I was amazed by the visual effects in many of RRR‘s scenes. There was a particular feeling of grandeur that almost reminded me of a CG Lawrence of Arabia, and I was curious as to how Rajamouli’s team achieved this look. I found both a video going through the visual process and an article discussing it.
Animatrix, a visual effects company, helped with camera tracking in the film. Motion capture supervisor Ben Murray emphasizes that “it always ends up looking better when you combine real action with CGI, rather than relying entirely on the computer generated side.” You can see this blend clearly in the video with a mixture of sets, props, and green screens which are overlayed with CGI. The computer imagery is largely used for the animals, objects in a path of destruction/objects that are destroyed, and backgrounds to achieve a look of grandeur.
Murray also talks about how Animatrix used NCAM which makes it possible to see CGI while filming, leaving less chance up to post-op. This is used in large Western blockbuster films such as Warner Bros films as well as for sports games like Fox Sports. It makes sense that this production, with its level of CGI, required this kind of technology.
“Our aim is to revolutionise augmented reality and real-time visual effects. This is why our technology is so unique. Our patented camera tracking is able to continuously stream data to industry standard graphic engines, resulting in the photorealistic and immersive integration of virtual assets. The versatility of our design means you can use Ncam across multiple applications and interchangeable configurations.” -Nic Hatch, CEO of NCAM
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