Visual effects are so prevalent in modern cinema that it can be easy to overlook the extensive process involved in every computer-enhanced shot<\/strong>. While behind-the-scenes breakdown videos are becoming increasingly common, few of them reveal\u00a0what a VFX pipeline<\/strong> is actually comprised of. Here’s a look into the standard creative steps of\u00a0creating on-screen magic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The first step<\/strong> in any VFX pipeline is usually research and development. During this period, the technical approach<\/strong> to the film’s effects is decided, focusing on software preference and technique<\/strong>. Most Hollywood blockbusters will require unique programs or plugins more sophisticated than mass-produced\u00a0VFX software, and it is during the R&D phase\u00a0that programmers, artists, mathematicians, and even scientists develop the tools<\/strong> necessary to bring the on-paper concepts to life.<\/p>\n Image:\u00a0<\/em>Interstellar<\/a>\u00a0via Paramount Pictures<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n For instance, the stunning black hole, Gargantua, as seen in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, required its own proprietary physics\u00a0simulator<\/strong>\u00a0to be built from the ground up, as well as extensive scientific input, namely from Kip Thorne<\/a>, <\/strong>the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at California Institute of Technology.<\/p>\n Pre-visualization is essentially the process of converting a\u00a0storyboard and script into a 3D animated<\/strong>, low-quality rough draft<\/strong> of each VFX shot. While this does not always accurately reflect the succeeding final result, it allows the director to get an idea of what shots\u00a0will look like and therefore prepare better for principal photography.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n1. Pre-Production<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Research & Development<\/h4>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/pbblogassets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Interstellar-Black-Hole.png\" "\\"How")
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\nPre-Visualization<\/h4>\n