Emmy Awards 2023: Exceptional Rotoscoping Work by Scanline VFX on Shadow and Bone Series
Scanline VFX has left a lasting impression on Netflix's hit series, Shadow and Bone, with their exceptional visual effects (VFX) work. The team, led by Yahnis Ventura, was instrumental in developing and integrating various fantastical elements that brought the show's world to life.
One of Scanline VFX's most notable creations was the Fold, a magical fog teeming with monsters and lightning. The team's efforts in designing, constructing, and integrating this colossal, interactive structure were evident in its awe-inspiring presence throughout the series. The Fold's destruction in the finale, as well as Alina's earlier attempt while flying through it on an airship, were significant undertakings that showcased the team's expertise.
In Season 2, the Fold presented unique challenges due to its sheer scale and interaction with the surrounding geography. The team successfully met these challenges, ensuring that the Fold remained a captivating and believable part of the show's visual landscape.
Scanline VFX also handled the development of Alina's sun-summoning magical powers, a large part of their work on the show. The team's attention to detail was evident in the towering Fold, the arcing elements of Alina's magic, and the expansive digital environments.
The team faced the challenge of keeping these fantastical effects grounded in reality. They achieved this by creating a digital ocean for Episode 2, where Alina first amplifies her powers aboard a ship, and by making these magical effects look photoreal in the series.
The ship shots, with their complexity and beautiful final output, were a favorite for several members of the Scanline VFX team. The team heavily relied on the Boris FX Silhouette tool for these shots, using it for rotoscoping characters or elements, fine-tuning mattes for complex compositing, and performing detailed paint and cleanup work on shots requiring invisibility or visual consistency.
Scanline VFX also used Silhouette for roto work on various aspects of the series, including simple set roto, character rotos, and long frame range practical ship roto with sailing wires. The team heavily relied on Silhouette for painting out sailing wires from ship shots, which were challenging due to long frame ranges and changing perspectives.
Cameron Thomas led the development of Alina's powers at Scanline VFX, while Yahnis Ventura oversaw the FX team. The team members expressed pride in their work on Shadow and Bone overall. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, as Scanline VFX has been nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for their work on the series.
Despite the lack of specific information about the VFX tasks Scanline VFX used Boris FX Silhouette for in their work on Shadow and Bone (Season 2), industry knowledge suggests that they might have used it for rotoscoping characters or elements, fine-tuning mattes for complex compositing, or performing detailed paint and cleanup work on shots requiring invisibility or visual consistency. For accurate specifics, checking official behind-the-scenes materials from Scanline VFX or Boris FX announcements would be necessary.
- The Scanline VFX team, responsible for Alina's sun-summoning magical powers, also utilized technologies like the Boris FX Silhouette tool for painstaking detail work on shots, ensuring visual consistency and invisibility.
- Aside from the Fold, Scanline VFX's gadgetry extended to the series' technical aspects, with the Boris FX Silhouette tool being a key component in their rotoscoping, compositing, and painting tasks, particularly for shots involving sailing wires.
