Flash Film Works worked on VFX action shots in the comedy film ‘Spy’,
using Fusion compositing software for complex projections and clean up
in helicopter, chase and fight sequences.
Flash Film Works Catches a Spy with Blackmagic Fusion |
VFX companyFlash Film Worksworked on many of the high action visual effects shots in the comedy film called ‘Spy’, released earlier in June 2015. Their team usedFusion Studiofor the compositing work, led by compositing supervisorJeremy Nelson. |
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“For ‘Spy,’ we used Fusion for our main compositing work, such as projection and rig and wire removal,” said Jeremy. “Fusion’s workflow is efficient and flexible. You can, for example, import and track imagery into 3D space in Fusion and paint out what you don't want, or project a frame through interpolation or optical flow to help develop the scene.” |
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In another action sequence involving stunt people hanging from a helicopter, some shots could be corrected with a standard paint out, but on more complex ones, Jeremy used a similar process in Fusion. “We tracked the helicopter, recreated it in 3D and got rid of the harnesses using Fusion’s rotoscoping tools Fusion has the best rotoscoping tools I’ve ever used. They are so easy to use,” he said. |
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According to, Fusion Studio was also used to refine an intricate fight scene involving a villain and her high heels. “The actress did all her own stunts for the sequence in flat shoes, and we added high heels to the shots,” saidWilliam Mesa, owner of Flash Film Works. |
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A further factor helping Flash Film Works’ work on ‘Spy’ was Fusion’snode based workflow. “Nodes are a more efficient approach to compositing, I find,” said Jeremy. “When working with a team and taking over a shot, you can zoom out in the node view and see what’s going on, locate errors or find where things are breaking. Within the Fusion node tree, using OpenEXR files, each pass can branch off so that artists have control over how each one is used, without duplication. This helps you manage the many different 3D render passes from other teams 3D applications, and organise and share information across the flow.”www.blackmagicdesign.com |