The interview with VFX supervisor Simone Silvestri, who relied on WondAR Studios' motion capture for Diabolik 2 - Ginko all’attacco!
Diabolik 2 - Ginko all’attacco!" is the new film by the Manetti Bros featuring Miriam Leone, Valerio Mastandrea, and Monica Bellucci in the cast, released in cinemas on November 17th, 2022. The opening scene of the film was made with the technical support of WondAR Studios, thanks to motion capture technology.
We interviewed Simone Silvestri, VFX supervisor of the film, who told us some behind-the-scenes details about the making of the movie.
Tell us a bit about yourself, what you do at Palantir Digital, and what you worked on in the "Diabolik" saga films?
In 2009, together with Vito Picchinenna (VFX Producer), I founded Palantir Digital because since I was a child, I dreamed of working on special effects for movies. I am a VFX supervisor (and compositor when I can) and I work with directors and productions to imagine how to create the effects that will be in the films, taking care of every aspect from preparation to set up to post-production.
In which scene of Diabolik 2 did you use the motion capture suit? And in which locations did you set it up?
When during the first script meeting of Diabolik 2 - Ginko all’attacco!, Marco Manetti (the film director, ed) told me about the initial scene, in full James Bond style, I immediately thought that the best way to shoot Diabolik's climb to the Ghenf Museum (actually the Marian sanctuary of Monte Grisa in Trieste) would have been to use motion capture, because it allowed us to insert a digital double on the scene without danger to our protagonist Giacomo Gianniotti, and without the use of safety cables.
So we included in the production plan a capture directly on the wall of the sanctuary with professional climbers of Edilizia Acrobatica in Trieste and with our Giacomo in Bologna, both on a wall with an angle similar to the real location, and on the set rebuilt in a studio.
The motion capture suit was used both indoors and outdoors, how did you find it? What was the difference?
I didn’t find any particular differences between the two situations, also thanks to the preparation and availability of Paolo Aralla and his collaborators. Obviously, shooting in the studio always provides some more comfort, but even outside, despite the bora wind in Trieste, everything went according to plan.
Would you have liked to include more motion capture scenes in Diabolik 2?
Of course, yes, but the scripts didn't require any other scenes as extreme. However, I wouldn't rule out their future use in an upcoming chapter of the saga!
To carry out all the 3D processing of the climbing scene, what professional figures did you need during the shooting and post-production?
In fact, we are a small studio and therefore we have artists who do not limit themselves to basic knowledge of 3D or compositing. One of these is our lead compositor Diego Arciero, who took care of the entire scene, interfacing with WondAR Studios and creating a workflow to finalize such an important scene as the initial one of the film in-house.
What software did you use to create Diabolik's double and how did you use our animations (from 3D scanning to export)?
Diego, after receiving the Xsens motion capture data from you, cleaned and combined the various body movements recorded by the climber using Motion Builder, bringing them together as a single sequence inside Cinema 4D.
The next step was to realign the polygons of the 3D scan, applying appropriate textures and materials, all done through Zbrush.
Once the rig for Diabolik 2 in digital form was completed, we linked the capture data together with the professional climber and Giacomo, adjusting the timing and adding the animation of the rope to which he is attached.
After performing the camera tracking of the sequence shot by the drone and creating a digital wall with CGI windows, we inserted cards with footage of the security guard.
The final mix is the opening scene of Diabolik 2.
How important was the use of VFX in Diabolik 2?
I would say it was indispensable! Recreating in a tangible way the places and atmospheres of Diabolik's paper counterpart was crucial for the Manetti Bros. In this, set designer Noemi Marchica and costume designer Ginevra De Carolis (thanks of course to the help of all departments involved in such a vast work) did a wonderful job, but without the help of integrations, clean-ups, set extensions, and computer graphics spread over 40% of the film with over 650 shots, Diabolik 2 would not have the same aesthetics and the right 'appeal'.
What was it like working with the Manetti Bros, and how much are VFX implemented in their films?
I have always worked with them and we have followed a shared path of experimentation and growth in the use of VFX, making functional use of them for the stories we had to tell at that time, but above all sustainable.
In my opinion, the best effects in films are either invisible or skillfully placed in the progression of the narrative, so as to be able to amaze with a wow effect as was done in the classics of Spielberg, Cameron or Zemeckis.
I don't like certain "showreels" of effects in some modern products. I prefer them in video games in that sense.
From the first day we met, you have always shown a strong interest in promoting motion capture in Italian film productions, what is your point of view?
I believe that technologies serve art more than people think. It has been like this in cinema since it was invented and will continue to be so. We will have new forms of entertainment and collective or individual experiences, but classic cinema, where you follow a story and are transported within it for two hours, will not change.
One should not be afraid to experiment with tools that until a few years ago were only available to high-budget American blockbusters.
Where does the idea of creating a behind-the-scenes book of the making of the film come from, and what does the book tell?
The idea came during the Covid-19 pandemic, which actually delayed the release of the first film in theaters by a year.
Taking many photos for the documentation and success of the VFX, I found myself with many more "artistic" shots and, inspired by the work done by Rob Bredow (SVP Chief of Office Industrial Light & Magic) who, as supervisor of Star Wars "Solo", created a beautiful making-of book (which he personally autographed for me in Turin during the View Conference 2019), I followed a story that goes from preparation to finished film, creating the volume entitled "Realizzando Diabolik".
In October of this year, Rob was back at the View as a speaker and I returned to Turin, where this time I gave him my book as a gift and signed it, thanking him for inspiring me!
At the end of 2022, the second book published by Npe entitled "Diabolik – Dietro le quinte Ginko all’attacco!” will be released.
Any plans for the future?
We are currently engaged in post-production for Diabolik 3 and La guerra del Tiburtino III by Luna Gualano, as well as on the set of Resvrgis by Francesco Carnesecchi and Il monaco che vinse l'Apocalisse by Jordan River. We are also preparing four new projects but at the moment I cannot talk about them, but all of them are interesting and will require a lot of technology and art!
Thank you for your time, see you soon
Thank you and see you soon for sure!