As part of the production of the visual effects for the film Emilia Pérez, several experts contributed to the delivery of 335 VFX shots. Cédric Fayolle, Production VFX Supervisor, oversaw the overall coordination of the project, and within MPC Paris, Rodolphe Zirah, VFX Supervisor, Christophe ‘Tchook’ Courgeau, Environments Supervisor, Lise Fischer, 2D Supervisor, and Yann Nivet, VFX Producer, worked together to create and integrate the digital elements. Their contributions ensured that the entire process ran smoothly, from conception to completion of the visual effects.
What was it like working with director Jacques Audiard?
Cédric Fayolle: This is the 5th film I’ve made with Jacques Audiard. And I’m lucky enough to be one of the people he contacts very early on when he starts a project. In this case, for example, he started talking to me about it at the end of 2019, with a treatment of around thirty pages. He wanted to do an opera.
What motivated the decision to shoot most of the sets against a bluescreen?
Cédric: The form of the film was the subject of a lot of discussion. First there was this opera, so there was a scenic dimension that we had difficulty grasping. Then we went to Mexico for location scouting and there we discovered some magnificent and inspiring natural settings. But Jacques really wanted to create a world around the characters, to have control over everything: the set, the lighting, the weather. So we had to rethink every scene, sometimes taking inspiration from our location scouting.
What were the main technical challenges involved in shooting the film against a bluescreen?
Cédric: Of course, there were bluescreens on every set, but one of the big difficulties when you shoot in a studio is the way you manage movement. How the characters get to the sets so that it doesn’t look like a series of little scenes. So we had to do entirely CG shots of the car rolling, like the final sequence, which was a big job of 3D staging.
Rodolphe Zirah: Bluescreens in the studio on exterior sets are always a challenge. It’s clear to see that in the studio, the amount built for an exterior set is minimal, so we had to create a large part of the sets in CG. The choice of techniques made with Cédric, between full CG sets, CG extension sets and matte painting, was crucial to the film’s narrative.
Christophe ‘Tchook’ Courgeau: One of the difficulties lay in the continuity of the light, which we had to extrapolate to cover surfaces that were not planned for the shoot, and the continuity of the built sets, which we had to extend or erase so that the result was invisible.
Lise Fischer: Generally speaking, bluescreens in the studio should be avoided for inlays for exteriors, because it’s very difficult to light a studio like a sun or a moon. Fortunately, the artistic freedom of the project allowed us to create stylised atmospheres that fitted in perfectly with the studio’s aesthetic.
How did you ensure consistency between the physical elements on set and the digital extensions of the sets?
Cédric: What was great about this film was that Jacques gave us a lot of freedom in creating these digital sets. So while following the guidelines imposed by the set design, we were able to offer him our own inspirations and desires. He was very receptive.
Rodolphe: Technically, we collect as much information as possible on the shoot, we use 3D scans (LIDAR) of the set, HDR for the lighting, and photogrammetry of objects on the set to ensure that the aesthetic of the elements built by the set designer and our digital elements are consistent. We immerse ourselves in all the artistic directions of the set and props, as well as the lighting director, and we try to work in continuity with the choices made during the shoot.
Tchook: First of all, we have to get away from the bluescreen by creating a realistic environment adapted to the real set. We go through a concept stage that allows us to narrow down the field of possibilities, and then 3D models that allow us to extrapolate the concepts and give them a reality in space. Once we’ve validated the manufacturing idea, we need to analyse the camera, the focal length and the direction of the light(s) in more detail. Finally, we make each element separately to a definition that is proportional to its distance from the camera, we give them a texture, and we place them in a scene that we light with precision. The result of the digital set design work is then passed to the compositing department, which assembles all the manufactured elements with those from the shoot and brings the mix to life.
Can you explain the planning process to ensure that the visual effects fit in perfectly with the scenes shot on the bluescreen?
Rodolphe: I think the main step is to cover the shoot properly, to bring back as many elements as possible that will enable us to be as accurate as possible with regard to scale, light and materials. Then you have to help the crews during the shoot to ensure that the blue backgrounds are evenly lit to avoid variations in light and shadow, which complicate keying. Finally, make sure that camera movements are properly tracked. If the camera moves, the movements have to be synchronised with the effects added in post-production to keep everything realistic. So we placed tracking markers on the blue background to make it easier to track movements.
Lise: As far as compositing is concerned, we had to anticipate the ‘missing blue’ screens. Because of the size of the set, several areas of the studio were not covered by the bluescreen. So we had to plan ahead for the extensive rotoscoping work that was needed to produce the shots properly.
How did you work with the set designer to create realistic virtual environments?
Cédric: In preparation, I had a lot of discussions with the production designer, Emmanuelle Duplay, to determine the minimum and maximum that needed to be built. Each set has its own specific characteristics, so we had to study them carefully so that the director and the actors had enough concrete playing space and enough bluescreen openings to be able to extend and give the illusion of Mexico.
Rodolphe: For me, the main thing was to convince people of what we were capable of doing in post-production. Cédric and I worked with her on certain scenes to help her imagine her sets and find out what she absolutely had to build for the shoot. In particular, with the MPC teams, we produced 3D previews of some sets before shooting.
What were the main challenges in terms of luminosity and lighting on the blue background to maintain visual coherence?
Cédric: When you make films with so many bluescreens, it’s great to have a technically experienced cinematographer. Here, Paul Guilhaume was brilliant with his team. They knew how to set the specific lights for the bluescreen with surgical precision.
Rodolphe: Using dedicated lights to illuminate the background separately from the actors and set elements. Carefully control the angles and intensity of the light to reduce shadows on the bluescreen. Adjust the distance between the actors and the background, using specific lighting to minimise blue spills. Paul Guilhaume and his team did a marvellous job here.
Tchook: This is one of the big challenges of shooting, where the cinematographer has to create a sufficiently bright bluescreen to allow the extraction of the elements of the shoot that we want to keep (actors/set pieces), and above all create a lighting atmosphere that allows the digital extension to be credible. We need to be able to make the viewer believe that, when we create the digital set and mix it with the shooting elements, the blue background and the studio shooting elements never existed. One of the big difficulties lies in the reflective parts of the shot elements, mainly the cars, where there are a lot of unwanted parts that you want to replace. One of the only solutions is to remodel a car, often identically, to generate reflections that are consistent with the digitally produced set and the real set.
How did you manage the transitions between the real and digital elements so that they remained invisible to the viewer?
Tchook: First of all, we isolated the elements we wanted to keep, such as the actors and certain elements of the set. Then we studied the movements of the actors and cameras to determine where the digital set could be integrated. We then created virtual elements capable of interacting in light with the real objects, for example by adding shadows between a shooting element and a piece of digital scenery. If the cinematographer had designed a location with strong light on an object, we would model a street lamp positioned in the space, as if it were really lighting the set. The final touches are made in compositing, where everything is put together and fine-tuned.
Rodolphe: The integration of the digital elements takes place at the compositing stage. It’s a question of understanding the image being shot and knowing the technical aspects of that image – type of camera, sensor, lens, focal length – so that we can reproduce these key components in the 3D renderings.
Lise: Compositing is all about integrating a digital element into a shot without it being visible. First of all, there’s the shot that contains the so-called ‘real’ elements, which we call the ‘master’. This master provides the basis for all the technical and artistic aspects of the image that we need to reproduce exactly during our compositing work. These aspects include first and foremost light and chromatics, but there is also the whole organic aspect of the image that comes from the camera’s optics, focal length and sensor. Grain, chromatic aberrations, sharpness, defocus (optical blur) and the diffusion of highlights are all parameters that need to be respected and reproduced on the digital elements in order to integrate them into the shot.
Were there times when you had to adapt the digital sets in post-production to suit the actors’ performances on set?
Cédric: They were perfect and for Zoé Saldana it wasn’t a new discovery, she was very comfortable with all these bluescreens.
Tchook: No, the digital set is used to build around the actors to frame them and highlight them without stifling their performance. Most of the time we find a solution by adapting the frame.
Lise: In compositing, we’re always looking for a form of truth, so I always look at a shot in the context of its narrative. As the actor’s performance is at the heart of the story, we quite often have to adapt a digital set to serve the narrative intention or, on the contrary, to avoid distracting from the story. This is the case, for example, with screen inlays, where we have to adapt the digital set, such as a web interface, to the action of the actor/actress.
How did you anticipate the challenges of tracking camera movements in predominantly digital environments?
Cédric: On some sets, we used LIDAR to help with tracking, because we knew that these sets would be filmed with hand-held cameras and long lenses… So we had to anticipate any technical problems.
Rodolphe: In order to manage the tracking of camera movements as effectively as possible, we scanned the sets (LIDAR) to help the tracking teams get their bearings and find their way around sequences that were often shot hand-held. We took measurements on the cameras as they were being shot, such as height and distance from the background.
What were the most complicated aspects of creating the digital sets to make them look natural?
Tchook: Creating a digital set that looks natural is a challenge. Today, we can do almost anything we’re asked to, which means we can explore any direction and accentuate any aspect of the set. However, without good control and a lack of experience, it’s easy to go overboard. The key to keeping the setting natural is to be able to observe accurately. We spend a lot of time observing and analysing the weather and light conditions, looking for shots taken in similar conditions. We make extensive use of the colour palette present in the shot we have to fake or in the sequence in progress to create visual coherence.
Lise: Once again, you have to feed off all the real material shot and understand the director’s vision. To make it look natural, you have to blend in with the aesthetic intention that was in place before the VFX was used, and leave nothing to chance. Can you describe a situation where the integration of digital sets required unexpected creative adjustments?
Tchook: The 004 sequence where Zoé Saldana walks down the street with the crowd behind her required a lot of creative and technical adjustments. We started from an idea where the set would be a theatre stage with curtains falling to reveal various parts of the set, with the idea of a street in Mexico on a summer evening. We also had to recreate the ground on the set by making it more uneven.
Were there any unexpected technical or creative challenges during production?
Cédric: The outside of Emilia’s house had to be a model. Which we filmed. But in the end, for various reasons, it didn’t work when it came to editing. So we had to reinvent a house. And the night shot where we approach the house with a view of the whole of Mexico City is entirely CG. For me, it’s one of the most beautiful shots in the film.
Lise: A new sequence, a new shot, is always a new creative and technical challenge. The unexpected is rarer, because in reality you expect everything, all the time, and that’s what makes the compositing work so varied. With Emilia Perez, it’s fair to say that the project was unexpected in the broadest sense.
Were there any memorable moments or scenes in the film that you found particularly rewarding or difficult to work on from a visual effects point of view?
Cédric: For me, it was the last car sequence. We only filmed the interior shots of the car with the actors. The rest we had to invent entirely. We came up with pre-visualisations, suggested shots and set-ups. We had quite a lot of freedom and desire. It was tough, but we’re proud of the result.
Rodolphe: The end sequence in full 3D was one of the hardest to make. At first, it was hard to imagine what the final result would look like, because there were so many technical stages to go through. We had to do a lot of reworking to find the right balance between what we wanted to do and what was possible. Even though there were moments of doubt, we managed to put everything together in a coherent way. Seeing the final result, after all that work, was really satisfying.
Lise: The full CGI scenes (the accident sequence and Emilia’s house) are always breathtaking. As we don’t have a master, we have to imagine, build and shape the images so that they give the illusion of having been filmed. It’s not easy, but when it works, it’s rewarding indeed.
Can you explain how you integrated the digital visual elements in Emilia Perez to create a coherent and immersive atmosphere, and what specific challenges did you face when compositing the film?
Lise: Apart from the aspects described above, we had a great deal of freedom in compositing to invent the moods of the shots. Usually, the master serves as the truth and under no circumstances do we interfere with the light or colours of a shot. On Emilia Perez, in certain sequences we completely modified and sculpted the light to create the most immersive atmosphere possible. These decisions were taken in a common dialogue between the VFX supervisor, the director, the cinematographer and the colourist.
Looking back, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?
Tchook: I’m very proud of the work of my team, who produced 70 shots in a DMP environment or on a digital set. In particular the first sequences where the lawyer comes out of the convenience store and the kidnap sequence. We also worked on the scene where Selena Gomez returns home, adjusting the set and lighting tones. And for the Taqueria sequence, we made a number of adjustments to reinforce the Mexican atmosphere.
Yann Nivet: When visual effects add value to an existing set: the Taqueria. Also, when it adds a narrative element and gives a mystical dimension to the film: the smoke sequence. Certain aesthetic shots: hospital topshot + Swiss matte.
Lise: Creating visual effects is first and foremost a great team effort, and I’m especially proud of the huge amount of work done by all the teams. All the streets of Mexico City are alive and expressive – it’s a real success! I’m also very proud of the sets, which we were able to enhance and transcend thanks to the visual effects. A very good example is the Taqueria: initially shot in a quarry in France, it looked nothing like a Mexican desert. The work we did on this sequence totally changed the initial atmosphere and transformed this key sequence of the film.
Rodolphe: Looking back, I’m especially proud of the Full CG ending sequence. It was an important moment in the film and we really had to hook the audience. The work of the MPC Paris teams and the collaboration with Les Artizans were super important in achieving this challenge. Thanks to them, we were able to create an immersive and visually striking scene. Seeing the final result and the positive feedback after all that work is really gratifying.
How long have you been working on this film?
Yann: August 2023 – May 2024
Tchook: August 2023 – April 2024
Lise: The work on Emilia Perez took over 8 months in compositing. We started in September 2023 and worked until the end of April 2024 to finalise the film before its first screening in the official selection at the Cannes Film Festival.
What’s the VFX shots count?
Yann: 335 shots finally delivered (at least thirty shots done and cut during editing).
A big thanks for your time.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
MPC: Dedicated page about Emilia Pérez on MPC website.
© Vincent Frei – The Art of VFX – 2024
