Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1530710
4 cgw o c t o b e r • n o v e m b e r • d e c e m b e r 2 0 2 4 L ondon-based VFX house Little Shadow joined Arrow Media to conceive and create the VFX for Season 2 of Shark Attack 360, an eight-part docuseries for National Geographic and Disney+ that dives into the world of shark attacks and in- vestigates why they happen. In the series, an international team of experts hunts for clues using evidence and personal accounts to un- ravel the mysteries behind sharks' behavior. Little Shadow has worked in broadcast and commercials for the past seven years, pushing the boundaries of broadcast pro- duction resources and leveraging the very best in technology to allow its artists to create stunning cinematic visuals. Its most re- cent work includes A Real Bug's Life for Disney+ and Gold: A Jour- ney with Idris Elba for Netflix. VFX director Simon Percy shared a day in his life on the Shark Attack 360 virtual studio set with CGW. Simon Percy (VFX Director): Executive producer Nick Metcalfe and series producer Laura Offer made it clear that they had big ambitions for Season 2 and really wanted to raise the bar. Our number one challenge was using a combination of cut- ting-edge, hybrid virtual production techniques, from Lidar scanned locations and XR previs to live camera tracking and real-time AR sharks on set with host and marine biologist Diva Amon. We worked closely with shark experts, most notably Ste- phen M. Kajiura, to add even more detail to the sharks' digital doubles, creating ultra-realistic sharks. In the end we were able to seamlessly blend the multi-level, real-world and virtual lab to- gether in single shots, which allowed Diva and the sharks to coex- ist in one versatile investigative space. 8:00 AM – Setting the Scene The day kicks off with croissants and coffee as the on-set team pre- pared for day five of an eight-day location shoot. We were armed with a bespoke built flight case housing a custom-made PC linked to Blackmagic Design's Ultimatte 12 4K for real-time compositing and two HyperDeck Studio 4K Pros for recording and playback. With our hybrid virtual production system in hand, the day ahead prom- ised innovation. Our goal? Seamlessly integrate photorealistic sharks into the hy- brid virtual production environment, enhancing the realism of each interaction. Using Lidar Lounge's precise 3D scans of the set, we craed a digital twin, perfect for shot planning, pre-visualiza- tion, and live compositing. This was no ordinary greenscreen set- up—we used Zeiss Ncam to track our main camera whilst simul- taneously live-keying in real-time, providing instant feedback for both Diva and the crew. Having spent two intense weeks of previs and scene planning with both Director Martin Cass and DP Mat- thew Beckett, the hybrid virtual production setup allowed us to see the sharks move and interact in real time on set, so we could make quick and efficient creative choices. SHARK ATTACK 360 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VFX DIRECTOR: NAVIGATING VIRTUAL OCEANS FOR A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DOCUSERIES.