Teach who used to count before becoming a Pirate King.

One Piece: Stampede hits theaters in Japan on August 9

 

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