I first had a chance to speak with MPC VFX Supervisor Guillaume Rocheron two summers ago, not long after he had finished work on the feature The Secret Life of Walter Mitty . Rocheron recently headed up the MPC team to create 450 shots for the new Warner Bros. film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , which was the topic of much discussion, especially among comic book fans who, no doubt, debated for years on the subject of who would emerge victorious if these two superpowers squared off .
Directed by Zack Snyder, MPC served as the lead visual effects house on the film and was responsible for the fight sequence in Gotham and the action featured in the film's third act. Much of the fighting relied on digital doubles of Batman (played by Ben Affleck) and Superman (portrayed by Henry Cavill).
Rocheron recently Skype'd me from New Zealand, where he's supervising the VFX for the 2017 film Ghost in the Shell . He took some time to reflect on MPC's Batman v Superman work, and how they achieved such realistic results at 4K/IMAX resolution.
What was MPC responsible for on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?
Most of the work we did was around the actual sequence where Batman and Superman fight in Gotham City. And then the big third act battle - the three heroes and Doomsday in Gotham City, as well.
How many shots does that represent?
That's probably around 450.
You are a VFX supervisor for MPC. Who else made contributions?
Scanline VFX, Double Negative, and Weta Digital. We were the lead vendor on the film. We had the majority of the work, and I would say the bigger sequences, even though the other facilities had some big sequences of their own. Everything is big in the movie. The Batman/Superman fights and the big end scene all combined represented the biggest chunk of the work.
MPC has multiple locations. How was this film broken up?
We did most of the work in the Vancouver facility. As usual, there is always work going through London for building assets. Bangalore, India, did some matchmoves and roto animation, and paint. We relied quite a lot on the Bangalore facility on this movie because we did a lot of roto animation, which is re-creating actors' movements in 3D so we can add a cape to him or add armor, or a piece of armor.
It was a challenging project for Bangalore because the Batman/Superman sequence was done in 4K IMAX format, which is unusual for us, and it involved doing very high resolution digital doubles, and also adding the armor to Ben Affleck - the big armored Batman suits. In many shots where Batman and Superman are fighting, they have no capes, so we add them in and choreograph them. The capes are digital elements, except when the characters are just standing or walking.
What were some of the challenges?
The large challenge for us on that scene was creating a digital version of Batman and a digital version of Superman so we could really get them to be in mid-flight and fight at the same time. The IMAX format was a challenge because it was eight times more detail over a standard 2K film. It was very challenging on our end and led us in building the most complex and highest resolution digital doubles at MPC to date.
Did MPC's work focus on the characters, or did the studio do other VFX too?
It was a bit of everything - mostly characters, capes, and costumes. We had a few set extensions, when they fight on the roof. When they fight on the ground, it is a location in Detroit - a real train station. Then, they go fight on the rooftop, and the rooftop is an interior greenscreen stage, for which we created Gotham City all around.
Then they go down through the floors, and the floors are partial sets. The first floor they go to is a set, and then they go down one more floor where the bathroom stalls are, and that's a partial set, where there is a big staircase that goes all the way down to the train station. That doesn't exist. Batman throws Superman through that staircase. We created all that digitally. Finally, down in the lobby, the lobby is an existing location in Detroit.
What scenes are you most proud of?
In terms of complexity, the end scene where Doomsday, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman fight in Gotham City. These are very technically complex shots. There's a lot of digital doubles. Obviously, Doomsday is all-digital. Gotham City doesn't exist. It's a lot of work technically. But artistically, I really like the Batman/Superman fights because it's not only an iconic fight, but there is something very graphic and photographic about it all. I think the visual effects work is very interesting because of the IMAX format. There are all the capes and costumes and digital actors, and it's pretty seamless. That's something that stands out from the bulk of the work.
What tools does MPC reply on?
It's [Autodesk] Maya mostly as a 3D platform. We use [Pixar] RenderMan for rendering. We used the new RenderMan RIS, which is the latest upgrade in RenderMan 19. It makes RenderMan a full-on raytracer, a bit like [Solid Angle] Arnold and [Chaos Group] V-Ray. I think it was one of those things that it became available just at right time because it played a key role in allowing us to render everything we had to render.
It allowed us to push the quality of our digital doubles, which really helped make the skin more realistic and the fabric more realistic. There's a level of detail that we couldn't reach before. But also for Gotham City, every shot has two square kilometers of buildings and streets and street props. When they destroy it and the ground, which we call the lava ground - kind of like the dry lava fields that you see - you are populating whole shots. You have hundreds of fires and smoke plumbs and crushed props. The volume of that render was absolutely incredible. And we were able to rende
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
I first had a chance to speak with MPC VFX Supervisor Guillaume Rocheron two summers ago, not long after he had finished work on the feature The Secret Life of Walter Mitty . Rocheron recently headed up the MPC team to create 450 shots for the new Warner Bros. film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , which was the topic of much discussion, especially among comic book fans who, no doubt, debated for years on the subject of who would emerge victorious if these two superpowers squared off . 
