"Ideally, one of the three models should have driven the other two in terms of look and texture, but the schedule didn't allow for it," Hendershot notes. "As we were finishing our model and textures, there would be changes happening to the design of the full size and miniature jets that we would need to address. Ultimately, the three units had to work simultaneously, each making adjustments as changes were made elsewhere, according to our client's direction. We even found ourselves in the situation where we had to deliver trailer shots with the F-35 while they were still finalizing the full size model!"

In several shots, the jet showcases its hovering abilities. The eerie flight maneuver required the development of a specific vertical heat ripple. A particle animation was created in Maya to displace and blur the background in the composite. Although a lot of time and effort had been invested in developing a realistic look, the director ultimately preferred to see much less of it. In the end, the effect was toned down to the point where it is now noticeable in a handful of shots only.

The Orphanage raced time at the end of post to bring the climactic freeway scene to life. Photo credit: The Orphanage. 

Wreaking Havoc on a Freeway
The chase climaxes when McClane reaches a multi-level freeway interchange -- a sequence that was added very late in production. The Orphanage was asked in December 2006 to create the fictitious interchange and its environment digitally. The only real section was a 1,000-foot long spiral ramp that was built as a full-size set in front of a giant bluescreen. There again, in order to be ready when the first plates would be delivered in late March, modelers had to start building the location while the set was still under construction...

Makes you reconsider just how bad your commute is in the morning. Photo credit: The Orphanage.