Rodrigo Rodrigues

Visual effects role in the film “Onde há vida, há esperança”

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Introduction paragraph

Shooting a film requires a large amount of planning for all departments, particularly to the creator`s content. Guiding you reader, to the core of a film production. In this autobiographical study, will be revealed the creative process and the practical work planning, in how the visual effects was introduced from the early stages of the beginning of the project, to the end. Covering the development/concept, script writing, pre-production, production and post-production.

Film lovers and film industry professionals get interested in what goes on behind the scenes throughout an entire film production. The magic of making films not just attracts the general public and spectator’s curiosity around the stars of a movie, as also, in how it is made. Often industry professionals also investigate and discuss other departments to increase their professional skills around the technical side of making a film.

Holding hands with you reader, film lovers, and or industry professionals, as the screenwriter, director, producer and as a first time visual effects supervisor, I will go through all of the relevant key points, to build up the right decisions used to organise the entire project, from the conception towards the completion of the film Onde há vida há esperança (2023).

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Chapter 1

The concept, screenwriting, period drama, VFX and photorealism.

Based on true events, the narrative begins in the time when Brazil was starting a new era of free labour, since the abolitionist movements started to gain strength since the beginning of the 19th century. Known for its vast lands, Brazil came to be seen as a new opportunity for many.

Italy 1886 – Millions of Italians notoriously start a mass emigration to Brazil, leaving their families behind, believing one day to be able to find them again. The protagonist Santo Cereser, a young farmer, father of a family, after losing almost everything that he had, like most Italians and to escape the economic crises, goes to Brazil. Attracted by the opportunity to cover the workforce in Brazil that was supplied by slavery, Santo, in the midst of hope and sadness, says goodbye to his family, starting a hard and emotional journey on a steamboat, which could cost his life.

The concept of the film, based different and ethnic groups fighting to survive a specific and distinct period of history, in between two nations, in a time far back of our own, I knew from the day one, Visual effects was going to play an essential role in this production.

Preparatory to go ahead with the scriptwriting, I understood that photorealism would be my approaching solution, to a seamless combination in between real objects, scenery and the CGI to be added later on, in post-production.

The image quality and photorealism, is highly venerated as manufacturers products and megapixels of the phones for example are judged by their screen quality and resolution (Dinur 2021).

However, my background in directing, producing, and visual effects helps me approach writing in a way that considers not only historical details, characters, and the story, but also how to use 2D and 3D methodologies, such as what sets and props to design and construct, and/or how to incorporate 3D environments and assets with real footage. Although having production knowledge is an important component of screenplay writing, this does not guarantee that disputes between the writer and the production team would never arise. I was able to avoid and minimise these agreements by being both the director and producer of the film Onde há vida há esperança, which helped to clarify my main points. In his work An introduction, Robert B. Musburger makes reference to that It's possible that this disagreement will never be fully settled. Because of constraints related to money, time, or the capacity of the production process at hand, what you wrote down can be hard to translate into a final product. To safeguard their original works, many writers work as producers or even directors, however this solution is frequently ineffective. Although the writer-director now has direct control over the issues and solutions related to the production conversion, it is still possible that he or she lacks the production experience and expertise necessary to execute the original concept within the confines of the production process (Musburger, 2016).

The art of introducing visual effects to a film, gives an endless 2D and 3D workflows in the film production, post production and significantly beneficial to approach and apply these techniques in the first stages of the scriptwriting.

The relationship in between the SFX (Special Effects) and VFX (Visual Effects), was set from the script development.

 

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Figure 1 -  2

Rodrigues, R. (2018) “Script Onde há  vida, há  esperança.” 

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The page of the he original script (Figure 2) of the film Onde há vida há esperança (2023), written by myself, describes the historic moment when hundreds of emigrant passengers say goodbye to their love ones, from the deck of the steamboat called Adria (Genoa 1886). With everyone safely on board, the boat departs, and disappears over the horizon and/or the Port of Genova disappears over the horizon.

The creative process of writing the script for this single scene, considering that  the Steamboat Adria was a giant object to be reproduced and also based on historic facts, a few factors had to be considered to be able to reproduce it in the same magnitude of the real Steamboat.

Additionally internal and external historical references and props also had to be added to the script, together with the actors and extras, considering also their movements.

Paying a close attention to one of the historical photos and versions official documents of the giant Steamboat Adria (Figure 3 and 4), and writing the script at the same time, it was considered the angle of the boat and the shot to be used later on in the production. First, It was established how much set per square meters to be designed and built, the number of props and people to be added to the scene. The versions of the steam boat used in the production,  was choosen based on the artistic decisions, and  material availability in the constructionn of the set at the location where the film was shot, 

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Figure 3 - L'Adria fotografato a fine anni Venti (no date). built Version 1913 ed il 1914.

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Fifure 4 - Screw Steamer ADRIA built by John Blumer & Co. in 1873 

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At this point, it also had to be considered what would be the methodology to be used, introducing VFX, SFX, All set and props together with the Actors and Extras to the storytelling.

For the external representation of the Steamboat Adria, in the script it was already decided what part would be designed and built on set and what part would be added as a 3D element.

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Figure 5 -

Rodrigues, R. (2020) Steam boat Adria.

Unfinished work for reference; Previs, student work - Uneversity of West London

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The front deck inside of the rectangle as shown in (Figure 5) was set to be the essential part of the Steamboat Adria, the main stage for the actors and extras, the real part of the set to be designed and built by the set designer and for the  SFX artists to perform their work.

Considering that, in this case, the scriptwriter also will be directing, and supervising the VFX from the beginning of the development of the first scenes, to the entire script. Effectively unfolding essential planning towards various department needs, as the script gets into the last draft.

In addition, producing experience was a strong ally of the scriptwriting momentous, revealing almost the exact number of crew to be hired and targeting their services, type and timing to be performed later on in the film production, and as far as the post-production.

Writing a script, means also facing the reality of the costs of the project, and systematically writing in a way that the scale of an idea of a scene, and or a simple shot, can it be realistically added to the budget of the project.

Once the deck of the steamboat was set to be the main stage, where actors and extras will interact with each other, surrounded and supported by real and 3D objects, was also the moment in the script, to choose a number of people that safely could be placed on this deck.

Going back and forth in the script development of the film Onde há vida há  esperança (2023), challenged by what the beautiful possibilities of the Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) could offer to the production, considerations to the story had to be traced in all decisions in how the scenes should be written.

A number of extras and main actors on the top of a wooden built deck, interacting, acting and moving around, each action of the scene had to be designed previously in the mind of the scriptwriter. A hundred extras on the top of the deck, saying goodbye in the port, standing and waiving beside each other is different of the same number of extras sleeping and dying in the deck during the trip across the ocean.

Each shot, plans and angle possibilities, had to be thought about carefully, in relation to the 3D assets, which were to be added to the middle of the scene and all the green screen environments at the back of specific shots and it’s angles.  

Another major factor was the number of people and movements around the deck in relation to the continuity of the scene. When to add 3D assets integration to the shots and or real objects? What has the process used to measure the cost-benefit? In this shot of the deck, the best way was to add the green screen at the back of the extras and actors movements and depending on the shots, the green screen were also added far above their heads. In other cases, the 3D assets were added in between real props and objects.

Every scene of the script requires some VFX terminology approach, in how it should be made and avoiding surprises during the production and post- production. A poor script decision, and a lack of knowledge in VFX, can hold up an entire day and or even days on film set. In the same way an effective script development, followed up by the producer and or the director, effectively is also the visual effects body technical application.

The steamboat scenes of the film Onde há vida há esperança (2023), had a sequence of shots following the continuity of the script, based on the visual effects needs of each shot. The complexity of an entire storyboard and the film revisualization of the scenes before creating it, will be a task for the storyboard and the film (previs) artists afterwards in the pre-production. But with a lack of knowledge of the scriptwriting in the subject, the VFX in this case, the storyboard and previs will reproduce what has been written.

The scriptwriting follows the photographic memories and or imagination of the storyteller, based in fiction and or real facts to be added to the sequence of ideas. The year is 1886, and the steamboat is anchored at the port, an establishing shot is revealing the entire port and thousands of immigrants, props, sets and the city in the background of the main stage, where the camera should be capturing all of the images.

Writing a complex scene containing so many different elements, an organic and imaginative writing will not be just enough to guess if one day this film will have the budget to be shot. The establishing shot to be reproduced in this giant scene, described in the script, was carefully analysed, what kind of 3D assets would be integrated to the scene. Being a Director that writes a script, understanding the VFX pipeline and process, was a kill point in the entire film production.

Furthermore, systematically approaching the relationship in between, VFX, SFX and all the mise-en-scene elements present on the film set, increased the strength of the pre-production process afterwards.

 

Chapter 2

The pre-production and relationship in between, VFX, SFX and all the mise-en-scene elements present on the film set

Here we are getting into the pre-production of the film Onde há vida há esperança (2023), but as hard as it gets to make a feature film, as anyone can imagine, the costs has to be paid and the money will have to come from some where. Considering that a period drama feature film can be costly, and just a few days shooting clearly indicates an overpriced set, costumes and props.

The film Onde há vida há esperança (2023), had to be approved by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture that examined technical feasibility of activities. After the script was completed, a long journey was set in motion, to gain approval for the film to be eligible under the Brazilian tax incentive policy, that enables companies and citizens to deduct a portion of their income tax to the visual arts. It is not an easy process, that can take up to a year and a half to complete.

The entire stages of the project, from development, pre-production, production, post-production and distribution, had to be planned, budgeted and carefully organized to be proved and approved by the Brazilian government.

Following the scriptwriting success in partnership with VFX, the pre-production workflow had a significant speed in how to choose the crew and all the film equipment, necessary to supply all of the days of shooting, afterwards in the production time.

Seeking and evaluating candidates to fulfil the need of our specific roles, based in VFX and SFX relationship as the main interest of the production, gave the opportunity to find the right professionals based on their experiences on set. The director of photography and his first, second and third assistants for example, that holds a solid experience in shooting, lighting and placing the Chroma key in its perfect positions, picking the right camera and / or lenses for a period drama based on VFX. 

Various departments of the pre-production had to be aligned, to begin a massive work force towards the first day shooting of the film. As mentioned above, the set and props had to be made at the same time, as hundreds of period costumes had to be bought and or designed, respecting the colour pallet of the film and carefully hand-pick the right colour for the green screen scenes. 

A large amount of film equipment had to be hired, but before this was done, it needed to be discussed with the responsible professionals in charge of each department, to be able to know what kind of machinery needed to covers specific VFX scenes on the shooting days.

Hundreds of fake beards, hair extensions and makeup colours to match the temperature of the scenes, had to be planned and discussed.

Finally, after three months of pre-production, the Set, costumes and makeup, lighting and characters, were all on place ready to begin on the first day of shooting, aligned with all VFX concepts, composing a perfect and incredibly orchestrated mise-en-scene in front of the camera lenses. The director arrives on set and calls “Action!” It’s the beginning of the production, desired and dreamed by many artists around the world.

 

Chapter 3

Production and post-production, solving on set, rather than in post-production

Shooting the steamboat scene as mentioned in the script development planning in the first chapter, required a large number of extras and actors, and placed together in the middle of the set and props, considering the 3-D assets to be integrated in-between all of the people and objects present in the scene.

The scene starts with hundreds of extras walking to the set, leaving enough space for the actor’s main actions to be performed. When the Director called “action”, the extras waive, saying goodbye to their loved ones, extending their hands up to the sky, covering the green screen (chroma key) behind their hands, which is professionally placed and lit up. This will then be replaced by a sky during post production. As the actors walk in, performing their main actions, the Director carefully designs, places and blocking their movements, based on the free space where they will represent their characters, considering the relations in-between the camera 3-D elements, which will be implemented afterwards, and real objects already placed on the screen. It means working with VFX, actors, set, SFX, plus camera angles and all an shot continuity, which require an amount of film making methodology based on VFX techniques.

As the shooting day goes by, a shot had to be made, simulating a cold fog that takes over the main deck of the boat. Going by the storyboard and planning of the shot, it was going to be a VFX smoking shot, added during the post-production, but in this case it would be also a good idea to shoot the same scene with a smoke machine to represent the same fog, introducing the actors breathe, reacting to the real smoke (fog) on set. The same number of scenes shot to apply the VFX fog, were also shot for the SFX fog. With the opportunity to use VFX or SFX and/or both together, solving on set, rather than in post-production.

Following the same thoughts, a shot was set and ready to shoot were the main actor was sitting on a bench, holding his travel case in front of the green screen. But, with a simple decision of changing a little bit of the angle and the actors place on the set, instead the green screen placed behind was a real wall. That means that once again we did resolve on set, instead of post-production, just by the fact that it would not make any difference in that specific shot, to have a CGI sky and/or a steam boat wall behind of our actor.

Additionally in the same scene, a very historical and specific object that had to be placed beside of the actor’s travel case, could not be hired or made, due to the the high price and cost of it, therefore it was cheaper and much easier to rely on 3-D element integrated objects in the scene.

The continuity of the proceeding shots, the steamboat was going to be seen in an extra-long shot, in this case the main deck with actors, extras and all props, already shot as a long shot, to be added and compositing with the CGI steam boat at post-production. We also shot some extras in full shot in front of the green screen in different actions, to be added to the deck in the Extreme Long Shot in post-production.

To finalise my thoughts on my film Onde há vida há esperança (2023), I would like to state that my whole motivation in making a film, comes from my necessity to maintain alive the historic crisis and tragedies lived by different races around the world. Remembering those that dedicated their entire lives to change the course of our history, for a better world. The visual effects played an important part in the reproducing of a long time gone period, that beautifully made my storytelling even richer, organically, technically and visually for those that appreciate all kinds of visual art. For example, the oldest pre-historic rock paintings, to a contemporary computer generated imagery (CGI).

To add and remembering Tom Gunning disappointment in how the 20th century’s film history had to been theorised and replaced by the narrative films, as it should be the main standard of how cinema should be made, received and accepted by the viewers after 1010. This approach encourages a systematic belief that films mostly follow a theatrical storytelling, establishing the narrative as the main concept of the film format, undermining the early movies and misunderstanding, that the film was first presented to the audience using the imagery to storytelling. Quoting Méliès, Tom Gunning wrote “ Méliès points out, the trick film, perhaps the dominant non-actuality film genre before 1906, is itself a series of displays, of magical attractions, rather than a primitive sketch of narrative continuity”. I agree with Méliès and Tom Gunning words, taking into consideration that early cinema exhibitions, were an attraction and I will follow and explore the “technological wonder” to approach the audience in a organic relationship, between“Its Spectator and the Avant-garde”.

Some of the various stages of visual effects production, required to add to a film, he also introduce some the techniques used in VFX thats will be accomplished in various stages of the film production. To organise various stages that will be accomplished by the Visual Effects artists and all department is called Pipeline.

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The pipeline is the key of a success of a final film product that evolves Visual effects. Pipeline is present in the Pre-production soon the idea of the film is developed, script written, budget of the film, Internal and external locations like studios, that suits the Visual effects shooting; Production, set in the green screen studios, locations in external and internal sets; Post-production, where visual effects are applied if some already has be made in the production process.

Digital composing is a creative process of assembling film and rendering elements from multiples sources to recreate a final life like illusions. But it is not that easy as maybe the audience think, it requires many hours of hard work in the post-production process.

 

Its process that includes many different skills, like rotoscoping with separates de foreground of the background and all kinds of techniques to accomplish it.

It uses the blue and the green screens to easily extract the background of the scene behind the actors and any other objects, it's a process called keying.

Keying creates a realistic environment behind in the scene, actors, objects and any other structures in the first plan of the shot.

 

Tracking is also a part of the work of the

VFX, that requires a good skill to do it right and to recreate the exact movements of the camera it is used the 3D and 2D tracking.

 

Not to forget to mention the objects of the set that can be removed, like cables, and any other equipments to be replaced by any other digital work that is useful to the context of the shot or scene.

 

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Miniature models film Onde há vida há esperança (2023) © Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios Ltda

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Set construction film Onde há vida há esperança (2023) © Rodrigo Rodrigues Studios Ltda

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VFX 3D Steamboat previs -  UWL Student work tests

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Harvard Reference:

The complete guide to photorealism for visual effects, visualization and games. (2021, October 28). Perlego | A Subscription Library of Online Books & Academic Texts. https://www.perlego.com/book/2529506/the-complete-guide-to-photorealism-for-visual-effects-visualization-and-games-pdf

 

Gunning, T. (2006) 'The Cinema of Attractions: Early Film, Its Spectator and the Avant-Garde', in Strauven, W. (1.) The Cinema of Attractions Reloaded. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, pp. 381-388.

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Dinur, E. (2022) The complete guide to Photorealism for Visual Effects, visualization and games. New York, NY: Routledge.

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Musburger, R.B. (2016) “Chapter 2,” in An introduction to writing for electronic media: Scriptwriting essentials across the genres. New York: Focal Press.

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Figure 1 -  2

Rodrigues, R. (2018) “Script Onde há  vida, há  esperança.” pp. cover - 5.

The Brazilian Nacional Library (BN) Brazilian Society of Authors (SBAT). 

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Figure 3 - L'Adria fotografato a fine anni Venti, version Built 1914 (no date). Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adria_(piroscafo) (Accessed: January 10, 2018).

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Fifure 4 - Screw Steamer ADRIA built by John Blumer & Co. in 1873 for Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, London, Passenger _ Cargol (no date) sunderlandships. Available at: http://sunderlandships.com/view.php?year_built=&%3Bbuilder=&%3Bref=100478&%3Bvessel=THEOMANNA+&a1Order=Sorter_name&a1Dir=ASC&a1Page=11&ref=101685&vessel=ADRIA (Accessed: January 10, 2018).

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Figure 5 -

Rodrigues, R. (2020) Steam boat Adria.

Unfinished work for reference; Previs, student work - Uneversity of West London

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                                                                   Scroll down the pdf below the see more info and pictures!!

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