Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512164
the film when adult Rocket walks from one end of the street to another—in one continuous shot— introducing the audience to this community the Guardians have built. While their brilliant work can be seen throughout the film, Art Director Sam Avila and set decorator Rosemary Brandenburg truly brought this imaginative world to life. While I'm largely talking about physical scenery here, I also want to bring to light the enormous achievement made by my partners in the visual effects department. Led by Stephane Ceretti and Susan Picket, I believe the VFX work in this film is among the best that has ever been done. They are the reason that Knowhere reaches hundreds of feet above the physical scenery, why each animal is real enough to hold and pet, why it feels like the Guardians are landing onto pliable flesh when they first touch down on the pink Orgoscope planet. It's their epic, intergalactic shots that introduce so many of our planets with jaw-dropping scale and detail and make these movies soar. They are tireless in their efforts to make CGI work seamless with in-camera work—and they accomplished that time and time again in Guardians Vol. 3. For many reasons, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to write this article, but a few reasons feel more important to me than others. There is a misconception that superhero films are largely created by CGI, that minimal physical scenery is needed, and that if physical scenery is in fact needed, the budgets are so large that the work is easy. Another misconception is that superhero films aren't "intellectual" or "cultured" enough to elicit true emotional connection, rendering them further overlooked creatively. While these misconceptions may be true of some films, I am hopeful that our work brought the audience to a tangible, textural, vibrant universe in Guardians Vol. 3. And I challenge any skeptical heart who says their strings weren't tugged when Rocket realizes what he really is and saves all of those baby raccoons at the end of the film. ADG A. BOWIE EXTERIOR. ILLUSTRATION BY FAUSTO DI MARTINI. BASED ON THE SILHOUETTE OF A CIRCULAR SAW. B. BOWIE STAGE SET. PLATFORM PLAN BY NICK CROSS. C. & D. BOWIE CENTRAL CORE. SET PHOTOS. E. BOWIE MEDICAL BAY. ILLUSTRATION BY SEBASTIAN MEYER. F. BOWIE MEDICAL BAY. PRODUCTION STILL. G. BOWIE MEDICAL BAY. SET PHOTO. A B C D