Lavish cinema projects of successful fantasy literature? This is “Ruby Red”, an adaptation of a young adult novel, which was produced from 21 February in Mühlhausen, Eisenach/Wartburg, Weimar, Cologne, Aachen, Jülich, Coburg, Bayreuth and London over 42 days of filming. The film was directed by Felix Fuchssteiner, with DoP Sonja Rom behind the camera. Ruby Red” was shot in 1:2.35 format with the Red Epic. DP spoke to Professor Jürgen Schopper, professor at the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences in Nuremberg and long-time consultant at Arri, as well as the VFX producer and VFX supervisor.
The book was on the Spiegel bestseller list for 54 weeks. Over a million copies were sold in Germany alone. It has since been translated into 19 languages. To ensure that the result is also aesthetically pleasing, the VFXs came entirely from Arri Film & TV Services in Cologne.
One of the challenges was to visualise the numerous time jumps of the protagonists from one era to another. There are also two variants of these time jumps: An uncontrolled one, which the heroine has to contend with at the beginning, and then later a controlled one, in which a mysterious blood-activated machine, the chronograph, plays a key role.
DP: Professor Schopper, how did you join the “Ruby Red” production team?
Jürgen Schopper: I supported the project in an advisory capacity with regard to the VFX. I was in talks with Lieblingsfilm GmbH and Robert Marciniak, Philipp Budweg and Thomas Blieninger, who I have known for many films, as well as with mem film GmbH and thus with Felix Fuchssteiner and Katharina Schöde. At that time there was only one script. The subsequent realisation of the VFX work was carried out entirely by Arri Film & TV Services in Cologne.
DP: Mr Warlimont, what was the exact workflow like and how did you adapt the “standard” to “Ruby Red”?
Mortimer Warlimont (Supervisor Visual Effects): We broke new ground by using the so-called linear workflow for the work on “Ruby Red”. This is the innovative colour space standard that was launched by the Technology Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science as the ACES system.
The DPX data in logarithmic space previously used as an exchange format is a kind of interim solution. They initially arose from the need to combine digital data (CGI/VFX) with scanned, analogue film material.
Now that almost everything is shot digitally and is actually linear, it makes sense to establish a new colour space that enables a more seamless transition between the data streams to be combined. We have done some pioneering work here with “Ruby Red”.
DP: Mr Schopper, in your opinion, what was the most complex VFX shot and how long did you work on it?
Jürgen Schopper: The highlight of the film from a VFX point of view is the chronograph. A real prop on the outside, digitally enhanced afterwards, the crucial question was how to adequately realise the complicated inner workings that are so important for the plot.
We really did a lot of testing until the aesthetics were right and presented a wide variety of layouts and designs for the director to choose from. The starting point for our deliberations was a pencil sketch by Katharina Schöde.
In the end, we agreed on a crossover of art nouveau with a dash of steampunk aesthetics. Arri’s Head of 3D, Michael Koch, oversaw the months of precision work by the Cologne 3D team, who worked out the complex moving inner workings of the chronograph’s mechanics, including fog and particle clouds, in full CG.
DP: The “smoke hand” at the end was composed of particles. Mr Koch, do you see a trend towards VFX made from emitting objects?
Michael Koch (Arri Head of 3D): The fact that the evil count’s “nebulous” hand strangles the heroine with smoky fingers was already in the script. Of course it’s true that 3D particle animation systems are getting better and better and are being used more and more, but I wouldn’t call it a trend.
DP: Mr Schopper, to what extent were you and your team involved in the design? How did you develop the effects from the original book?
Jürgen Schopper: All the visual effects were developed in consultation with the director and production team. That’s the fun of it! It starts with pencil sketches that eventually become digital layouts. We then check whether the design approach is suitable for all the shot sizes in the film. The design then flows into the VFX workflow as a reference and finally becomes part of the film.
DP: Ms Müller, as a German youth film, “Ruby Red” can’t keep up with Hollywood blockbusters in terms of budget. What advice can you give young filmmakers on how to stay within budget when it comes to VFXs?
Katja Müller (VFX Producer): Of course, the budget ultimately determines the amount and complexity of VFX work. Digital image design is not a business with endless room for negotiation. Nevertheless, the most important thing for a production is to seek advice at an early stage, i.e. long before shooting.
Precise storyboards and a precise shot-based cost calculation are essential. Of course, we then offer set supervision during filming and only then do we actually enter the post-production phase.
However, if the preparations have been taken into account accordingly, there will certainly be no cost explosion when creating the VFX for the production.
DP: Mr Warlimont, do you see a difference to European or international productions?
Mortimer Warlimont (Supervisor Visual Effects): No, based on my experience with international productions, I don’t see any difference here. You pull together to make a good film.
DP: The film was shot on historical locations in places. What problems does this create for the visual effects?
Mortimer Warlimont: With historical locations, you always have a big responsibility on the filming side. For “Ruby Red”, a special lighting setup was actually necessary, which protruded into the motif and was digitally replaced afterwards. In the Wartburg in Thuringia, a huge cushion of light covered almost the entire ceiling, which was then shot in an extra plate.
DP: Mrs Müller, the set extensions for the time jumps were quite extensive.
Katja Müller (VFX Producer): Yes, that’s right. Basically, historical photographs, paintings or engravings are a good reference for historical buildings.
DP: Thanks to your work on the films “The Pope” and “The Countess”, do you already have a library at hand that is conveniently filled with buildings from different eras?
Katja Müller: Yes, but unfortunately you can only use an existing library of 3D buildings to a very limited extent. Every new film is a new challenge and has different requirements to the previous project. The parameters of era, location or even the level of detail required within a VFX shot are never the same.
