THE PREDATOR PREPARES FOR THE FIRST HUNT IN THE SCI-FI EPIC, “PREY”
Academy-award-winning studio, MPC delivers over 600 VFX shots for the highly anticipated film
VFX Done by MPC
Production VFX Supervisor is Ryan Cook.
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Release Date: August 5, 2022 (Hulu)
From 20th Century Studios and Director Dan Trachtenberg comes Prey, the next installment in the hugely popular Predator series, and prequel to the iconic first film. MPC’s global team, led by VFX Supervisor Chris Uyede and VFX Producers Lachlan Christie and Cleo Dessureault delivered a total of 632 shots for the Predator’s return to screens.
Set in the Comanche nation in 1719, the film follows Naru, a highly skilled hunter who will stop at nothing to protect her tribe and their lands against an invading alien threat. The film is comprised almost entirely of Native and First Nation talent, including the protagonist Naru played by Amber Midthunder (The Ice Road), newcomer Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp (Sooyii), Michelle Thrush (The Journey Home), and Julian Black Antelope (Tribal).
MPC provided almost every VFX scene in Prey. This included digital augmentation to the Predator itself, as well as heightened gore, CG arrows, and various environmental enhancements. The team was also tasked with creating a small zoo’s worth of CG North American wildlife, including a grizzly bear, mountain lion, cougars, and a wolf, to name but a few.
The Predator itself was the primary focus of the team. The creature was tackled using a hybrid approach, including practical FX and digital techniques. Working in tandem with Studio ADI, who had fabricated an animatronic suit, MPC created a full CG Predator that was used to augment or replace parts of the suit as well as play as entirely 3D for close-ups on his face or when exaggerated performances were required.
For one of the Predator’s most advanced technological features – its invisibility cloak – the team worked extensively on the look development and technical workflow needed to create a unique look capable of different states supporting storytelling needs. In one such example, the cloak plays as an energy field membrane that surrounds the predator off the surface of its skin. In another, the cloak becomes compromised and starts to glitch following a violent encounter with a Comanche hunting party. To create these looks, the team used procedurally generated geometry along with a multitude of render passes to allow our artists to produce an array of visual looks and transitions.
Not all the prey in the movie is human, and MPC was tasked with creating a wide range of CG animals. One exciting challenge was depicting the Predator’s battle with a massive grizzly bear in the middle of a river. The Animation team referenced real-life footage for the mechanics and behavior of the bear before choreographing the collision with a 7-foot humanoid Predator. The Simulation teams added muscle, fur dynamics, and water and blood FX to add to the frantic performance. The CG elements were then integrated with the live-action plates shot, which was shot both on location and against bluescreen in a water tank.
Prey released the hunter, on August 5th, 2022, on Hulu.
ABOUT MPC
Moving Picture Company (MPC) is a global creative studio with a single goal, to make any vision a reality. With decades of storytelling experience, MPC pushes the limits of what is technologically and artistically possible to tell visually stunning stories. MPC continues to lead in an ever-evolving industry, building authentic and long-lasting connections with audiences across all channels.
ABOUT TECHNICOLOR CREATIVE STUDIOS
MPC is a Technicolor Creative Studios company. Technicolor Creative Studios is a creative technology company driven by one purpose: The realization of ambitious and extraordinary ideas. We inspire creative companies across the world to produce their most iconic work. Our award-winning teams of artists and technologists’ partner with the creative community across film, television, animation, gaming, brand experience and advertising to bring the universal art of storytelling to audiences everywhere. No idea is too ambitious for us to create to an incredibly high standard. Technicolor Creative Studios provides World Class production expertise in Film, Episodic, Gaming, Advertising and Experiential Marketing.
