How Realise ‘cracked the track’ for a roller coaster ride
On location with Realise Studio’s Jordi Bares for a new Carlsberg / Premier League commercial, and how the studio solved a major tracking issue for the spot.
Gravity: vfx that’s anything but down to earth
The story behind the famed visual effects for Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, with VFX supervisor Tim Webber, plus Prime Focus’ stereo conversion work.
Thrills and spills: behind the VFX of Rush
Dneg vfx supe Jody Johnson talks Ron Howard’s F1 thriller Rush, with great vfx breakdowns.
Exclusive: making Moonbot’s newest short – that great Chipotle video
Behind the scenes of Moonbot Studio’s collaboration with Chipotle on the haunting ‘Scarecrow’ film and accompanying game app, including an exclusive breakdown video.
Pixar’s OpenSubdiv V2: a detailed look
What is OpenSubdiv? How did Pixar develop it, and how is it being implemented with 3D DCC like Maya, Houdini and Modo.
Bifröst: the return of the Naiad team with a bridge to ICE
Project Bifröst was shown in Anaheim during SIGGRAPH for the first time as part of a technology demo. Bifröst is the code name for an new fluid sim development project of enormous scope.
Real blue gloop: The World’s End
How Double Negative pitched a 2D approach for the visual effects in The World’s End.
Film forgery & vfx tricks: Now You See Me
Behind the scenes of summer hit Now You See Me with visual effects supervisor Nick Brooks.
The making of Honda ‘Hands’
Six million views: how Nexus and Analog shape-shifted 25 Honda products into one hand-sized TVC. Plus a behind the scenes making of video.
Elysium: a practical, miniature and digital fx odyssey
Deep behind the scenes of Elysium with visual effects from Image Engine, Weta Workshop, Whiskytree, Method Studios, ILM, The Embassy, MPC, Kerner Optical & MastersFX.
Under domes and falling skies: an invisible vfx round-up
In the newest installment of our invisible effects series, we delve into Under the Dome, The Conjuring, Falling Skies, Burt Wonderstone, Emperor and Magic City.
Claws and effects: The Wolverine
How the VFX teams made a Silver Samurai, a 300km/h train fight, a nuclear explosion, Logan’s claws and more for The Wolverine.
VFX adventures: The Lone Ranger
fxguide goes behind the scenes of the train crashes, train chases, scorpions and bridge explosions in Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger.
Pixar’s RenderMan turns 25 (Exclusive)
Pixar’s RenderMan is 25 years old. We talk to key players in its history, including Ed Catmull and Loren Carpenter, and get a sneak peek at RPS19.
From Sim to Render: exclusive 60+ page iBook by fxguide
Find out more about Next Limit’s RealFlow and Maxwell Render fluid sim and rendering tools in this free interactive iBook by fxguide.
Monster mayhem: Pacific Rim
Robots and monsters battle it out in Pacific Rim: how ILM and the VFX teams made it possible.
The state of rendering – part 2
In this second and final part of our special State of Rendering series we look at RenderMan, Arnold, V-Ray, Maxwell, Mantra, Modo, Lightwave, Mental Ray, 3Delight, finalRender, Octane, Clarisse, Lagoa and Arion2. We also look and question the next stage of rendering.
The state of rendering – part 1
In our follow-up to the popular Art of Rendering feature on fxguide, we now look at the current State of Rendering. Part 1 delves into the issues of the day: physically based lighting and rendering, ray tracing and more, while Part 2 highlights each major renderer in the VFX industry.
Out of this world: the VFX of After Earth
Find out how visual effects artists from around the globe contributed to After Earth, in this fxinsider behind the scenes article.
Action beats: 6 scenes from White House Down
A breakdown of the 6 biggest scenes from Roland Emmerich’s White House Down and the visual effects behind them.
Exclusive: FLIX – the newest tool in The Foundry’s arsenal
We check out the new FLIX product from The Foundry, a visual story development tool, ex-Sony Animation. Includes an exclusive video overview.
Zombie warfare: World War Z
fxguide talks to Cinesite, MPC, 2h3D, 4DMax and Prime Focus about scaring up the zombie effects for World War Z, scanning sets and actors and the film’s stereo conversion.
Monsters University: rendering physically based monsters
How new developments in RenderMan helped Pixar deliver Monsters University.
Man of Steel vfx milestones
Breaking down the biggest scenes in Man of Steel – Krypton’s comms, the Smallville confrontation and the destruction of Metropolis.
John Textor and what really happened inside Digital Domain Media Group?
An In depth look at the Digital Domain Media Group collapse as fxguide speaks to its former CEO John Textor and pieces together the lessons to be learnt.
Autodesk…just what are they doing with Smoke and Flame?
fxguide sat down with Stig Gruman, VP of sales to discuss the direction of Flame and Smoke, Naiad, and more.
Revisiting the roaring 20s: The Great Gatsby
Behind the scenes of Animal Logic’s visual effects for The Great Gatsby.
Game environments – Part C: making wet environments
The third of our three-part series on game environments, looking at Dontnod and Capcom’s newest release ‘Remember Me’. This part focuses on creating wet surfaces.
Game environments – Part B: rain
The second of our three-part series on game environments, looking at Dontnod and Capcom’s newest release ‘Remember Me’. This part focuses on how to create rain.
Game environments – Part A: rendering Remember Me
EXCLUSIVE. The first of our three-part series on game environments, looking at Dontnod and Capcom’s newest release Remember Me. This part focuses on rendering the game.