BTS: DNEG's work on Black Adam

For Black Adam, the superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, DNEG delivered 190 shots across five sequences for the action-packed film.

DNEG’s team was led by VFX Supervisor Fabricio Baessa and VFX Producer Saado Abou-Khazaal. DNEG’s work included a mix of photorealistic full digital environments, seamless set extensions, digi-doubles and a variety of FX. The team was also responsible for the epic post-credit sequence.

Fabricio Baessa, DNEG VFX Supervisor

What scenes was DNEG responsible for?

DNEG was responsible for the main environment, the throne room, as well as an epic after credits sequence, which has drawn great attention from fans of the universe and beyond. We also did some emotional shots. One example is when the Hawkman grabs the helmet and it disintegrates. This was extremely delicate to execute well.

While the show was led by the Vancouver studio, it also saw major contributions from DNEG’s artists at studio locations around the world.

How many shots did you complete?

We delivered more than 200 shots across five sequences for the main environment at the height-of-the-action in the film. All the work was achieved using a variety of tools and techniques to ensure the visual effects work was of the best quality possible while still working quickly and efficiently. This involved lots of photorealistic full digital environments with seamless set extensions, digi-doubles and a variety of FX simulations.

At what stage did you get involved with the project?

DNEG became involved relatively late in the process which can be difficult but the entire team rose to the challenge. As other VFX partners joined earlier, we had to ramp up quickly while still maintaining the award-winning quality DNEG is known for.

The brief came directly from the client-side VFX Supervisor Bill Westenhofer and the Director Jaume Collet-Serra. The brief was really precise but it still left room for creative freedom to enhance the dynamic and beauty of the movie.

What references did you draw upon?

The basic reference was the comic books and this is evident in the scene where Black Adam sits on the throne. This moment in particular looks a lot like the comics.

What was the biggest challenge of the process?

Our biggest challenge was the post-credit sequence due to the quick turnaround time here. This sequence was extremely difficult to execute while still building on the necessary tension and anticipation of this key moment in the film. It took a lot of planning and very precise execution from our team.