TV/STREAMING
THE RISE AND FUTURE OF HIGH-END EPISODIC VFX By TREVOR HOGG
TOP: MPC Episodic created a post-apocalyptic environment for The Witcher. (Image courtesy of MPC and Netflix) OPPOSITE TOP TO BOTTOM: Image Engine, which contributed to The Mandalorian, was originally seen as a television visual effects studio, making it difficult to garner film work, but that paradigm no longer exists. (Image courtesy of Image Engine and Lucasfilm) ILM had fun dealing with the Loki variants, including an alligator, for Marvel Studios and Disney+ series Loki. (Image courtesy of ILM and Marvel Studios) Serving as a bridge between Seasons 2 and 3 of The Mandalorian is The Book of Bobba Fett. (Image courtesy of ILM and Disney)
When it comes to witnessing what is achievable with visual effects, no longer does one have to go to a theater, as high-end episodic has essentially become a long form cinematic experience that can be enjoyed by turning on a television or mobile device. This is not going to change with streamers spending billions of dollars to create content to stand apart from their like-minded competitors. The result is an impressive array of shows that are not lacking in storytelling ambition, whether it be The Wheel of Time, The Witcher, Foundation or The Book of Boba Fett. Virtual production has become synonymous with The Mandalorian, but this innovative methodology is only an aspect of the visual effects landscape which continues to evolve technologically. What does the future look like for the visual effects industry and episodic productions in the pandemic and post-pandemic era? This is a question that we try to answer by consulting the players responsible for producing the wealth of content that is available for viewers to watch. Robin Hackl, Visual Effects Supervisor & Co-founder, Image Engine “The requirements of television work are identical to feature film work in many ways. But back then it was much less resolution involved with the final output. Interestingly, we became known as a television visual effects house, and that precluded us from actually doing feature film work. It came with a stigma back in those days and was a large barrier that we had to break through. District 9 was a tipping point of recognition of us being able to execute on large-scale work. “Shawn Walsh [General Manger and Executive Producer, Image Engine] has done a good job of holding the line. Placing the value on what we deliver to the client and making them understand what that value is and why it is of value. The shortened timelines
16 • VFXVOICE.COM SUMMER 2022
PG 16-24 EPISODIC.indd 16
5/3/22 3:38 PM
