The train takes the film’s hero into the future.

Perfecting Effects Integration
Up until a month before the movie’s September 2004 release, Buf was still modifying architectural models and fine-tuning color balances. Wong wanted the effects shots to truly complement the live-action shots. In his vision, they had to be perfectly integrated into the narrative and aesthetic flow of the movie. As a result, most of the modifications cut implied revisions of the visual effects. Colors, ambiances and dynamics of vfx shots had to be adjusted to match the live-action shots in the same sequences. Since the editing process was spread over several years, the movie remained in production at Buf for three years. Although a lot of work ended up in the trash bin, the studio nonetheless enjoyed the creative process: after handling the movie for such a long period of time, the effects shots were truly well integrated.

One of the unusual aspects of the project was the selection of the movie for the Cannes Festival. Highly regarded by the Festival community, Wong decided to screen a work-in-progress as he was still not satisfied with his final cut. He asked Buf to render temp versions of all the effects shots in order to have a complete print for the screening. These versions were final CG animation shots without the wireframe animation effects added in.

For all involved at Buf, 2046 was a truly unique project: unique in the unprecedented artistic freedom that they enjoyed; unique in the director’s approach to the visual effects; and unique in the distinctive style of the digital imagery. For the first time, the studio was actually allowed to express in a feature film the creativity that had become their trademark on commercials. From a visual effects point of view, 2046 was like a commercial produced on a feature film deadline — and then some.

Alain Bielik is the founder and special effects editor of renowned effects magazine S.F.X, published in France since 1991. He also contributes to various French publications and occasionally to Cinefex. He’s currently organizing a major special effects exhibition that will open next month in Lyon, France.