Shadow and Bone's Enchanting Rotoscoping by Scanline VFX Recognized at Emmy Awards 2023
In the visually stunning world of Shadow and Bone, Scanline VFX played a significant role in bringing the fantastical elements to life. The team's work was particularly noteworthy in the destruction of The Fold and the showcasing of Alina's magical powers, which presented significant visual effects (VFX) undertakings.
Cameron Thomas led the development of Alina's powers, showcased in Episode 2 of Shadow and Bone. Meanwhile, Yahnis Ventura headed the FX team responsible for the destruction of The Fold and Alina's sun-summoning magical powers.
For the intricate roto work on The Fold, a towering magical fog cloud filled with monsters and lightning, Scanline VFX relied heavily on Boris FX Silhouette. The software's robust roto and paint capabilities were essential in creating precise mattes and masks over extended sequences, especially when dealing with complex, long-duration shots.
Silhouette's advanced spline and vector-based roto tools enabled artists to handle long frame ranges without losing accuracy or performance, a critical factor for Shadow and Bone scenes involving intricate character movements and interactions.
In addition to The Fold, Silhouette was also used extensively for digital cleanup, removing unwanted artifacts, wires, rigs, or set elements, and for tracking and stabilization support. This helped maintain roto shapes accurately on fast-moving or complexly lit subjects.
The ship shots, with their complexity and beautiful final output, were a favourite for some team members to work on. The use of Silhouette was essential in completing challenging roto and paint tasks, such as removing sailing wires from ship shots with changing perspectives.
Other VFX work included the design, construction, and integration of several digital environment sets, such as the Ravkan countryside and the First Army Fortress castle. The team was proud of their work on Shadow and Bone overall, as they successfully kept fantastical, magical effects grounded in reality.
Adam Balentine, VFX Supervisor for Scanline VFX's work on Shadow and Bone (Season 2), expressed excitement about the Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects. The nomination is a testament to the team's dedication and hard work in creating the show's visually rich sequences.
In the second season of Shadow and Bone, The Fold presented a new challenge due to its scale and interaction with the surrounding geography. Scanline VFX was also responsible for creating a digital ocean for a scene where Alina amplifies her powers aboard a ship.
The team's work on Shadow and Bone showcases their expertise in delivering high-quality, frame-accurate roto mattes and seamless paint cleanup on demanding long takes, ensuring the integration of VFX elements looked natural and clean throughout the show's visually rich sequences.
Technology played a crucial role in the creation of visually stunning sequences for 'Shadow and Bone'. For instance, Cameron Thomas and Yahnis Ventura utilized advanced software like Boris FX Silhouette to develop Alina's powers and destroy The Fold, respectively, in the series. Furthermore, technology was extensively used for digital cleanup, tracking, and stabilization, ensuring the roto shapes remained accurate on complex subjects, contributing to the overall entertainment value of the movies-and-tv show.
