Dune
The project started with an idea to create a fun project with desert landscapes. With any new project, Ilya is trying to combine real photo shooting with CG more and more. He is using a VR headset to explore virtual spaces to create the concept and shape the idea. The integration of cgi was also a goal. After a few tests, Ilya came up with an understanding of what he wants to achieve and (after watching "Dune") the visual style and the story's atmosphere.
Dune
Collaboration
Coincidentally, right when Ilya started to work on the project, two famous cosplayers (Manuel "WhitePyke" and Bekkhan Khalukhaev) contacted Ilya and suggested creating a photo series based on "Dune". It seemed that everything around was pushing to make this project happen. Ilya decided to give it a shot and suggested collaborating with Mondlicht Studios to enhance the images with CG and matte-painting.
Coincidentally, right when Ilya started to work on the project, two famous cosplayers (Manuel "WhitePyke" and Bekkhan Khalukhaev) contacted Ilya and suggested creating a photo series based on "Dune". It seemed that everything around was pushing to make this project happen. Ilya decided to give it a shot and suggested collaborating with Mondlicht Studios to enhance the images with CG and matte-painting.
The most exciting part of the photo shooting was the location. Ilya managed to find sand dunes near Moscow at the end of October. Fortunately, the day was sunny and the team managed to recreate the atmosphere of an extremely hot desert - while still being in the wintery Moscow.
Retouching & CG
Mondlicht team modeled the Ornithopter, created the backgrounds with digital matte painting, integrated 3D models to the shots and added post-production together with Ilya Nodia.
Mondlicht team modeled the Ornithopter, created the backgrounds with digital matte painting, integrated 3D models to the shots and added post-production together with Ilya Nodia.
Some shots involved just retouching and post-production; others demanded other tricks, including the landscape creation, 3d modeling and more profound retouching. Most of the CG-part of the project was connected with two shots. The first includes the fallen Ornithopter and the second a sandworm modeled by Gleb Kurilkin.
The best thing about the project is that it has a plot behind it. Imagine the journey of two freemen who found a fallen copter. Despite all the risk, they decided to look inside, but nobody had survived the severe crash. To hide any clues, the freemen chose to call a sandworm. The creature appeared and swallowed the Ornithopter with the dead bodies inside.
Night falls, and our heroes have to stay awake to watch and hope to preserve their lives until sunrise.
Night falls, and our heroes have to stay awake to watch and hope to preserve their lives until sunrise.
Ilya is an example of a photographer who implements CG to his projects. For example, to create the concepts and the storyboard for "Dune", Ilya used Unreal Engine 4.
PRODUCER
Ilya Nodia, Dmitriy Glazyrin
CO-PRODUCER
David Schaefer, Zhanna Travkina
CONCEPT ARTISTS
Ilya Nodia, Dmitriy Glazyrin
PHOTOGRAPHY
Ilya Nodia
MATTE PAINTING
Dmitriy Glazyrin, David SchaePer, Ilya Nodia
MODELING
Bohdan Morykon, Gleb Kurilkin
POST-PRODUCTION
Dmitriy Glazyrin, David SchaeFer, Ilya Nodia
VFX SIMULATIONS
Maksym Khirnyy, Pavel Morozov
COSTUME DESIGNER
Khalukhaev "Agnivo" Bekhan
ACTORS
Khalukhaev "Agnivo" Bekhan, Ernesto "WhitePyke" Manuel
ANIMATION
David Schaefer, Maksym Khirnyy, Pavel Morozov, Daniel Vesterbaek
Ilya Nodia, Dmitriy Glazyrin
CO-PRODUCER
David Schaefer, Zhanna Travkina
CONCEPT ARTISTS
Ilya Nodia, Dmitriy Glazyrin
PHOTOGRAPHY
Ilya Nodia
MATTE PAINTING
Dmitriy Glazyrin, David SchaePer, Ilya Nodia
MODELING
Bohdan Morykon, Gleb Kurilkin
POST-PRODUCTION
Dmitriy Glazyrin, David SchaeFer, Ilya Nodia
VFX SIMULATIONS
Maksym Khirnyy, Pavel Morozov
COSTUME DESIGNER
Khalukhaev "Agnivo" Bekhan
ACTORS
Khalukhaev "Agnivo" Bekhan, Ernesto "WhitePyke" Manuel
ANIMATION
David Schaefer, Maksym Khirnyy, Pavel Morozov, Daniel Vesterbaek