{"id":97054,"date":"2017-11-21T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2017-11-21T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=97054"},"modified":"2017-11-21T09:31:53","modified_gmt":"2017-11-21T15:31:53","slug":"production-team-behind-thor-ragnarok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/production-team-behind-thor-ragnarok\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Team Behind Thor: Ragnarok Crafted an Epic Action Film"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let’s take a look at how the filmmakers behind Thor: Ragnarok demonstrate the power of collaboration when creating a movie.<\/h2>\n

Image via Disney<\/a>\/Jason Bolin.<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s safe to say that\u00a0Thor: Ragnarok<\/a><\/em> was a massive success \u2014 in every way. The fans got what they wanted: a fresh, fun, entertaining take on a beloved character\u00a0thanks to\u00a0the filmmaking prowess of Taika Waititi<\/a>. The film is making tons of money at the box office, and was a critical darling. So who is to take credit for an expensive Marvel monster such as this? The director? The DP? The star? In short, this project was a collective\u00a0effort that relied on the creative sensibilities of truly talented editors, artists, and master filmmakers. Let’s take a look at what went into making the God of Thunder a fun time at the movies.<\/p>\n

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Editing<\/h3>\n

\"How
\nImage via Marvel<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

To fill the role of Editor, Waititi, Victoria Alonso<\/a>,\u00a0and Jesse Torres<\/a> picked an unlikely candidate: a traditionally comedy based duo, Zene Baker and Joel Negron. Having worked on past projects like Observe and Report<\/a><\/em>, Pain and Gain<\/a><\/em>, and Neighbors<\/a><\/em>, the duo hadn’t yet tackled a Marvel movie. Given the light-hearted nature of the film, choosing these two made perfect sense for what Waititi and crew were going for. On the actual edit, Baker reflects on the freedom and workflow that came with the job, praising the collaborative efforts of his partner and the director.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the test-screening process, Baker fills us in on crucial information that editors should keep in mind:<\/p>\n

You\u2019re trying to make something with its own characteristics. But as you get into these types of movies, they\u2019re invaluable, especially with the comedy aspect of it. You learn really quickly which jokes are gonna tank. There are some jokes that you hate that turn out to be gangbusters and you\u2019re like, ‘Okay, so I\u2019m not right about everything, and I\u2019m not wrong about everything.’ I\u2019ve reached the point now where, comedy wise, they\u2019re invaluable. Story wise, you can get that diamond in the rough who\u2019s like, ‘I don\u2019t understand this story point,’ and if enough people say the same thing, you have to really examine it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This tidbit is an excellent example of why you should trust your instincts, but\u00a0understand that your first and final cut might still need revisions<\/a>.\u00a0Letting someone else take a look at your work is always a good way to reflect and change anything that doesn’t quite hit \u2014 regardless of the type of video you’re working on. Baker goes on to talk about the process of reshoots, and how going back to shoot more for your project doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing:<\/p>\n

You want to make the best possible movie you can, and sometimes it requires additional photography. You can make a scene so much better with just one little thing. You can literally shoot for five minutes to make one scene aces, and then put a few days into another scene. We\u2019re all carefully debating everything, throughout the process.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Visual Effects<\/h3>\n

\"How
\nImage via Marvel<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Crafting the look and feel of the film was always going to be challenging due to the approach Marvel was taking with the re-vamped franchise. Along with the tone, editing, and writing, Taika and the lot knew they had to push the boundaries for visual effects and portraying action (after all, this is an action movie).<\/p>\n

For a particularly stunning flashback scene, one of the film’s central characters rides into battle on a winged horse towards Hela, the Goddess of Death. The scene is a spectacular blend of slow-motion and visual and practical effects. To create the effect in the scene, Waititi’s own friend and fellow actor Stuart Rutherford <\/a>and VFX artist Carlo Van de Roer<\/a> designed a rig to move light at 10,000 feet per second, accurately capturing an image in 360 degrees like never before. In a recent interview with SYFY Wire<\/em><\/a>, Van de Roer detailed the setup:<\/p>\n

We shot with a Phantom Flex4K at about 1,000 frames a second, and what happens is you get this moment where time slows down to an incredible soup. You get into really thick, slo-mo action, but then, almost impossibly, the light actually does a full 360 degree loop around the actors in that moment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"How
\nImage via SYFY Wire<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Another prime example of\u00a0how\u00a0Thor: Ragnarok<\/em> approached its themes and story expertly is the blend of practical and visual effects into one seamless\u00a0feeling of retro nostalgia<\/a> mixed with a visually stunning space opera.\u00a0You can see this in the design of\u00a0Hela’s wardrobe. The headdress\u00a0is the work of\u00a0Ironhead Studios<\/a>,\u00a0and it is a perfect example of how to expertly blend practical, old-school costuming with new age effects \u2014 if you have the right vision and right team working together.<\/p>\n