'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' provides an unparalleled cinematic experience this summer, unveiling large-scale VFX along with behind-the-scenes production insights and concept art.
The film 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' is a fantasy action story that unfolds on the day when the world of the novel, which has been serialized for over 10 years, becomes reality, with the only reader, 'Kim Dok-ja', surviving in a devastated world alongside the protagonist 'Yu Jung-hyuk' and his companions.
The most significant task in 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' is undoubtedly VFX. Of the total of over 1,500 shots, approximately 1,300 are composed of CGI, indicating that VFX visual effects play a major role in the work. The VFX team focused on creating and visualizing a world that has never been seen before, rather than one that resembles existing works.
The production team first created pre-visuals to meticulously plan the action sequences of the actors and creatures, going through a thorough pre-production period. During the actual filming, they communicated closely with the actors, using the pre-visuals as a guide. The VFX team immersed themselves in ensuring that the design of the creatures and even the effects of wielding swords matched the line between reality and cinematic representation.
As the amount of VFX is considerable, Director Kim Byung-woo emphasized that the most important aspect in 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' is the balance between reality and fantasy. Although all situations occur under a fantasy setting, the characters within must retain a sense of realism, which is the core of the direction. The veteran production team collaborated to achieve the golden balance of reality and fantasy in 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet,' and its VFX production is expected to draw audiences deeply into the grand journey with the characters.
Art also progressed through constant collaboration with the VFX and concept art teams, completing special spaces and items from the world of the novel. Art director Lee Mok-won worked closely with the VFX team to reduce any sense of disconnection when fresh elements from the original work were realized within realistic spaces or sets. The subway, which is the first place 'Kim Dok-ja' (Ahn Hyo-seop) faces when the novel becomes reality, was crafted to resemble reality as closely as possible to help the audience naturally immerse themselves into the story. "We had to express the subway being detached and even broken. We used a gimbal that could adjust to 90-degree angles, considering the subway's size and actual finishing materials," he revealed, emphasizing the meticulous thoughts put into conveying the liveliness of the subway train compartment flipping 180 degrees.
The subway platform, where major events occur in the film, was also constructed to mirror reality for a sense of authenticity, while ensuring that each scenario could be well represented by varying the "tones to convey different feelings" at each station. The belly of the dragon, where 'Kim Dok-ja' begins to break through the scenarios, was set up using a VFX mat. It needed to exhibit elasticity in accordance with 'Kim Dok-ja's movements and required wide camera angles, so the set was designed to be detachable left and right, as well as from the ceiling. The basic framework was constructed with steel to maintain strength, then finished with balloons to create the optimal set environment for the actor's performance and filming.
Furthermore, the weapon 'Broken Belief' used by 'Kim Dok-ja' was meticulously crafted from the early concept art stage as it plays a crucial role in the latter drama. The art production of 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet,' born from precise design during the concept art phase, is expected to enhance the realism of the novel's world, offering the audience an overwhelming immersive experience.
Bringing realism into fantasy, the film 'Omniscient Reader: The Prophet' will be available in theaters nationwide on July 23.
[Photo] Lotte Entertainment
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