Interview with Adam Bradley, Rotoscope Department Head, Wētā FX
In the world of visual effects (VFX), precision and efficiency are key. Wētā FX, a leading VFX studio, has been making waves with their outstanding work on films like Better Man, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Alien: Romulus. A crucial tool in their arsenal is the advanced rotoscoping software, Silhouette.
Silhouette, a powerful rotoscoping tool, offers features such as manual drawing tools for frame-by-frame mask creation and AI-driven masking for automatic object isolation. These features streamline the VFX pipeline, making it more efficient and accurate.
Manual Rotoscoping, a tedious yet essential process, sees artists meticulously creating masks for objects in video frames. With Silhouette, this process becomes smoother, thanks to precision drawing tools and the ability to create complex masks.
AI Masking, on the other hand, automates much of the rotoscoping process. It identifies and isolates objects within a scene, reducing the need for manual frame-by-frame work. This technology significantly speeds up the VFX process, allowing teams to focus on more complex tasks.
The integration of these rotoscoping tools with other software in the pipeline, such as Nuke or Adobe After Effects, ensures a seamless blend of live-action footage and CGI elements. Once masked, these elements can be easily keyed (removed from the background) and tracked, ensuring that CGI elements align perfectly with the live-action footage, even when the camera moves.
Wētā FX's Head of Rotoscope Department, Adam Bradley, has been using Silhouette for over 20 years. He leads a team that works closely with the Compositing Department and Production, ensuring that the rotoscoping process is seamless and efficient.
Better Man, a film primarily shot without bluescreen, presented a unique challenge due to the amount of roto work required. Wētā FX's roto artists relied on Boris FX Silhouette and Mocha Pro in their workflow to tackle this challenge.
On Alien: Romulus, artists used Silhouette to enhance existing practical effects, requiring a delicate touch and precise roto work. The open spline tool in Silhouette was particularly useful for dialling in hair detail.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Better Man called for a large amount of roto in a short time frame, requiring efficient and constant collaboration with the compositing team. For Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, artists had to perform full action character roto for live-action characters interacting with CG characters, and the work had to be split up to integrate the CG apes.
Adam Bradley, who has worked on the previous three Ape films, found it rewarding to work on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. He oversees the department, drives technical requirements, recruits new talent, and occasionally works on shots.
The relationship between Adam Bradley and the Silhouette developers has been strong, with prompt interaction and attention to artists' ideas. The new Mask ML node, Matte Assist ML, Optical Flow, and Motion Blur in Silhouette have become core to some workflows, speeding up overall workflows.
For artists new to Silhouette, Mask ML can assist with not only bash roto but also keying and paint tasks. Understanding the importance of tracking and combining it with the Mocha Pro workflow is also crucial for optimising the workflow.
Silhouette is considered the most powerful tool for VFX Roto and Paint, and it's the industry standard. With its node-based workflow and easy-to-use layering system, separating characters and adjustments becomes a breeze.
In conclusion, advanced rotoscoping tools like Silhouette play a vital role in Wētā FX's VFX pipelines, enhancing efficiency and quality in their projects. From Better Man's challenging roto work to the intricate detailing in Alien: Romulus, these tools have proven to be invaluable in creating visually stunning VFX.
Technology, especially advanced rotoscoping software like Silhouette, is integral to Wētā FX's VFX pipelines, streamlining processes and ensuring precision in their projects. For instance, the AI Masking feature of Silhouette significantly speeds up the rotoscoping process, reducing manual labour and allowing teams to focus on more complex tasks.
Gadgets, such as Silhouette and Mocha Pro, are essential tools in Wētā FX's arsenal, offering features like AI-driven masking and manual drawing tools that help create visually stunning VFX, such as in films like Better Man and Alien: Romulus.
