--
Skylab develops new post-production workflow for Chappie --
Fri, 27 Mar 2015 10:00
--
Skylab post-house recently developed an innovative new workflow to tightly integrate creative grading with both editorial and VFX for Neill Blomkamp s new movie, Chappie. Working with visual effects studio, Image Engine, the team created a feature-finishing architecture which took advantage of FilmLight s BLG file format, Baselight and Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) technology.
During Skylab s work with Blomkamp on previous effects-heavy movie Elysium, the team began discussing ways to innovate even more on Chappie. They then designed an ACES colour workflow to weave VFX, dailies, editorial and colour grading together, giving everyone greater creative control across the production, along with more secure data management.
Chappie is set in the near future where crime is controlled by an oppressive mechanised police force. The title character realised entirely in VFX, based on a motion capture performance by Sharlto Copley is stolen and loaded with experimental software which allows it to think and feel for itself. But it s not just the central character that relies on VFX: armies of robots, new cityscapes and some impressive battles also needed to be created in post, so the majority of the movie is comprised of VFX shots.
Principal photography took place in South Africa, with a Baselight grading system on set to create proxies for editorial and to prepare the full resolution content for transport. Skylab, working as a digital version of the traditional lab, managed the entirety of the media, as well as colour metadata, on behalf of the studio.
Background plates were delivered to Image Engine and other VFX houses as OpenEXR files, using Aces to ensure consistency between viewing environments and BLG files to manage technical grade information in a non-destructive way. Skylab was then able to leverage Image Engine s own Baselight grading system to harmonise colour throughout the VFX process. The same result can also be achieved using any of the BLG-enabled products from FilmLight, including Baselight Editions, FLIP and Daylight.
Using Baselight s colour grading and finishing tools, creative director and colourist Andrea Chlebak developed the look before and during the shoot. Crafting the final look from the start of VFX in a movie where practically every frame has some effects in it was really valuable, she says. They were able to preview the full gamut of a shot on Baselight, and see where we were going to take it in grading on the fly.
Skylab s technical director Chris Davies also developed a range of custom LUTs to be applied automatically to particular scenes and VFX layers to ensure each element would work well together in the final grade. When a project involves as much VFX as Chappie, it is far better for editorial, effects and grading to take place in parallel to avoid the pressures that mount up at the end of a typical DI, says Davies. Skylab s Aces workflow blends the portability of BLG metadata files into their own multiverse conform architecture.
This workflow has profound implications for boosting productivity. In the past, visual effects companies and DI laboratories all had their own internal colour pipelines, Davies adds. Now we are finally at the point where we can link technologies together and produce an overall workflow that allows everybody to work with one unified system. FilmLight s BLG-supported systems, combined with ACES, are invaluable in helping us achieve that.
Related Articles
Pre-production begins on new SA sci-fi film Last Broken Darkness, a post-apocalyptic action film by DS Films and The Karoo Film Company, is in pre-production...
Read more...
A film crew runs on its stomach In 2006, AFDA graduate Gregg Abell, having found his professional interests shifting from film production to food service, founded his catering company, 5% Green and began offering its services to corporates...
Read more...
Hovering around The banning of camera-carrying drones by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) a few months ago caused quite a stir in the industry...
Read more...
Getting in on the ACTion A New York cop, Russian style gangsters, gunshots and a subliminal hostage. No, this is not a tagline for the next Van Damme blockbuster it s the premise of the ACTII Not Just For Movies Anymore TV commercial, by Volcano Advertising and Egg Films...
Read more...
SA costume designer wins prestigious international awardProlific South African costume designer Diana Cilliers received the Women s International Film & Television Showcase (TheWIFTS) Foundation International Visionary Award for her work on the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom...
Read more...
-- --
-- --
-- Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus
Africa Stories
25/04/2024
Prison Journalism: Understanding recidivism in South African prisonsDean Mashimbwe, a Zimbabwean migrant residing in Cape Town, was incarcerated at Pollsmoor Co...
25/04/2024
Prison Journalism: A glimpse inside Barberton PrisonJean-Pierre Le-Roux is a divorced father of two beautiful children. He was incarcerated for 20 months for po...
25/04/2024
Riverside Studios presents world premiere of MOFFIE' stage play MOFFIE delves into toxic masculinity and trauma in post-apartheid South Africa, reflecting...
25/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Kobus assigns Pretty a big caseDon't miss Thuresday, 25 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem Saam on SABC 1 on ...
24/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Someone makes the call to have Lehasa killedDon't miss Wednesday, 24 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem Saam ...
24/04/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Sphamandla and his goons force Keletso into their car...
24/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: A man smiles in the face of his friend while he deceives himDon't miss Wednesday, 24 April's riveting episode of South African soapi...
24/04/2024
Endearing character from The Simpsons' is killed off' after 35 years, ...
24/04/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Caesar continues to ask questions about ThandiswaDon't miss Wednesday, 24 April's riveting episode of South African soapie...
24/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Tuesday's episode, 23 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African so...
24/04/2024
Endearing Simpsons character killed off' after 35 years, fans in shockAn often-seen yet seldom-discussed character from the popular show The Simpsons drops...
23/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Pretty is shocked by what she finds out about LehasaDon't miss Tuesday, 23 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem...
23/04/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Bra Zakes asks Isaac to hold off going to the cops un...
23/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Monday's episode, 22 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
23/04/2024
Skeem Saam' May Spoiler: Inside Mr Kgomo, Eunice's romance? Skeem Saam' May teasers reveal that Melita will be jealous of Mr Kgomo and Eunice's ...
23/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle takes a huge risk on her quest to save her daughterDon't miss Tuesday, 23 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Sc...
22/04/2024
WATCH: Artists covering their favourite classicsArtists often watch other performers to get some of their inspiration. Check out some of these classic famous so...
22/04/2024
WATCH: Queen of hip-hop Lil2Hood thanks ParisProducer and DJ Lil2Hood (Flash.Wrldwide) has proved that she's a queen of modern hip-hop. Lil2Hood thanked Par...
22/04/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Funani informs Isaac about Nkosi seeing his hijacker ...
22/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: The carpet is pulled out from under NhlamuloDon't miss Monday, 22 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! on e.tv ...
22/04/2024
LGBTQ writers asked to submit their storiesWriters have been asked to submit their short stories (up to 20, 000 words) for an upcoming anthology called Just LG...
22/04/2024
[Watch] Queen of hip-hop Lil2Hood thanks ParisProducer and DJ Lil2Hood (Flash.Wrldwide) has proved that she's a queen of modern hip-hop. Lil2Hood thanked Pa...
22/04/2024
Isaac Mutant: HemelBesem gave me R2, 500'Cape town rapper Isaac Mutant claims he was paid less than everyone else's fee for the use of his music in Sho...
22/04/2024
Afrikaans (free) television shows you can STILL watchAfrikaans television shows are making a comeback through AfriForumTV. However, not everyone wants to see sh...
22/04/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Virginia learns Sonto and Sakhile slept togetherDon't miss Monday, 22 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Smo...
22/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Kgosi reveals the details of what he witnessed Lehasa doi...
21/04/2024
Gqeberha: The Empire' loses more viewers on DStvTshedza Pictures' isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha: The Empire' lost more viewers in March and was plac...
21/04/2024
Youngins' fans praise actor Thabiso Ramotshela as MahlatseSouth Africans praise former The River' actor Thabiso Ramotshela, who plays Mahlatse in Showm...
20/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Friday's episode, 19 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
19/04/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Thandiswa panics when she learns of possible evide...
19/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Khwezi stares death in the faceDon't miss Friday, 19 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem Saam on SABC 1 on DSt...
19/04/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Faith refuses to talk to Zola and to discuss the matt...
19/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Thursday's episode, 18 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African s...
19/04/2024
Prison Journalism: Tragic story of Jerry's life and crimesDavid van Nek was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2013 until 2015 and participated in the re...
19/04/2024
House of Zwide' Spoiler: Soka dates Mampho and OnaThe House of Zwide' May teasers reveal that Soka will date both Ona and Mampho and get caught. Will h...
19/04/2024
Beer: Seven celebrities talk about their loveBeer is one of the world's most popular beverages. We asked several celebrities about their favourite brews or ...
19/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Tlhogi cannot believe what she hears from TapsDon't miss Friday, 19 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! on e.t...
18/04/2024
Tonight on Smoke and Mirrors: Caesar almost finds Thandiswa with the bloody wedd...
18/04/2024
Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department' set to drop on FRIDAYTaylor Swift will release her highly anticipated record The Tortured Poets Departme...
18/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lehasa puts his plan to eliminate Khwezi in motionDon't miss Thursday, 18 April's riveting episode of South African soapie Skeem ...
18/04/2024
Prison Journalism: April's experiences of black boudoirThabo Mthembu was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2014 to 2019. Read Thabo's story
by Tha...
18/04/2024
Prison Journalism: Can gangsterism and violence be reduced in prison?Dean Mashimbwe, a Zimbabwean migrant residing in Cape Town, was incarcerated at Pollsmoor C...
18/04/2024
Software-making music: How DJs are doing itSoftware plays a big part in music production, recording, and performances. Here's what DJs are using, and how yo...
18/04/2024
Tonight on House of Zwide: Zanele later blindsides an unwitting Faith into meeti...
18/04/2024
Debut author stuns with international bestselling thriller Anna O'Matthew Blake burst onto the book scene with his bestseller Anna O', a deliciously d...
18/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Wednesday's episode, 17 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African ...
18/04/2024
Watch: Trailers for the best Afrikaans movies ever madeDon't know what to watch? Here are some of the best Afrikaans movie trailers ever made, including Too...
17/04/2024
Isitha: The Enemy' is the second-watched TV show on e.tvE.tv's popular telenovela, Isitha: The Enemy' secured second place on the channel with over...
17/04/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Dintle reels in the line but it seems she's the only one...
-- 
