Muse VFX creates visual effects for 'Y: The Last Man' with Fusion Studio

Fusion Studio, solution developed by Blackmagic Design, has been used by Muse VFX to create visual effects and animations for television fiction And: The last man.

Based on the hit comic series, And: The last man narra las repercusiones de un cataclismo que aniquila todos los mamíferos con un cromosoma Y, salvo un único hombre y su mono mascota. Los sobrevivientes intentarán recuperar lo perdido y construir algo mejor. El programa está protagonizado por Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Ben Schnetzer y Amber Tamblyn, entre otros, y se encuentra disponible en la plataforma FX of Hulu.

Fusión Studio of Blackmagic Design fue la solución empleada para generar algunos elementos clave del mundo postapocalíptico en el que se desarrolla la trama, tales como explosiones fotorrealistas, vehículos y objetos computarizados, composiciones con máscaras y extensiones virtuales de los estudios. John Gross, co-founder of Muse VFX, provides more details: “We use Fusion on explosions, helicopter crashes and virtual set extensions, as well as other less noticeable effects, such as split screens and compositions with blue backgrounds.”

Key scenes

The team of Muse VFX has highlighted some of the key moments in which they have gotten the most out of Fusion Studio. Fred Pienkos, cofundador y supervisor de efectos especiales, destaca las escenas que transcurren en el Pentágono: “Utilizamos una parte de los pasillos del Pentágono durante el rodaje. Posteriormente, recurrimos a Fusion a fin de extenderlos y renderizarlos, así como para seguir el movimiento de las cámaras, aplicar técnicas rotoscópicas, realizar composiciones con fondos azules y añadir iluminación”.

Otro momento clave fue la explosión de una bomba en una casa. Dado que no se habían filmado efectos, el equipo empleó medidas obtenidas con un dispositivo LIDAR las referencias fotográficas para recrear la secuencia de efectos visuales. A fin de lograrlo, fue necesario recurrir a una gran cantidad de capas con el propósito de integrar la explosión de la casa con el entorno, que incluía varios árboles y arbustos, algunos de los cuales debieron ser sustituidos por plantas generadas digitalmente.

Pienkos provides further insights: "Camera tracking and rotoscoping techniques, as well as foliage, debris and digital flames, were combined in Fusion Studio, including a simulation of car windows exploding as a result of the detonation. Our goal was to make the effects as realistic as possible. Likewise, we created a crash sequence that began with a helicopter hanging off a building and then falling to the ground. Fusion Studio was great for integrating the computerized elements with the images. filmed images and making the effects look photoreal.”

Material generated in 5K

According to Muse VFX, the work dynamics in And: The last man It is closer to that of the cinema than to that usually seen on television: "The quality gap that existed between film and television has completely disappeared. Today, television demands the same level of detail and skill traditionally reserved for the film industry. By filming the series with anamorphic lenses in 5K resolution, its stylized appearance is more similar to that of a film,” says Pienkos.

Once the entire season has been delivered, the Muse VFX team is satisfied with having chosen the Blackmagic Design solution. Gross, while highlighting that the project “was not easy,” also states that “our team knew how to face the challenge, and with tools like Fusion Studio, we had fun doing it.” For its part, Pienkos openly praises the software: “Fusion Studio is the fundamental pillar of our compositions, and it was the only program we used when working on And: The last man. It allows artists to be creative and versatile in their approach when processing shots or sequences. From preparation, rotoscoping, overlays, tracking and particle systems to final compositing, Fusion Studio is just what we need. “Its quality, speed and efficiency make it an exceptional tool for this series.”