Join DNEG DFX Supervisor Nick Marshall, and CG Supervisor Melaina Mace for an exclusive look at the visual effects work on one of the biggest and most-talked-about television series of the year, ‘The Last of Us’. 

Premiering to rave reviews in early 2023, the adaptation of Naughty Dog’s classic video game takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

As one of the main VFX partners for the series, DNEG’s work focused on creating exterior environments that showcased American cities during and after modern civilization is forever changed by a sweeping infection. From Austin to Boston to Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole – the DNEG team grew ivy, constructed skylines, built mountains and destroyed buildings with the goal of bringing iconic locations from the video game to life. This talk will explore how the global team, led by the Vancouver studio, used extensive on-set photography and Lidar capture to turn real city blocks into abandoned wastelands interspersed with paramilitary checkpoints and quarantine zones. The team will also cover green screen window comps, interior environment extensions, and FX enhancements in this exciting presentation.