New technologies led by artificial intelligence and virtual production are revolutionizing visual effects, but they’re still “another paintbrush” for storytelling, says VFX veteran George Murphy.
“Virtual production is more than just a VFX tool. It’s a storytelling tool that allows actors to be fully immersed in a scene, rather than facing a blank screen and imagining everything,” Murphy told the Film Institute. He told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview at the Tokyo International Film Festival ahead of the film’s screening. Panel, Filmmaking 2.0: The evolution of real-time VFX for traditional filmmakers.
Murphy, a VFX supervisor and creative director at DNEG in London, got his start in filmmaking with Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991). The film was praised for its inventive VFX, particularly its use of projected matte paintings. When he joined Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), computer effects were still in their infancy. He was part of a small team that pioneered digital compositing for film and quickly recognized the potential of these groundbreaking tools to transform filmmaking.
“At ILM, we were using Unix scripts and early computer graphics programs, and it was clear that these tools could create more reliable, integrated images than any other tool we had before.” he says.
Murphy’s background was in another visual medium. “I started out intending to be a freelance photojournalist covering the real world,” he recalls. “Strangely enough, my skill at capturing reality has equipped me to fabricate worlds that don’t exist.”
Creating those worlds and making them seem believable led him to win an Oscar and a BAFTA for Forrest Gump and create films such as Planet of the Apes, Mission: Impossible, Jurassic Park and The Matrix. He has directed effects on films such as “Black Sails” and the sequel “Black Sails.”
One of the biggest game-changers in recent years has been the development of virtual production, Murphy says. The technology, popularized by The Mandalorian, allows filmmakers to create virtual environments in real time on LED screens in place of traditional green screen backgrounds.
Murphy experienced the power of this technology firsthand on the set of Murder on the Orient Express back in 2016. There, train cars were surrounded by LED screens showing high-definition footage of the world speeding by. “The actors didn’t have to pretend they were looking at a snowy mountain scene. They were immersed in it, and that made a big difference in their performance. They didn’t have to pretend that they were looking at a snowy mountain scene. They were immersed in it, and that made a huge difference in their performance. It catches their eye,” he says, noting that it led to a more authentic feeling and therefore an immersive experience for the audience.
Responsive tools like Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and Unity have also revolutionized VFX workflows. “These tools allow us to create, edit, and test our work in real time, which was not possible 10 years ago. ,” explains Murphy.
He likens this change to the transition from analog to digital photography. “The whole process has become more flexible and collaborative, allowing us to explore creative options and determine what works best in the moment.”
AI is advancing at a dizzying pace and is quickly finding a home in VFX toolkits. For Murphy, AI offers both opportunities and challenges. He points out that AI can streamline labor-intensive tasks such as rotoscoping (manually separating elements in a scene) and tracking (following moving objects or characters in footage).
“With AI, tasks that previously took hours or even days can now be completed in minutes,” he says. “This allows artists to focus on the more creative aspects of their work.”
Nevertheless, he believes that machine learning cannot replace the creativity and ideas of filmmakers, at least for now. “AI can process vast amounts of data and can imitate styles based on what it sees. But it cannot capture the essence of human stories because it does not experience emotion. Only artists who have felt it can bring it to the project,” he suggests.
Another exciting development for Murphy is the expansion of storytelling across different media and platforms. While working on the Matrix sequels, he saw the potential of what he called “the world of storytelling.” The Matrix series expanded the story through video games, animated shorts, and comics, allowing fans to explore the story beyond the main films. Murphy believes this approach is important to the future of entertainment as viewers look for ways to engage more deeply with stories.
This “multiverse” approach to storytelling is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the rise of streaming and interactive platforms. Murphy believes that as technology advances, audiences will be able to interact with the story world in new ways, perhaps even experiencing it in virtual or augmented reality. “We’ve just scratched the surface of what’s possible,” he says. “As VR becomes more accessible, it will fundamentally change the way we tell and experience stories.”
Looking to the future, Murphy is enthusiastic about the possibilities that technology opens up, but also concerned about the potential for craftsmanship to be lost.
“There’s an artistry to physical effects and building something with your hands that is still incredibly valuable. This gives even digital work an essential grounding in reality. ” he explained, adding that many of the best physical modelers went on to careers in VFX.
Murphy ultimately believes technology should serve the story, not the other way around, and remains optimistic about the future of filmmaking.
“These tools are just new brushes in our paint box,” he says. “They allow us to push the boundaries of what’s possible. But the artist’s hand is always there, guiding the story and making sure it resonates with the audience.”
