New technologies driven by artificial intelligence and virtual production are profoundly changing visual effects, but they are still “another brush” in the service of storytelling, says visual effects veteran George Murphy.
“Virtual production is not just a visual effects tool; it's a storytelling tool that allows actors to feel completely immersed in the scene, instead of having to imagine everything on a blank screen,” says Murphy The Hollywood journalistin an interview at the Tokyo International Film Festival before appearing on the Motion Picture Association panel, Cinematography 2.0: The evolution of real-time visual effects for traditional filmmakers.
Murphy, VFX supervisor and creative director at DNEG in London, entered the world of cinema with Steven Spielberg's film Hook (1991), a production praised for its seminal visual effects, particularly its use of projected matte painting. Computer effects were still in their infancy when he joined Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). He was part of a small team that pioneered digital composition for film and quickly recognized the potential of these innovative tools to transform cinema.
“At ILM we were working with Unix scripts and early computer graphics programs, but it was clear that these tools could create more believable and integrated images than anything before,” he says.
Murphy's background was in another visual medium. “I started out intending to become a freelance photojournalist, covering the real world,” he recalls. “In a strange way, it was these skills in capturing reality that prepared me to create worlds that don't exist.”
Creating those worlds and making them believable earned him an Oscar and a BAFTA Forrest Gumpand has seen him supervise effects on productions including Planet of the Apes, Mission: impossible, Jurassic park, The Matrix followed and Black Sails.
One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the development of virtual production, Murphy says. This technology, popularized by The Mandalorianallows filmmakers to create virtual environments on LED screens in real time, replacing traditional green screen backdrops.
Murphy experienced the power of this technology firsthand on the set of Murder on the Orient Express in 2016, where a train car was surrounded by LED screens showing high-resolution footage of the world whizzing by. “The actors didn't have to pretend they were looking at a snowy mountain scene. They were immersed in it and it makes a huge difference in their performance. The things that were passing by really caught their attention,” he notes, saying that this led to a more authentic atmosphere and therefore an engaging experience for the audience too.
Responsive tools like Unreal Engine and Epic Games' Unity have also revolutionized the VFX workflow. “These tools allow us to create, edit and test our work in real time, which wasn't possible ten years ago. You can see the result immediately instead of waiting hours for a render,” explains Murphy.
He likens this change to the move from analog to digital photography: “The whole process has become much more flexible and collaborative, allowing us to explore creative choices and see what works best in the moment.”
With AI advancing at a staggering rate, it is quickly finding a place in the VFX toolkit. For Murphy, AI offers both opportunities and challenges. He points out that AI can simplify labor-intensive tasks like rotoscoping (manually isolating elements within a scene) or tracking (following a moving object or character in your footage).
“With artificial intelligence, we can now accomplish in minutes what previously took hours or even days,” he says. “Artists can focus on the more creative aspects of their work.”
However, he believes that for all its power, machine learning cannot replace a director's creativity and ideation, at least for now. “AI can process huge amounts of data and can mimic styles based on what it sees. But he doesn't experience emotions, so he fails to capture the essence of human storytelling. This is something that only artists who have lived and felt can bring to a project,” he suggests.
Another exciting development for Murphy is the expansion of storytelling across different media and platforms. During his work on The Matrix sequel, he witnessed the potential of what he calls “story worlds.” The Matrix the franchise has extended its narrative through video games, animated shorts, and comics, allowing fans to explore the story beyond the main films. Murphy believes this approach is crucial to the future of entertainment, as audiences look for ways to engage more deeply with stories.
This “multiverse” approach to storytelling has become increasingly popular, especially with the advent of streaming and interactive platforms. Murphy believes that as technology advances, audiences will be able to interact with story worlds in new ways, perhaps even experiencing them in virtual reality or augmented reality. “We're just scratching the surface of what's possible,” he says. “Once virtual reality becomes more accessible, the way we tell and experience stories will change dramatically.”
Looking to the future, Murphy is excited about the possibilities offered by technology, but is also concerned about the potential loss of craftsmanship.
“There is an artistry in the physical effects, in building something by hand, and that is still incredibly valuable. It gives you a grounding in reality which is essential, even in digital work,” he explains, adding that many of the best physical model makers have pursued VFX careers.
Ultimately, Murphy believes that technology should serve the story, not the other way around, and remains optimistic about the future of cinema.
“These tools are just new brushes in our paint box,” he says. “They allow us to push the limits of what is possible. But the hand of the artist will always be there, guiding the story and making sure it resonates with the audience.”