Ghost in the Shell

Using references of the physical shoot of Johansson in a water tank, a team from Framestore’s Montréal facility, led by VFX Supervisor Ivan Moran, kept the dry greenscreen closeup of Johansson, and built a high spec digi-double body and CG environment around her. Says Moran: ‘We integrated Scarlett’s face to our digi-double, matching her musculature and facial micro movements so we could simulate her underwater hair, which was animated with a gentle current.’

The look of the scene was developed in collaboration with the Framestore Art Department to create a firm visual template around the exposure, underwater lens effects and general colour palette for the rest of the shots.

Being underwater during the night meant that the environment would be too dark to see much at all, so the team had to be creative; introducing moonlight reaching into the far depths and a flurry of refractive, bioluminescent jellyfish which had to look impressive but not threatening. To create an interesting and dynamic environment, effects artists simulated trailing appendages, bubbles, flotsam and a forest of kelp. Compositors then layered the scene in Deep Compositing with refractions and glows, being careful to downplay bubbles around the Major to emphasize her robotic nature.

A 'deep dive' into Ghost In The Shell’s meditative underwater scene  - Digital Arts