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Method & Iloura Create VFX for 'Wolverine'

Deluxe Entertainment’s Australian VFX studios, Iloura and Method, sink their claws into The Wolverine.

Images courtesy ofThe Wolverine - ©2013 20th Century Fox

Melbourne & Sydney – Produced by 20th Century Fox and directed by James Mangold, The Wolverine recently celebrated its global premiere. Filmed in Australia, The Wolverine also undertook a significant portion of its VFX down under.

Fox Studios called in the world-class VFX talent housed at Iloura (Melbourne) and Method Studios (Sydney) to help demonstrate Logan’s (Wolverine’s) incredible strength and his ability to heal, as well as promoting the intricate architecture of Japan.

Both VFX studios had the pleasure of working with VFX Supervisor and Academy Award® nominee Philip Brennan; Iloura was also able to work again with VFX Producer Jamie Stevenson.

The Iloura crew, led by VFX Supervisor, Glenn Melenhorst, completed just over 100 shots for the film, including a sequence that featured a futuristic medical “Pin Bed” made up of steel pins that follow the contours and movements of the patient’s body. Melenhorst, says: “The bed was a 3D animated object that posed several complex challenges due to the meticulous integration detail required with the actor across more than 60 shots.”

Iloura also helped bring life to a tiny robotic medical “beetle.” The crew modelled, rigged and animated the 3D beetle based on production artwork and gave it an aggressive personality. Despite its diminutive size it threatens Logan in one highly memorable sequence.

One particular challenge for the team involved very complex body tracking, rotomotion and FX in order to see Logan healing from severe total upper body and facial burns. The shots included full hair regrowth as Logan’s healing powers are shown to their full effect before the audience’s eyes.

Images courtesy of The Wolverine - ©2013 20th Century Fox

Method Studios completed 122 shots for the feature, divided into five sequences which included shots of metal claws, Tokyo apartments, and Alaskan and Japanese streetscapes. The scope of work relied heavily on 3D compositing and matte painting, using projected backgrounds, point-clouds and image-based modelling to bring the immersive environments to life.

The Sydney studio created a digital version of Shinjuku station platform, made views of Tokyo from Noburo's penthouse, Tokyo downtown, as well as a large number of shots of the Yukon; most of which were set extensions or environment shots.

“The Tokyo sequences were particularly challenging as the original shoot elements and references source were shot on public streets,” said Method VFX Supervisor James Rogers. “While they looked busy, it was a challenge to make the action work for the purposes of the film, especially in terms of continuity. We used a lot of techniques to patch the backgrounds together, in addition to perspective tricks to make them work for the studio-shot foregrounds.”

Both the Iloura and Method teams relished the opportunity to work on the project; Simon Rosenthal, Deluxe Head of VFX, Asia Pacific said: “The project provided a great opportunity for us to showcase the diverse skills within the Australian businesses and further reinforced our position as high-end facilities.”

Source: Deluxe Entertainment Services Group

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.

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