Even the most fantastical stories need a touch of realism, and the team at 32TEN Studios brought that to Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim.”
Working on behalf of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), 32TEN Studios reported directly to ILM VFX Producer Susan Greenhow, with shots overseen by ILM VFX Supervisors John Knoll and Lindy DeQuattro.
As the film was released in 3D, 32TEN Studios was tasked with shooting its contributions in 3D as well. Using Red Epic cameras mounted on 3D rigs, they were able to capture the complex scenes required for the production.
One of the key scenes developed at 32TEN involved a “Jaeger” robot smashing through an office building. The team built a fully dressed, 1/4 scale replica of an office floor, complete with cubicles, and designed a pneumatically controlled rig to follow the robot’s fist as it demolished the set in 3D.
CLIENT
Industrial Light & Magic
WE PROVIDED
Models / Practical Effects / Practical Elements
Additionally, 32TEN delivered another striking shot: the destruction of several rows of stadium seats when a Jaeger landed in the soccer stadium. This 1/4 scale model section was blown apart using air cannons, adding realism to the sequence.
ILM’s compositing team also relied on several practical effects from 32TEN, such as dust clouds, shattering glass, and water effects, to enhance the film’s authenticity.
Lindy DeQuattro, Co-Visual Effects Supervisor at ILM, noted: “The key to successful effects work is choosing the right tool for each job. We love using practical effects when possible because the unpredictability in special effects brings a level of realism that can be hard to match with CG. The team at 32TEN Studios built incredible models and then destroyed them with spectacular results. The blending of practical effects with our CG work elevated the project’s overall realism.”
