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Let’s discover the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 VFX! This movie relied on the collaboration of 10 leading VFX houses and a staggering 3,066 visual effects shots to bring the film to life during a 15-month post-production period.
Let’s explore the technical wizardry behind some of the film’s most challenging and visually stunning scenes. Keep reading to learn more!
An Overview
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” continues the epic journey of the beloved Marvel Comics superhero team. Directed and written by James Gunn, the movie brings together an incredible ensemble cast, including Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, and more.
The story follows the Guardians as they embark on a crucial mission to protect Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, from the villainous High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji.
The film showcases stunning visual effects and action-packed sequences, including a climactic battle synchronized to the beats of the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.”
Released as part of Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it has garnered positive reviews and tremendous box office success, solidifying its place as one of the highest-grossing films of 2023.
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Guardians of the Galaxy 3 VFX
Discover the spectacular VFX in this movie!
Framestore Ensures Eyeline Accuracy for CG Characters
The expert visual effects team at Framestore faced a daunting task while working on this movie: maintaining accurate eyeline directions for CG characters and those requiring eye augmentation.
Their work was particularly challenging during a sequence set in Counter-Earth, where the Guardians find themselves inside a suburban home.
Framestore had to introduce CG elements such as Groot, Mantis’ antennae, and black eyes for both Mantis and Nebula. The process of achieving accurate eyelines for these characters involved capturing plate shots with stand-in performers and later adjusting the digital characters’ eyes.
However, challenges arose when translating the eyelines of live-action actors to digital characters.
Ross McCabe, the visual effects supervisor at Framestore, explained the delicate balancing act of preserving eye direction while removing unintended reflections from the plate shots.
James Gunn, the director, was especially committed to maintaining eye direction to enhance the characters’ performances and convey the narrative effectively.
Additionally, Framestore encountered the challenge of confirming accurate eyelines during the animation process. The team relied on playblast versions for assessment, only to discover that the final rendered images did not always align perfectly.
Meticulous adjustments were made, such as shifting Groot’s body position, to ensure that the characters’ eye directions were consistent and authentic.
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Bringing Cosmo to Life as a Talking Golden Retriever
One of the film’s beloved characters, Cosmo the telekinetic dog voiced by Maria Bakalova, required meticulous attention to detail to capture the nuances of her emotions.
Stephane Naze, the VFX supervisor at Framestore, explained that the team studied real dogs, including the golden retriever Slate, owned by one of the film’s producers, to create a photorealistic CG version of Cosmo.
To imbue Cosmo with genuine emotion, the team closely analyzed Bakalova’s performance frame by frame to ensure an accurate translation of her acting.
By incorporating detailed references and animations inspired by Slate’s expressions, Framestore successfully brought Cosmo to life as a convincing golden retriever with remarkable telekinetic abilities.
Framestore Tackles the Epic Stampede Scene
Framestore faced one of its most technically demanding challenges while working on the breathtaking “stampede” sequence in the film. This action-packed scene involves the rescue of Mantis, the Guardians, and over 500 animals from the clutches of the High Evolutionary on his ship.
Alexis Wajsbrot, a representative from Framestore London, revealed the complexity of orchestrating this intricate sequence. The team initially used plate shots featuring the Guardians running while holding gray beanbags to simulate animal interactions.
However, the final shots required the creatures and the Guardians’ hands to be rendered digitally to achieve the desired effect.
The scene also featured hand animation effects for Cosmo, who used her psychic powers to connect the two ships.
The challenges increased as the team had to synchronize the animals’ movements, the explosive effects, and the interactions among various creatures, including a monkey on top of a pig. Framestore relied heavily on meticulous frame-by-frame animations to bring this visually stunning scene to life.
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Rocket’s Heartbreaking Backstory and Transformations
The VFX team at Framestore worked on multiple stages of Rocket’s character, from his infancy inspired by real raccoons to his adult form with enhanced human-like characteristics.
Using the blend shape technique, Framestore achieved seamless transitions between different stages of Rocket’s growth. The team introduced subtle animations to evoke specific emotions, enhancing the character’s depth and resonance within the narrative.
VFX supervisor Stef Ceretti collaborated closely with director James Gunn, ensuring that Rocket’s poignant story unfolded convincingly.
Watch this video for more details!
The Unforgettable Battle Set to “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
The climactic battle sequence of this movie showcases the exceptional collaboration between VFX supervisor Guy Williams and animation supervisor Michael Cozens at Weta FX.
This action-packed scene, set to the iconic Beastie Boys track “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” features a two-minute-long continuous shot with 18 digitally stitched-together shots.
James Gunn’s unique vision and musical sensibility influenced the sequence, with the song’s beats meticulously integrated into the action.
Williams and Cozens, along with the VFX and stunt teams, worked meticulously to choreograph the scene, ensuring seamless transitions between live-action actors and digital characters.
The challenge lay in preserving rhythm and synchronization while seamlessly blending practical and digital elements.
The battle scene required precise timing and attention to detail during the handoff between live-action actors and digital characters. The team at Weta FX flawlessly executed this dynamic process, delivering a visually captivating and rhythmically precise sequence that captivated audiences.
Conclusion
Above is our share on the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 VFX. This movie stands as a testament to the remarkable collaboration and technical expertise of the visual effects teams involved.
From Framestore’s meticulous attention to eyeline accuracy to Weta FX’s seamless integration of practical, the film showcases the transformative power of visual effects in creating immersive cinematic experiences.
With over 3,000 VFX shots, the film promises to dazzle audiences with its extraordinary visual spectacle when it hits the big screen.
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