Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

As a member of the visual effects team for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” my primary focus was on the lighting of the film’s opening scene.

This opening scene features a memorable close-up shot of Baby Groot dancing to Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr. Blue Sky” amidst a chaotic battle scene. As the camera zooms out, the audience is treated to a visual feast of exploding ships and creatures.

The complexity of the scene was heightened by the fact that it was one continuous shot and the set was composed of highly reflective surfaces. To manage the rendering process more effectively, the sequence was divided into smaller sub-shots. This required the visual effects team to meticulously maintain continuity between all the elements in each of the sub-shots, ensuring that the final product was seamless and visually stunning.

The strength of the opening scene was widely recognized, resulting in Academy and VES award nominations for the visual effects team.