Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Building a Better Vampire: How Digital Domain's VFX Helped Morbius' Evolve Beyond Practical Effects

26/06/2022

Building a Better Vampire: How Digital Domain's VFX Helped Morbius' Evolve Beyond Practical Effects

Brie Clayton June 16, 2022

0 Comments

Fully Emotive, Monstrous Faces Created Using an Evolution of the Tech Used to Make Thanos; Virtual Production Employed to Finalize the Final Battle

In Sony Pictures' latest foray into the world of comic-based superheroes, the title character of Morbius is something of an anomaly. One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen as Oscar -winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil -or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges? His existence is both extraordinary and tortured, which lead both the filmmakers and star to consider new ways to express those emotions, while remaining true to the inhuman, vampiric look of the character. That led the studio to tap into the expertise of the leading digital human experts, award-winning VFX studio, Digital Domain.

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.

Our digital human team is creating technology that makes it possible for visual effects to expand storytelling in ways that just weren't possible even a few years ago, while also enhancing the performances of the talent on screen, said John Fragomeni, global president of Digital Domain. As the primary VFX vendor on Morbius, we've been working closely with both the stars and filmmakers, and that has given us the freedom to really iterate on the designs and push the technology.

A Modern Day Monster Digital Domain began its work on Morbius by designing the final look for each character's vampiric forms, with the goal of creating photorealistic, monstrous looks, without restricting them through the use of prosthetics or sitting in a makeup chair for hours each day. Despite having a rough idea of what the character Morbius should look like thanks to his comic origins, the final look still required countless tweaks to ensure everything fit the filmmakers' vision -from the jagged teeth to the exact pigmentation in the skin. The character of Milo's vampiric form (Matt Smith) was also an original design, created by Digital Domain.

In Morbius, the advances to Digital Domain's facial capture software allowed the team to record nearly double the geometry resolution and details used to create Thanos in the Avengers films, another character created by Digital Domain. With the final look of each vampire determined, the stars performed their scenes live on set wearing facial capture markers. Each performer also recorded a full range of facial expressions and movements, in order to create a complete facial geometry for each subject. Following principal photography, several scenes were then later re-filmed on a motion capture stage, giving Director Daniel Espinosa the ability to adjust and fine-tune the monster performances as needed.

With the facial data secured, Digital Domain then employed its facial capture system Masquerade, a proprietary tool designed to produce the highest fidelity facial animation possible, faster than ever before, all without limiting the performer's on-set movements. From there, artists were able to turn the high-resolution face model into a high-resolution, photorealistic digital character. Artists then made the necessary adjustments to ensure that the CG version of the character was an exact match to the original subject's performance, including all the nuance conveyed by the award-winning cast. The VFX house also altered the CG faces as needed to adjust the proportions. That included digitally removing and replacing the performers' cheek bones as needed, to highlight the more sunken look.

Along with the core look of the vampiric characters, Digital Domain also created multiple variations of the character Morbius, highlighting his evolution throughout the film. Five separate versions of the character were seen, from the earliest moments where just hints of the coming transformation are present to a final form where Morbius gives into his rage and unleashes a truly monstrous look at the character. The filmmakers were also able to introduce another unique story element, known as the bloom, where the characters are seen to momentarily morph from their human visage to their vampiric alter ego, adding another storytelling tool to the filmmakers' arsenal.

Masquerade is in a class of its own, and it gives filmmakers the ability to create better CG faces faster, without sacrificing the nuance and subtlety of the actor's performance, said Digital Domain's Matthew Butler, production visual effects supervisor on Morbius. It was already the most advanced tool of its kind when Digital Domain's Digital Human Group developed it to create Thanos, and the version we used on Morbius is at least a generation more advanced.

Vampiric Powers Unleashed To complement the design of the vampires, Digital Domain also developed the look of the superpowered effects throughout the film. This included the speed and fighting sequences, which primarily used animated digidoubles of the characters, created after a two-week motion capture session featuring the main performers and stunt people. Digital Domain also developed the look of Morbius' echo-loca
LINK: https://creativecow.net/building-a-better-vampire-how-digital-domains-...
See more stories from creativecow

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

04/05/2026

just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 are available to download!

just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026 are available to download! More Details:At NAB 2026, ToolsOnAir showcased just:play pro 2026 and just:live pro 2026, ...

04/05/2026

just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS

just:in mac pro 2026 - The Next Level of Professional Recording on macOS More Details:The headline innovation in just:in mac pro 2026 is the new Auto format si...

04/05/2026

SVG Sit-Down: NEP Americas Mike Werteen on How Great Tech, Better People Drive Success

Hardware is still an emphasis - Supershooter 11 is new, and REMI-based 65 is in ...

04/05/2026

Beyond 90 Minutes: How K League's Soccer Blueprint for Growth Has Lessons for Everyone

Head of International Business Development Min Joo Kim explores the league's...

04/05/2026

Audio-Technica ATND1061 and ATUC Discussion Systems Certified for Crestron Automate VX

Audio-Technica has announced that its ATND1061 ceiling array microphone and ATUC...

04/05/2026

Triple B Media Launches Bowling TV, a 24/7 FAST Channel Dedicated to Bowling

Triple B Media has launched Bowling TV, a free ad-supported television (FAST) channel dedicated to bowling. The channel is available on Prime Video, LG Channels...

04/05/2026

PlayMetrics Acquires SportsEngine from Versant

PlayMetrics, a provider of operations management software for youth sports organizations, has announced the completion of its acquisition of substantially all t...

04/05/2026

IHSE GmbH Appoints Dr. Thomas Niessen as CEO

IHSE GmbH has announced that Dr. Thomas Niessen has joined as CEO and Managing Director, effective May 1, 2026. He joins Frank Breitenfelder, who has served as ...

04/05/2026

PMY Group Deploys Optic Crowd Intelligence Platform at Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

PMY Group deployed its AI-powered crowd intelligence platform, Optic, at the For...

04/05/2026

Behind The Mic: Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless to Reunite for First Take Episode; Donna Brothers Worked Final Kentucky Derby

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

04/05/2026

Spotify Brings Fashion and Podcasting Together With Mina Le and Mia Calabrese

Last week, guests gathered in New York City for On Air, In Style: An Evening with Spotify-a night of conversation, culture, and connection celebrating the inter...

04/05/2026

Avid introduce Pro Tools 2026.4

New music & post-production features added Avid's latest DAW update delivers an array of helpful features aimed at both music and post-production users,...

04/05/2026

SAG-AFTRA, Studios Reach Tentative Agreement

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/05/2026

Study: Paramount-WBD Deal Signals New Era of Streaming Scale

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/05/2026

Student Spotlight: Joshua Griffin

Student Spotlight: Joshua Griffin The New Orleans native, who was named the 2026 student commencement speaker for Boston Conservatory at Berklee, talks about ...

04/05/2026

It's Andrew! stomps onto screens this June

It's Andrew! stomps onto screens this June 4 May 2026 The ABC and Screen Australia are delighted to announce that brand new preschool series, It's Andr...

03/05/2026

Melbourne Instruments' Nina gains Braids engine

Polysynth now features Mutable Instruments' macro oscillators Melbourne Instruments have just released a free firmware update that brings the engine beh...

03/05/2026

Introducing the new Mistika Workflows Suite: transformative and cost-effective for every user

Introducing the new Mistika Workflows Suite: transformative and cost-effective f...

03/05/2026

Introducing the new Mistake Workflows Suite: transformative and cost-effective for every user

Introducing the new Mistake Workflows Suite: transformative and cost-effective f...

03/05/2026

Filming begins on the third and final season of Breathless

Back to All News Filming begins on the third and final season of Breathless Entertainment 03 May 2026 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Discover the vi...

02/05/2026

Release Rundown: What to Watch in May, From Saccharine to Tuner

(L-R) Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall appear in Tuner by Daniel Roher, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of Sundance In...

02/05/2026

Warm Audio launch the Reamper

Versatile re-amping tool announced Warm Audio are best known for their recreations of sought-after vintage studio gear, but their latest release brings a ne...

02/05/2026

FCC Releases Tentative Agenda for May Open Meeting

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

02/05/2026

Sinclair Remains Bullish on Station M&A

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

02/05/2026

NABLF Announces 2026 Broadcast Leadership Training Award Winners

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

02/05/2026

Gravity Media Taps Custom Consoles for Work on Production Center

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

02/05/2026

May 01, 2026

Scripps Research immunologist Dennis Burton elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences A leader in broadly neutralizing antibodies, Burton has helped driv...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

Ratings Roundup: NBA Playoffs Return to NBC Sports up 38%; NFL Draft Down 12% Overall From 2025

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...

01/05/2026

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing Appoints Will Wright as Chief Operating Officer to Drive Global Growth and Operational Excellence

BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing ( BKB ), today announced the appointment of Will Wright ...

01/05/2026

NAB Rewind: Lawo's Andreas Hilmer on the Power of the Edge One AV Stagebox

Lawo has been at the center of the industry's transition to IP and other next-generation technologies. At NAB 2026, its story was the Edge One AV stagebox, ...

01/05/2026

Kentucky Derby 152 to Air Across 19 Networks in 170-Plus Territories

HBA Media, acting on behalf of NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Incorporated, has announced broadcast and streaming distribution for Kentucky Derby 152, taking pl...

01/05/2026

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Barbara Kopple, the Director of American Dream

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

01/05/2026

Find Out Which The Devil Wears Prada 2' Character You Are With Our New Playlist

Florals for spring? Groundbreaking. But a playlist that tells you which The Devi...

01/05/2026

Olivia Rodrigo Takes Over FC Barcelona Jersey for El Clsico Match at Spotify Camp Nou

One of the world's biggest popstars is headed to El Cl sico. Later this mont...

01/05/2026

Heritage Audio announce the Baby RAM Black Edition

Limited-edition model celebrates 15th anniversary Heritage Audio's range of monitor controllers has just gained a new member, the Baby RAM Black Edition...

01/05/2026

Universal Audio release UAD Enigmatic '82 Overdrive Special Amp

Dumble recreation now available as UAD plug-in Along with their renowned processing plug-ins, Universal Audio have been steadily introducing emulations of c...

01/05/2026

UPDATED: Republican AGs Join Nexstar-Tegna Antitrust Suit

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/05/2026

Broadcaster Draper Media Names Bill Vernon President

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/05/2026

Analysts: 'Hollywood's Vertical Video Strategy Is Dead Wrong'

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

01/05/2026

Lightware UK celebrates new London showroom with launch e...

To celebrate the opening of its new showroom and office, Lightware UK hosted a dedicated launch event at the new London location. The event welcomed partners, c...

01/05/2026

Calrec Puts Broadcaster Choice Centre Stage at MPTS 2026

Choice without compromise The broadcast industrys transformation is accelerating, and traditional broadcasters are having to fundamentally reinvent how they o...

01/05/2026

Beam Dynamics Showcases its Asset Intelligence Platform a...

Beam Dynamics will return to MPTS 2026 with its asset intelligence platform, helping systems integrators, live production teams, media facilities and profession...

01/05/2026

Synamedia and FX Digital collaborate to bring GO Shorts a...

Best-in-class UX design and rapid, scalable delivery for next-generation viewing experiences Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced a coll...

01/05/2026

Compact new cforce MAX lens motor brings unrivaled speed and responsiveness to the Hi-5 ecosystem

Compact new cforce MAX lens motor brings unrivaled speed and responsiveness to t...

01/05/2026

Panavision welcomes Fritz Heinzle as Vice President of Sales

Panavision welcomes Fritz Heinzle as Vice President of Sales Brie Clayton May 1, 2026 0 Comments Heinzle will support Panavision's global growth s...