How Digital Domain Created Beauty from Decay in HBO's The Last of Us
Brie Clayton May 2, 2023
0 Comments
The Emmy and Oscar-Nominated Studio Contributed Significant Work for the Fourth Episode and the Season Finale
Throughout its thirty-year history, Academy Award-winning VFX studio Digital Domain has created some of the most memorable and impressive photorealistic digital environments ever seen in films, episodics and more. But for HBO's hit new series The Last of Us, the production asked them to go even further. Along with building a digital world highlighting 20 years of decay, Digital Domain collaborated with the production to help tell the story of the last days of civilization. The VFX studio was happy to oblige.
Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!
This happens because the functionality/content marked as Google Youtube uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.
The team behind The Last of Us had a clear and impressive vision of the world, and they wanted to use the visuals to help drive the narrative in subtle and powerful ways, said Digital Domain VFX Supervisor Mitch Drain. Working with the production, we wanted to show that in the ruin of the world, there was a certain beauty to it all, which really let us stretch our artistic sensibilities.
Based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name developed by Naughty Dog for the PlayStation platforms, The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Digital Domain was tasked with giving Ellie - and the audience - a first look at a world overrun by nature. Working closely with the production, the VFX artists were given the freedom to design glimpses into the post-apocalyptic world, which were later connected through a montage of Joel and Ellie driving across the country in the fourth episode, Please Hold to My Hand. Building on live-action footage, Digital Domain's artists created several snapshots of how things would look without people, and how some of those final moments before the end of civilization may have played out.
Digital Domain began with a shot of Ellie and Joel driving across a long-abandoned bridge. To create this shot, the artists started with data and photography of the actual bridge, including LiDAR of the metallic structure straddling a flowing river. The team questioned how 20 years of neglect, unchecked growth and weather would impact this type of structure, before employing Photoshop and SpeedTree to create the overgrowth and decay, along with Maya for all 3D work. Additional digital assets were added, including abandoned cars, debris and trawlers in the water, while Houdini was used to create flowing water breaking around digital elements in the river. All shots were rendered in V-Ray, and everything was then matchmoved to the live-action footage.
After Joel and Ellie cross the bridge, they catch several glimpses of the last days of the world. The VFX team received footage of a fleet of FedEx trucks left in place to show how rapid the fall of civilization was. Artists digitally aged the trucks before adding decay and the sprawling Cordyceps fungus. Next, the duo see a collection of military vehicles ranging from tanks to troop carriers - created using both real plates and digital assets - all digitally augmented to suggest at a glance that the soldiers haphazardly abandoned the equipment.
To cap off the montage, Joel and Ellie pass a ruined train hanging precariously over a collapsed set of elevated tracks. The VFX team added double-decker train cars to establish that it was a passenger vehicle, adding another layer to the tragedy. The train and tracks were then added to existing plates, and lighting effects were introduced to highlight the silver coloring of the cars. Additional Houdini effects were also introduced, including tumbling leaves and digital grass blowing in the wind.
May 1, 2023Chinese Hit Series Three-Body Graded with DaVinci Resolve StudioBlackmagic Design today announced that Chinese hit sci fi TV series "Three-Body" was
March 31, 2023How Digital Domain Went Full CG to Create M.O.D.O.K. for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania'Proprietary Masquerade 2.0 Facial Capture System and Neural Networks Help Award-Winning VFX
Digital Domain capped it off with the first look at the decaying remains of Kansas City. The production filmed several shots in Calgary, Alberta to create the midwestern American urban environment. Working from those plates, Digital Domain added military vehicles and removed elements that didn't fit the look of a post-apocalyptic city. Finally, artists added the finishing touches, including overgrowth, decay and fungus, while ensuring the area retained a certain visual appeal.
The VFX team wrapped up its work on the series by contributing to the season finale, Look for the Light. As Joel and Ellie drive toward their final destination against a backdrop of CG environments, they pass a digitally created sign that reads Welcome to Wyoming, signifying the end of their journey.
The Last of Us season one is available now exclusively on HBO Max.
Enjoying the news? Sign up for the Creative COW Newsletter! Sign up for the Creative COW newsletter and get weekly updates on industry news, forum highlights, jobs, inspirational tutorials, tips, burning questions, and more! Receive bulletins from the largest, longest-running commu
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
How Digital Domain Created Beauty from Decay in HBO's The Last of Us 
