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Unseen Visual Effects Manipulations Exert Invisible Control over Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio by BOT VFX

Discover the methods employed by artists on the film that won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, utilizing Silhouette, to handle complex rotoscoping and painting assignments.

Unseen Visual Effects Manipulations Exert Control over Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio by BOT VFX
Unseen Visual Effects Manipulations Exert Control over Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio by BOT VFX

Unseen Visual Effects Manipulations Exert Invisible Control over Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio by BOT VFX

In the creation of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, the MPC visual effects team led by VFX supervisor Aaron Weintraub, blended traditional stop-motion animation with digital effects to produce a visually stunning masterpiece.

The team relied on the flexibility and comprehensive options of Boris FX Silhouette to manage intricate roto and paint tasks within the same session, ensuring harmonious workflow. Srikanth S., a member of the team, expressed unwavering trust in Silhouette's capabilities, stating that it outshines other applications in handling such complex tasks.

The team used Nuke, a node-based compositing software, to prep tasks that required applying matte extractions and using element plates. After roto shapes were finalised in Silhouette, they were exported to Foundry Nuke using the updated export option, facilitating seamless integration of the digital effects.

Each frame of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio was meticulously crafted, exuding a breathtaking beauty. Being part of this project was an exhilarating journey for the team, as they worked tirelessly to elevate the efficiency and final results using Silhouette.

The non-destructive approach of Silhouette was particularly beneficial in accommodating plate swaps with updated versions, ensuring the consistency of the visual effects throughout the film. This approach, combined with the robust features of Silhouette, empowered the artists to navigate complex challenges in roto and paint.

Together, Boris FX Silhouette and Foundry Nuke helped polish the stop-motion frames and integrate the practical animation with the digital effects, ensuring visual consistency while maintaining the handcrafted look characteristic of stop-motion. The animation started as traditional stop-motion, then these tools were employed to digitally enhance and composite effects like weather, explosions, and environment extensions, effectively elevating the visual storytelling without compromising the tactile quality of the original animation.

In conclusion, the use of Boris FX Silhouette and Foundry Nuke in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio was instrumental in creating a visually stunning stop-motion film, blending traditional and digital techniques seamlessly to produce a masterpiece that delights audiences worldwide.

[1] Source: Collider, "The VFX Breakdown of Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio", 2023.

The visual effects team leveraged technology like Boris FX Silhouette and data-and-cloud-computing to streamline intricate roto and paint tasks, integrating them seamlessly with the traditional stop-motion animation in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. Silhouette, with its robust features, proved to be an invaluable asset in handling such complex tasks, surpassing other applications in efficiency and performance.

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