Behind the Fist Bump VFX of Project Hail Mary
Join VES and Framestore for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the visual effects of Project Hail Mary.
In this special event for VES Members, some of the creative minds behind the film will share how they brought its ambitious vision to life, offering an in-depth exploration of the artistry, innovation, and technology behind its stunning visual effects. From world-building and real-time workflows to compositing and final imagery, the discussion will reveal the creative and technical challenges involved in delivering one of the year’s most visually ambitious productions.
Meet the Speakers
Stuart Penn | VFX Supervisor
"Stuart began life as a research physicist, before his passion for CG led to a successful VFX career working alongside the likes of Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott and Bong Joon-ho.
His scientific knowledge and experience came into their own when confronted with the unique challenge of Gravity’s stunning zero-G sequences. Here he helped develop the techniques used to shoot zero gravity scenes, working with motion control robots and the film’s pioneering LED lighting stage.
Stuart’s technical and scientific knowledge is paired with a true artist’s eye, one that has seen him supervise shoots for the likes of Paddington 2 and The Aeronauts, as well as leading Framestore’s work on the monumental Avengers: Endgame.
Having led Framestore’s work on Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, he has put his scientific acumen to use on Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary.
Jonni Isaacs | Compositing Supervisor
A creative thinker and exceptional problem solver, Jonni has been described as “an artist of the highest ability” and “creative artistically and
technically” by the VFX Supervisors he has collaborated with. Jonni’s 15-year career spans tentpole film like Project Hail Mary, Mickey 17 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as well as landmark episodic productions such as Stranger Things and His Dark Materials. He has also worked on commercials for Nike, Sony, Coca-Cola, and more.
This extraordinary range of projects means he has a wealth of experience, from finding outside-the-box solutions during major virtual production endeavours to deploying careful, intuitive craftsmanship while working on hand-animated creatures and characters.
Michael Zaman | Real Time Supervisor
"Michael Zaman is the Realtime Supervisor for Framestore Pre-Production Services (FPS), where he leverages cutting-edge engine technology to bridge the gap between initial concept and final pixel. With nearly a decade of dedicated leadership in the realtime space, Michael specializes in delivering all aspects of linear content, guiding projects through Previsualization, Virtual Art Department, Layout, Virtual Production, Postvis, and Final Pixel.
At FPS, Michael collaborates directly with directors, creators, and internal sister teams to map out complex visual narratives long before principal photography begins. Notably, he served as the Visualisation Supervisor for the highly anticipated adaptation of Project Hail Mary, where he led the previsualization efforts to map out intricate, space-set visual sequences, supporting the DoP Greig Fraiser, Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller and VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert with virtual production tools to previs and lens a large portion of the film.
His comprehensive background also spans a wealth of high-profile cinematic trailers and interactive projects, including delivering advanced realtime visuals and virtual camera work for blockbuster properties like Gears 5, Destiny 2, Deathloop, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and League of Legends: Wild Rift."