Dune's Eyes of Ibad Monitored by Wylie Co. through Mocha Pro Software
Wylie Co., a visual effects studio based in Culver City, CA, has made a significant impact on Denis Villeneuve's epic film, Dune. The studio, founded by Jacob Maymudes with a vision of an artist and programmer-led company free of ego and competition, provided previs, postvis, and final visual effects for the movie.
Maymudes, who is also the CEO and chief creative officer of Wylie Co., and acted as a VFX supervisor on Dune, emphasizes the importance of creating imagery that stands the test of time. The studio's work is permanently archived in the Library of Congress, a testament to its enduring quality.
One of the standout features of Dune's visual effects is the deep blue eyes, known as The Eyes of Ibad, that appear in nearly 450 eye shots throughout the film. Maymudes and his team focused on these shots, using Mocha Pro's planar tracking tools for accurate tracking and stabilization of environmental elements in desert scenes.
Mocha Pro was instrumental in getting the eye tracks for all the blue eye shots in the movie. Rotoscoping and matte creation were also employed to isolate characters or elements for compositing. Object removal or cleanup was used to eliminate unwanted set pieces or wires. The digital effects were then integrated with compositing software such as Nuke or Adobe After Effects for layering.
The studio's team dipped its toes into virtual production with the development of Vislab and Wylie Cam, a mobile 3D visualization tool for iOS and Android devices, at the request of Denis Villeneuve. The app, initially released for free, allows users to control a camera in Maya and is available for $1.99. However, it may be taken down due to maintenance requirements and the studio's busy schedule.
Jacob Villeneuve used an iPad to control camera movements for huge wide shots on planet Arrakis with the help of the developed app. Patrick Heinen, a colleague of Maymudes, also acted as a VFX supervisor on Dune.
Dune has won several visual effects awards this season, including BAFTA, VES, and an Academy Award for Achievement in Visual Effects. The success of the film is a testament to Wylie Co.'s dedication to creating high-quality visual effects that enhance the storytelling.
Wylie Co. mainly uses Mocha Pro as a standalone version for their work, but some artists prefer the OFX Nuke plugin. Maymudes envisions Wylie Co. as a place where the best idea can come from any team member, regardless of their position, and be celebrated without bias. The studio occasionally uses Mocha sister products Sapphire and Continuum depending on project needs.
Without specific source data, precise workflows from Wylie Co. for Dune cannot be confirmed or detailed. If official making-of content, interviews, or technical breakdowns from Wylie Co. or Denis Villeneuve’s team become available, they would provide exact workflows involving Mocha Pro or other software used.
