TWIN​ ​ PEAKS​ ​ - ​ ​ Season​ ​ 3

We​ ​ made​ ​ a ​ ​ total​ ​ of​ ​ 213​ ​ VFX​ ​ shots​ ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ serie​which​ ​ represent​ ​ 40​ ​ minutes​ ​ of​ ​ VFX. Our work was very various, from green screen extraction to an abstract ride inside a nuclear explosion, via a rejuvenation of Laura Palmer​ ​ and​ ​ a ​ ​ Frogmoth. In​ ​ all​ ​ cases,​ ​ it​ ​ was​ ​ a ​ ​ really​ ​ creative​ ​ process​ ​ through​ ​ the​ ​ ideas​ ​ of​ ​ David​ ​ Lynch.

As we only had general briefs from David Lynch, due to the confidentiality of the project, the design and research part of the project was​ ​ the​ ​ most​ ​ and​ ​ the​ ​ main​ ​ moment.

Laura​ ​ and​ ​ Sarah's​ ​ face​ ​ opening​ ​ – ​ ​ 4 ​ ​ shots

We had to make 2 types of face opening. The first one with Laura needed a white bright light. The second one with Sarah Palmer needed a black and fleshy color. (Later, Lynch also added​ ​ a ​ ​ creature​ ​ inside​ ​ Sarah’​ ​ face​ ​ opening.) To build this effect, we needed to recreate a CG head and a CG hand based on the filmed references in order to rotoscope the​ ​ animation.

White​ ​ Horse​ ​ – ​ ​ 2 ​ ​ shots

For these 2 shots, we needed to recreate a CG white horse, similar​ ​ to​ ​ the​ ​ one​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ previous​ ​ seasons​ ​ of​ ​Twin​ ​ Peaks. We found an albino horse in South East of France to take some reference pictures for the textures and videos for the animation of the ears and tail. The modeling was based on the references from​ ​ the​ ​ previous​ ​ seasons.

Cooper​ ​ Floats​ ​ – ​ ​ 3 ​ ​ shots

In this sequence, Cooper falls on a Glass Box, hanged on a building in New York, then he “goes” inside the box and floats inside​ ​ the​ ​ building.​ ​ We​ ​ just​ ​ did​ ​ the​ ​ part​ ​ inside​ ​ the​ ​ building. For this effect, we had two shots. A first one for the background, a second one on a green screen with Cooper floating. Our work consisted in cleaning up the shot of Cooper with wires and restore the suit to remove the pleats on the jacket and on the pants, but above all, we needed to stabilize the green screen shot as it was shot 4 months after the background in order to match​ ​ the​ ​ camera​ ​ movement​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ background.

New​ ​ York​ ​ – ​ ​ 1 ​ ​ shot

We created a CG building and environment of New York to introduce​ ​ the​ ​ position​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ Glass​ ​ Box​ ​ where​ ​ Cooper​ ​falls.

Black​ ​ Sea​ ​ – ​ ​ 3 ​ ​ shots

We​ ​ created​ ​ a ​ ​ generic​ ​ CG​ ​ asset​ ​ for​ ​ the​ ​ ocean.​ ​ The​ ​ brief​ ​ was​ ​ to create​ ​ a ​ ​ black​ ​ and​ ​ calm​ ​ sea​ ​ with​ ​ a ​ ​ sky​ ​ similar​ ​ to​ ​ a ​ ​ violet​ ​ bubble.

Dougie​ ​ – ​ ​ 6 ​ ​ shots

In this sequence, Dougie changes, morphs, gets distorted until disappearing. We worked on the beginning with the hand becoming really small,​ and​​ the​​ shoulders​ starting​ ​ falling​ ​ with​​ a simple​ ​ 2D​ ​ effect.

Black​ ​ Box​ ​ – ​ ​ 20​ ​ shots

This sequence shows Cooper standing with Naido on a Black Box​ ​ floating​ ​ in​ ​ space.We had to do trackings, green screen extractions and wiresremoval​ ​ ​ for​ ​ each​ ​ shot​ ​ from​ ​ this​ ​ sequence.The main challenge was to recreate a CG head of Major Briggs,who says “Blue Rose” while moving from right to left through dark clouds and stars. As the actor Don S. Davis died in 2008,and as David Lynch wanted the same face (but stretched and a bit transparent) as in the two first seasons of the show, we just had pictures from this period to recreate the full head and animate​ ​ it.

Socket​ ​ effects​ ​ – ​ ​ 12​ ​ shots

These​ ​ 12​ ​ shots​ ​ were​ ​ separated​ ​ in​ ​ 3 ​ ​ sequences.​ ​ The​ ​ first​ ​ one where​ ​ Cooper​ ​ is​ ​ attracted​ ​ by​ ​ the​ ​ socket,​ ​ the​ ​ second​ ​ one​ ​ where Cooper​ ​ is​ ​ deformed​ ​ and​ ​ sucked​ ​ into​ ​ the​ ​ power​ ​ socket,​ ​ the​ ​ third one​ ​ where​ ​ Cooper​ ​ comes​ ​ out​ ​ of​ ​ a ​ ​ power​ ​ socket​ ​ as​ ​ a ​ ​ tube​ ​ and finally​ ​ takes​ ​ shape​ ​ of​ ​ his​ ​ real​ ​ body. The​ ​ first​ ​ idea​ ​ was​ ​ to​ ​ stretch​ ​ the​ ​ head​ ​ and​ ​ the​ ​ body​ ​ to​ ​ get​ ​ it “sucked”​ ​ by​ ​ the​ ​ socket.​ ​ Finally​ ​ this​ ​ effect​ ​ was​ ​ too​ ​ comical​ ​ for Lynch,​ ​ and​ ​ he​ ​ decided​ ​ to​ ​ add​ ​ smoke​ ​ on​ ​ Cooper​ ​ as​ ​ he’s​ ​ being deformed​ ​ and​ ​ sucked​ ​ into​ ​ the​ ​ socket.As​ ​ Cooper​ ​ rematerializes​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ last​ ​ sequence,​ ​ we​ ​ also​ ​ see some​ ​ smoke​ ​ covering​ ​ him​ ​ and​ ​ finally​disappearing​ ​ and revealing​ ​ his​ ​ body.