- #Harry potter deathly hallows part 2 explained full#
- #Harry potter deathly hallows part 2 explained plus#
Double Negative developed tools for extracting the animation data from the previs. The previs was designed to follow these details exactly. “This created a much more fluid set of shots as the operators running the cameras could react to directorial changes much faster than we would have been able to re-programme a motion control rig.”ĭouble Negative started out with a beautiful maquette of the cavern that the Art Department had built, a clay sculpt 6 feet wide by 10 feet high, mapping out the position of the vault, the waterfall and the precise location of the cart rails running through it. Instead they drove the cart motion using their previs and let the cameramen react to the shots on the day. “We didn't want to use a motion controlled camera in combination with our motion controlled cart rig as it put too many creative constraints on a shoot that was already pressed for time,” explained David. The director wanted to create a thrilling, Indiana Jones-style roller coaster ride, so the whole sequence had to be carefully planned before the shoot as a previs animation. Environment Lead Kieron Helsdon went to Leavesden Studios during preproduction where he worked in the Art Department alongside Production Designer Stuart Craig and Tim Burke to develop the previs for this sequence and design the scope for all of the camera moves. The cave environment for the three friends’ tumultuous journey down to Gringotts vault required extensive, precise previsualisation. Magical spell blasts would cast light onto the walls and the dragon’s fiery breath lights up and wraps around the set perfectly.”
It was much simpler to get the dragon to perfectly occlude and shadow the floor around it. “For all the shots featuring the dragon, for example, replacing the live action set gave us absolute control over the integration of the dragon with its surroundings. A number of plates had to be replaced almost entirely, only retaining the foreground section of the set where the actors were standing.
#Harry potter deathly hallows part 2 explained plus#
David said, “A beautiful, detailed set had been built for the bank, plus a section of the dragon’s enclosure to provide for actor interaction, but although the photography was helpful, once the artists began adding the dragon, light, interactions with fire, destruction and magical spells to the plates, we realised it would be easier to build a cg environment and work within that. Once the dragon escapes, the Diagon Alley roofscape where he emerges is digital also. The multiplying treasure sequence done by Tippett Studios is cut into this, but shots from there through the dragon’s heroic climb up out of the vault to the roof, and in the exploding bank foyer, were again the work of Double Negative.īecause so much of the bank foyer set had to be destroyed, Double Negative built a complete cgi version. Within the Gringotts cart ride scene, down through the vast cavern to the vault, Double Negative handled all environments and assets, all set extensions, the foyer, the cart and cave, through to shots of Harry, Ron and Hermione falling from the cart and approaching the dragon in his enclosure.
#Harry potter deathly hallows part 2 explained full#
“There was a lot of overlap between the two films and for almost nine months we were in full production for both movies simultaneously,” said David. Double Negative’s VFX Supervisor David Vickery, CG Supervisor Rick Leary and Compositing Supervisor Sean Stranks all kept the same roles. The digital artists and supervision were working well together by then and able to continue straight through to the end. The pipeline they set up from the beginning was geared toward the final film. While preparing for this work on ‘Deathly Hallows Part 2’, the same crew were also completing shots for Part 1. The team was also to be responsible for the cg dragon imprisoned at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the heart-stopping cart ride that takes them to it as well FX sequences during the final battle. Producer Emma Norton and overall VFX Supervisor Tim Burke approached Double Negative about the feasibility of creating an entirely digital Hogwarts to replace the scale miniature used for all the Harry Potter films up until this point. When Double Negative started on ‘Deathly Hallows Part 2’ in 2008, the facility was still at work on ‘Half Blood Prince’.
Staircases for 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2'. Cinesite and Double Negative discuss dragons, wand duels and infinite Through to this final film, the world of Harry Potter has been a magic place for VFX artists to test their talentsĪnd achieve some of their best work.