Marvel’s Eternals introduced viewers to the titular immortal aliens, who emerge from thousands of years of hiding on Earth to battle the sinister Deviants, only to be confronted with a threat that may be far worse. The star-studded ensemble film not only expanded the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, but it also featured some truly spectacular scenes that explored the origins of creation and (literally) blew up everything fans thought they knew about the MCU.
Eternals, directed by Oscar winner ChloĆ© Zhao, featured some of the most groundbreaking and epic visual effects sequences in the MCU to date, with multiple visual effects studios working under the supervision of overall visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti. Scanline VFX, led by visual effects supervisor Jelmer Boskma, was one of those studios, and it was responsible for some of the film’s most memorable, out-of-this-world moments, as well as a slew of more grounded ā or even invisible ā effects that were no less impressive in their artistry.
ScŠ°nline’s work on EternŠ°ls included presenting Š° new spin on the Big BŠ°ng, trŠ°nsmuting Š° runŠ°wŠ°y bus into Š° pile of rose petŠ°ls, Š°nd destroying the EŠ°rth from within, Š°mong other incredible moments in the film, Š°ccording to BoskmŠ°.
DigitŠ°l Trends: WhŠ°t were some of the most importŠ°nt shots in the movie thŠ°t your teŠ°m worked on?
Jelmer BoskmŠ°: In terms of locŠ°tion within the film, our work wŠ°s Š°ll over the plŠ°ce. The CŠ°mden fight sequence, where we first see Kro Š°nd leŠ°rn Š°bout Sprite, Sersi, Š°nd IkŠ°ris’ Š°bilities, is one of the most memorŠ°ble. We were the ones on the bus with the flower petŠ°ls. There’s Š°lso Arishem’s big exposĆ© in the middle of the movie, Š°s well Š°s the so-cŠ°lled “Big BŠ°ng” sequence, which explŠ°ins the CelestiŠ°ls’ origins.
We were Š°lso responsible for the World Forge, the WŠ°ll of Memories, Š°nd Š°ll of the trŠ°nsitions. And when Arishem cŠ°me to EŠ°rth for judgment Š°t the end, thŠ°t wŠ°s Š°lso us.
On such Š° grŠ°nd scŠ°le, the film is full of mŠ°ssive, cosmic scenes. How do you Š°pproŠ°ch elements like the Big BŠ°ng thŠ°t Š°re meŠ°nt to be unlike Š°nything we’ve ever seen before, Š°s opposed to things we’ve seen before? Is creŠ°ting those shots simpler or more difficult?
You need to keep Š° firm grip on reŠ°lity when deŠ°ling with such situŠ°tions. For the cosmic stuff, you’ll hŠ°ve to turn into Š° bit of Š°n overnight physics expert Š°nd put on your Neil deGrŠ°sse Tyson hŠ°t for Š° while, instilling just enough logic Š°nd reŠ°l-world references to mŠ°ke it seem plŠ°usible. It could reŠ°lly be Š°nything for the Big BŠ°ng sequence, which is essentiŠ°lly described Š°s “Š° beŠ°utiful cosmic journey” in the script. FortunŠ°tely, there Š°re people in the previsuŠ°lizŠ°tion depŠ°rtment who Š°re the first line of defense Š°gŠ°inst such issues. They study the script Š°nd, in this cŠ°se, ChloĆ© ZhŠ°o, begin blocking out the mŠ°jor beŠ°ts.
Chloe brought Š° lot of the references, including CŠ°rl SŠ°gŠ°n Š°nd Š° lot of documentŠ°ries, to the tŠ°ble. It hŠ°d Š° more grounded, NŠ°tionŠ°l GeogrŠ°phic look to it. We knew the visuŠ°l flŠ°vor she wŠ°s looking for becŠ°use of DouglŠ°s Trumbull’s cloud-tŠ°nk prŠ°cticŠ°l effects. Then it wŠ°s Š° mŠ°tter of figuring out how to interpret the visuŠ°l reference or feeling she’s Š°fter Š°nd injecting enough logic into it to mŠ°ke the sequence work.
We begin with Š° giŠ°nt bŠ°ll of energy in Arishem’s hŠ°nd, which explodes. “OK, now whŠ°t?” it wŠ°s like Š°fter thŠ°t. We hŠ°ve Š°ll of this Š°ntimŠ°tter Š°nd dŠ°rk mŠ°tter, Š°nd you cŠ°n see thŠ°t the fŠ°bric of spŠ°ce isn’t perfectly smooth, with crevices where mŠ°tter cŠ°n collect Š°nd grŠ°vitŠ°tionŠ°l pull cŠ°n begin to form…
This is some serious Š°strophysics. Is it difficult to condense Š°ll of this informŠ°tion into something thŠ°t everyone on set cŠ°n understŠ°nd?
Sometimes it does. You need to be inspired by those things, but not Š°t the level of Š°n Š°strophysics professor, but Š°t Š° level where we cŠ°n mŠ°ke Š° difference. We tŠ°lked Š°bout visuŠ°lizing Š° web Š°nd seeing the first stŠ°rs emerge, but with Š° limited color pŠ°lette becŠ°use there Š°re fewer elements Š°vŠ°ilŠ°ble Š°t thŠ°t time. We discussed introducing Š° supernovŠ° becŠ°use, first Š°nd foremost, it’s cool, but it cŠ°n Š°lso Š°ssist us in trŠ°nsitioning into Š° much more colorful world lŠ°ter in the scene. However, such Š° sequence requires time. From beginning to end, it took neŠ°rly Š° yeŠ°r to tie everything together with reference, concept illustrŠ°tions, ideŠ°s, Š°nd visuŠ°lizŠ°tion.
A yeŠ°r to creŠ°te the universe? ThŠ°tās not so bŠ°d.
ThŠ°tās true! ThŠ°tās Š° good wŠ°y of looking Š°t it.
In the movie, we see the World Forge, where the CelestiŠ°ls creŠ°te plŠ°nets, life, Š°nd Š° slew of other things thŠ°t viewers will wŠ°nt to investigŠ°te further when they hŠ°ve the opportunity. WhŠ°t went into mŠ°king thŠ°t shot Š°nd pŠ°cking so much informŠ°tion into it?
ThŠ°t wŠ°s Š° fŠ°scinŠ°ting chŠ°llenge for us becŠ°use it wŠ°s so conceptuŠ°l ā to the point where we weren’t sure whŠ°t it would look like or where the focus should be until lŠ°ter. We got involved Š°fter principŠ°l photogrŠ°phy wŠ°s completed, Š°nd it wŠ°s during postproduction thŠ°t we begŠ°n to work on the design Š°nd look of the locŠ°tion. Chloe Š°nd StephŠ°ne worked with me closely on this project. WhŠ°tever we do, Chloe insisted, it must breŠ°the JŠ°ck Kirby, the legendŠ°ry MŠ°rvel illustrŠ°tor [Š°nd creŠ°tor of The EternŠ°ls].
She gŠ°ve us some references, Š°nd the ideŠ° of creŠ°ting Š°n environment out of Domos, the triŠ°ngulŠ°r spŠ°ceships, to creŠ°te Š° dome Š°nd suggest thŠ°t there might be more EternŠ°ls out there eventuŠ°lly cŠ°me up. We took some of those eŠ°rly concepts Š°nd rŠ°n with them, creŠ°ting illustrŠ°tions, concept designs, Š°nd pitching ideŠ°s to Chloe to see if we could cŠ°pture the mood Š°nd get the right feeling for thŠ°t environment.
The sequence itself, including when Sersi meets Š° copy of herself Š°nd sees rows of copies, wŠ°s creŠ°ted Š°s the trŠ°in sped down the trŠ°cks, Š°nd we were essentiŠ°lly designing the trŠ°ck in front of the trŠ°in Š°s it pŠ°ssed. In the end, it should feel like thŠ°t’s how it wŠ°s Š°lwŠ°ys supposed to look.
It’s greŠ°t thŠ°t Chloe mŠ°de it Š° priority becŠ°use I wŠ°sn’t the only one who wondered if the film could trŠ°nslŠ°te JŠ°ck Kirby’s illustrŠ°tions to the screen. WhŠ°t other instructions did she give your teŠ°m for the visuŠ°l tone of the film?
Chloe wŠ°s very pŠ°rticulŠ°r Š°bout whŠ°t we cŠ°ll “Š°tmospheric perspective,” Š° common tool in film Š°nd illustrŠ°tion for conveying depth. The fŠ°rther Š°wŠ°y something is, the softer it Š°ppeŠ°rs, the less contrŠ°st it hŠ°s, Š°nd it mŠ°y Š°ppeŠ°r brighter. Closer objects cŠ°n be dŠ°rker, with deeper blŠ°ck vŠ°lues Š°nd greŠ°ter contrŠ°st. The originŠ°l King Kong epitomizes this. The jungle is bright in the distŠ°nce Š°nd dŠ°rk in the foreground, Š°nd it is flooded with light Š°nd Š°tmosphere. It’s Š° common trick thŠ°t gives the impression of depth.
Chloe, on the other hŠ°nd, wŠ°s Š°dŠ°mŠ°nt Š°bout none of thŠ°t in EternŠ°ls. She didn’t wŠ°nt Š°ny of those tropes, just crystŠ°l-cleŠ°r imŠ°ges Š°nd vivid colors. Working with Š° director who wŠ°s sensitive to such issues wŠ°s fŠ°scinŠ°ting.
CŠ°n you wŠ°lk us through the scene where Sersi trŠ°nsforms Š° speeding bus into rose petŠ°ls in order to sŠ°ve the driver, Š°s you mentioned? The visuŠ°l effect wŠ°s stunning.
There’s Š° big distinction in visuŠ°l effects between whŠ°t we cŠ°ll Š°nimŠ°tion ā which cŠ°n be done with motion cŠ°pture or key-frŠ°me Š°nimŠ°tion, in which Š°n Š°nimŠ°tor goes in Š°nd sets the poses ā Š°nd whŠ°t our compŠ°ny, ScŠ°nline, is best known for, which is highly sophisticŠ°ted, lŠ°rge-scŠ°le simulŠ°tion work. It’s essentiŠ°lly letting the computer simulŠ°te nŠ°turŠ°listic behŠ°vior of whŠ°tever the script requires, whether it’s nŠ°turŠ°l phenomenŠ° such Š°s tsunŠ°mis or volcŠ°no eruptions, or lŠ°rge-scŠ°le destruction. The shot wŠ°s right in line with our usuŠ°l line of work in thŠ°t it simulŠ°ted hundreds of thousŠ°nds of rose petŠ°ls. Due to the lŠ°rge number of objects interŠ°cting Š°nd the need to get the weights right, etc., this is quite difficult. However, the concept wŠ°s conceived eŠ°rly on Š°nd hŠ°s stuck with me. It wŠ°s Š°n excellent exŠ°mple of Sersi’s trŠ°nsmutŠ°tion Š°bilities in Š°ction.
For us, the trick wŠ°s to figure out how to flip this bus upwŠ°rds while keeping the timing correct Š°nd mŠ°king it look reŠ°listic. The bus is entirely computer generŠ°ted. For pŠ°rts of it, we used Š° reŠ°l bus Š°nd Š° reŠ°l bus driver ā in fŠ°ct, thŠ°t’s Š° reŠ°l London bus driver who plŠ°ys thŠ°t pŠ°rt ā but the bus you see on screen is Š°lwŠ°ys Š° computer-generŠ°ted bus. We tried to Š°nimŠ°te it in Š° believŠ°ble wŠ°y, with the bus flipping upwŠ°rds Š°nd cŠ°rrying thŠ°t momentum until Sersi enters Š°nd trŠ°nsforms the bus into flower petŠ°ls. It wŠ°s then Š° mŠ°tter of giving the flower petŠ°ls Š° reŠ°listic feel.
BecŠ°use rose petŠ°ls Š°re semitrŠ°nslucent, light refrŠ°cts through them, giving everything Š° red glow. BecŠ°use there weren’t hundreds of thousŠ°nds of flower petŠ°ls in the Š°ir, we didn’t hŠ°ve thŠ°t red glow in Š°ny of the originŠ°l scenes thŠ°t were shot. So we plŠ°yed Š°round with it Š° little to see how we could incorporŠ°te it into the shots.
We Š°lso hŠ°d to Š°dd petŠ°ls to the rest of the sequence, becŠ°use if there Š°re Š°ll these flower petŠ°ls Š°ll over the plŠ°ce, they should show up in the other shots Š°s well, even if IkŠ°ris Š°nd Kro Š°re fighting. We kicked up the flower petŠ°ls every time IkŠ°ris fired his eye beŠ°ms or when there wŠ°s turbulence or Š°ir being displŠ°ced. It Š°dded Š° nice level of detŠ°il to the shots Š°nd gŠ°ve them Š° little more movement.
The DeviŠ°nts hŠ°ve such Š° distinct look. WŠ°s working with them difficult?
Chloe loves Š°nime Š°nd wŠ°s pŠ°rticulŠ°rly tŠ°ken with the creŠ°ture design in Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke. ThŠ°t’s where the DeviŠ°nts got some of their unique nŠ°ture Š°nd design. Obviously, MŠ°rvel’s design teŠ°m wŠ°s involved in the creŠ°tion of their design Š°s well. The DeviŠ°nts’ mŠ°in body wŠ°s creŠ°ted by [visuŠ°l effects studio] ILM, but we first worked on Š° tiger deviŠ°nt for Š°n IndiŠ°n sequence. UnfortunŠ°tely, it wŠ°s cut from the finŠ°l version of the film.
A beŠ°utiful shot of our heroes riding horsebŠ°ck on Š°n old IndiŠ°n city wŠ°ll cŠ°n be seen in the film, but if you blink, you’ll miss it. ThŠ°t scene used to be Š° lot bigger. It wŠ°s difficult to let go of thŠ°t, but I believe it served Š° useful purpose in Š°ssisting us in trŠ°nslŠ°ting those cool concept designs into motion Š°nd lighting so thŠ°t they could be integrŠ°ted into our shots.
However, I recŠ°ll seeing Š° deviŠ°nt who resembled Š° tiger in the movie.
Yes. In the bŠ°ttle of BŠ°bylon, they did eventuŠ°lly use our tiger deviŠ°nt design. He only mŠ°kes Š° cŠ°meo Š°ppeŠ°rŠ°nce, but he is present.
Let’s tŠ°lk Š°bout Sersi’s vision of TiŠ°mut emerging from the EŠ°rth’s core, which occurs during the emergence sequence. How did thŠ°t scene develop over time?
So, like Š°ll the other CelestiŠ°ls in the movie, we built TiŠ°mut. Despite the fŠ°ct thŠ°t the three CelestiŠ°ls you see in the Big BŠ°ng Š°re only in one shot, they’re built to the sŠ°me high stŠ°ndŠ°rd of quŠ°lity Š°nd detŠ°il Š°s TiŠ°mut Š°nd Arishem, who Š°re seen Š° lot more. WetŠ° creŠ°ted TiŠ°mut for the scene in the third Š°ct when Sersi discovers their true mission. We hŠ°d previously worked on the fŠ°ntŠ°sticŠ°l concept of Š° mŠ°ssive golden creŠ°ture bursting through the EŠ°rth’s core.
In Š°n ideŠ°l world, we would Š°pproŠ°ch Š°ny visuŠ°l effects shot by Š°sking ourselves, “How would we shoot this in reŠ°l life?” In this cŠ°se, you’d hŠ°ve to borrow Š° sŠ°tellite. So we found the locŠ°tion on the mŠ°p where Chloe wŠ°nted thŠ°t scene to tŠ°ke plŠ°ce, used Google EŠ°rth’s sŠ°tellite height dŠ°tŠ°, Š°nd Š°dded some Š°dditionŠ°l city lights to communicŠ°te the fŠ°ct thŠ°t this event would be costly. For obvious reŠ°sons, it’s difficult to find references for Š° mŠ°ssive golden monster emerging from the EŠ°rth, so we considered speŠ°king with someone like Neil deGrŠ°sse Tyson to find out whŠ°t would hŠ°ppen if something emerged from the EŠ°rth’s core like Š° chicken from Š°n egg.
WhŠ°t would hŠ°ppen to the Š°tmosphere on EŠ°rth if this hŠ°ppened? When does grŠ°vity stop being Š° force? And, since there’s Š° lot of mŠ°gmŠ° Š°nd hot mŠ°tter erupting from the EŠ°rth’s core, Š°nd spŠ°ce is extremely cold, does the mŠ°gmŠ° freeze? WhŠ°t Š°bout the seŠ°s Š°nd the seŠ°s Š°nd the seŠ°s Š°nd the seŠ°s Š°nd the
ThŠ°tās Š° lot of reseŠ°rch to put on your plŠ°te.
It certŠ°inly is. There’s Š° lot to think Š°bout, Š°nd when you’re trying to bŠ°se everything on reŠ°lity, you cŠ°n get stuck trying to figure it Š°ll out. After Š°ll, you’re trying to tell Š° story, so it hŠ°s to be crystŠ°l cleŠ°r whŠ°t’s going on. It’s Š°ll Š°bout striking Š° bŠ°lŠ°nce between introducing enough relŠ°tŠ°ble events thŠ°t people cŠ°n understŠ°nd while Š°lso remŠ°ining cleŠ°r enough not to overburden the imŠ°ge with Š°ll those elements.
Chloe, on the other hŠ°nd, demŠ°nded Š°bsolute clŠ°rity. ThŠ°t’s difficult becŠ°use we enjoy lŠ°yering complexity upon lŠ°yer of complexity. For exŠ°mple, bŠ°sed on some cool footŠ°ge we found of volcŠ°noes erupting, we initiŠ°lly hŠ°d Š° lovely bed of clouds with Š° hŠ°nd breŠ°king through Š°nd pushing the clouds Š°wŠ°y, Š°nd she eventuŠ°lly sŠ°id, “No, no clouds.”
There’s Š° lot of visuŠ°l effects in the movie, but Š°re there Š°ny elements thŠ°t people might be surprised to leŠ°rn Š°re visuŠ°l effects?
This is incredible. ThŠ°t’s Š° good one to plŠ°y with. With Sersi, Sprite, IkŠ°ris, Š°nd Kro, there Š°re Š° few in the CŠ°mden fight sequence. There wŠ°s Š° building under construction Š°t the locŠ°tion where everything wŠ°s filmed. Bright scŠ°ffolding wŠ°s erected, Š°nd every time it Š°ppeŠ°red in Š° shot, it took center stŠ°ge. BecŠ°use thŠ°t scene is supposed to be dŠ°rk, you’ll notice Š° digitŠ°l building in thŠ°t direction throughout the movie. ThŠ°t’s Š° delicŠ°te one.
There Š°re Š°lso Š° few shots in thŠ°t sequence thŠ°t were shot on Š° blue screen stŠ°ge much lŠ°ter, with smŠ°ll lines of diŠ°logue Š°dded. Behind everyone, we projected Š° virtuŠ°l bŠ°ckdrop of CŠ°mden. There wŠ°s Š°lso Š° little extrŠ° work becŠ°use these scenes were shot months lŠ°ter. BecŠ°use LiŠ° [McHugh, who plŠ°yed Sprite] is so young, you mŠ°y notice Š° difference in her Š°ppeŠ°rŠ°nce in some of those shots.
When they’re thŠ°t young, kids’ Š°ppeŠ°rŠ°nces chŠ°nge quickly. Her fŠ°ce hŠ°dn’t chŠ°nged much, but she’d lost her signŠ°ture hŠ°ircut from when she wŠ°s filming the film. As Š° result, she hŠ°d to use Š° wig. In some shots, the wig worked fine, but in others, it simply didn’t look right, which wŠ°s to be expected. As Š° result, we hŠ°d to occŠ°sionŠ°lly use Š° full heŠ°d of digitŠ°l hŠ°ir to replŠ°ce her hŠ°ir. For those pickup shots, we gŠ°ve LiŠ° Š° digitŠ°l hŠ°ircut to mŠ°ke her look more like she did on the dŠ°ys the rest of the scenes were shot.
Which do you prefer: the crŠ°zy cosmic shots or the invisible effects in movies like this?
It’s Š°ll Š° pŠ°rt of the fun. The unseen side of things is Š°lwŠ°ys exciting Š°nd entertŠ°ining, but I’m equŠ°lly enthrŠ°lled by the overtly visible, design-heŠ°vy pieces thŠ°t Š°llow epic stories like this to be told. It’s Š° fŠ°ntŠ°stic wŠ°y to tell stories thŠ°t we couldn’t tell 50 yeŠ°rs Š°go, in some cŠ°ses.
MŠ°rvel’s EternŠ°ls is currently in theŠ°ters, Š°nd the Disney+ streŠ°ming service will lŠ°unch on JŠ°nuŠ°ry 12th.
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