In contrast, our state machine approach was able to deliver great results after just a single pass, even by artists who had just entered the industry.” – Sean Flynn, simulation lead, Unity x Wētā DigitalĪ majority of the water tools developed by the team sit within Wētā’s proprietary simulation framework, Loki. In a typical VFX-heavy movie, water shots of this complexity are few and far between and require many iterations and passes from very experienced artists. “The Loki water state machine was crucial for delivering the sheer volume of large-scale water shots in this movie. This included taking into account the effects of tides, wind, and the sea floor on aquatic environments.

This team’s water toolset was recently recognized with a win at the Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards, with the Emerging Technology Award.Įxtreme attention to detail saw the taskforce conduct extensive research and experimentation in collaboration with New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) to find the best approach to creating CGI water.

To ensure that the interactions between the characters and water elements were as realistic as possible, a team of experts, including Unity and Wētā’s water simulation VFX specialists Alexey Stomakhin, Steve Lesser, Joel Wretborn, and Sean Flynn, were brought together to form the “Water Taskforce”. The tools and solutions used to create the film’s VFX – including the award-winning water effects – were developed by Wētā Digital, now a division of Unity. Translating Cameron’s vision, which for the sequel included the new reef village of the aquatic Metkayina clan, required extensive use of visual effects – especially for the dominant water setting.

Instal the new for mac Avatar: The Way of Water