Unveiling the Creative Process Behind Everything Everywhere All At Once
In the visually stunning world of Everything Everywhere All At Once, a small independent studio named Pretend VFX relied heavily on Mocha Pro and the Boris FX plugin suite, including Continuum, to bring the film's unique aesthetic to life.
The visual effects team, led by VFX Supervisor Zak Stoltz, used Mocha Pro for its planar motion tracking and rotoscoping capabilities, which proved instrumental in handling complex shots and masks. This software tool supported Pretend VFX's 2D, painterly style approach, minimizing the need for heavy CG and hyper-realism.
The team's workflow also incorporated the use of a Wacom tablet, enhancing the artists' control over the effects' look and feel by providing natural brush and pressure sensitivity in paint and rotoscoping workflows.
In addition to Mocha Pro, Continuum, a suite of plugins from Boris FX, was also employed by the team. Although specific Continuum tools used were not explicitly detailed, they played a role in creating the film's iconic broken mirror look.
It's worth noting that Everything Everywhere All At Once swept the 2023 Academy Awards, winning seven prestigious awards, including Best Picture, Directing, Film Editing, Actress in a Lead Role (Michelle Yeoh), and Actor in a Supporting Role (Ke Huy Quan). However, the visual effects team did not receive a direct nomination for their work.
Paul Rogers, the film's editor who won an Academy Award for Film Editing, has a unique connection with the directors, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). He believes that if people leave the film with a greater sense of empathy, it would be a huge success. Rogers views his role as an editor as a "barometer of truth" and emphasizes empathy in the editing process.
For those wanting to get creative with the same tools used by the visual effects team, a free trial of Mocha Pro and Continuum is available. The Boris FX Live last year featured interviews with key members of the visual effects team, including Zak Stoltz, Jeff Desom, Ethan Feldbau, Matthew Waukonen, and Paul Rogers (with Benjamin Brewer, who was unavailable).
In an Art of the Cut interview, Paul Rogers gave top ten quotes about the editing process of Everything Everywhere All At Once, offering insights into the creative process behind this groundbreaking film.
The visual effects team utilized Mocha Pro and Continuum, both from Boris FX, to achieve the unique aesthetic of the film. Mocha Pro's planar motion tracking and rotoscoping capabilities were crucial in handling complex shots and masks, while Continuum played a role in creating the film's iconic broken mirror look.
