So normally the VFX on a movie gets going in earnest when the edit is pretty close to being locked, or at least in a state that allows effects artists to work on shots that have a good chance of making the final film. Why? Because VFX can be quite expensive. Of course, this isn’t always the case, editing is a fluid process and what seemed like a good idea at one point, when later seen in context suddenly doesn’t look so good.
With a film like ‘LVJ’, whose post production process has been quite a lengthy one, we’ve had a few casualties fall by the wayside, although it’s surprising there hasn’t been more of our babies that we’ve had to say goodbye to.
One shot in particular that we recently had to say goodbye to while refining the edit was part of a whole sequence that has hit the cutting room floor. It was referred to as the ‘Floor Doorway’ sequence. The shot depicted a grand reveal of a huge underground chamber which required a completely digital environment of suspended animation chambers with aliens inside. The three main characters were to be added (shot bluescreen) at the beginning of the shot dropping away as if they’re riding a lift. The shot was never final (which made the decision easier to swallow) although it was about 75% complete.
This incomplete version is included here for your delight, or amusement. Anyone who has seen the trailer on the website may recognise the shot from it; hell that happens all the time in film trailers.
