Conference The State of VFX Cinematography
ON SITE Raum Reutlingen Wednesday, May 06, 14:30

GLASS: Capturing the Lens Look for Photorealistic VFX

Video on demand

Photorealism in visual effects does not emerge from perfect imagery, but from the subtle imperfections of real lenses. Every lens carries a unique optical fingerprint: distortion, chromatic aberration, field curvature, vignetting, iris behaviour, micro-contrast, and so much more; all elements sculpt the emotional language of cinematography. In this presentation, Victor Perez explores how these characteristics can be analysed, measured, and reconstructed inside VFX pipelines to seamlessly integrate CGI with live-action photography. Through practical examples and production insights, he demonstrates how understanding the physics and personality of lenses allows digital imagery to inherit the visual identity of the camera that captured the scene.

Victor Perez

Victor Perez, Visual Effects Supervisor

Victor Perez is an award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor, filmmaker, and internationally recognised expert in photorealistic compositing. With a career spanning over 28 years, he has contributed to the compositing of major productions including The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. One of his most recent works as Supervisor include Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Originally trained as a photographer and cinematographer, Perez evolved into one of the leading specialists in integrating CGI into live-action imagery. His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, science, and technology, exploring how emerging tools can expand the language of cinema.
Perez is a two-time recipient of the Italian Academy Award David di Donatello for Best Visual Effects (2019 and 2025) and has received more than 50 international awards and nominations. His experimental film Echo earned a historic nomination at the VES Awards for Outstanding Virtual Cinematography.
An active researcher in the art of photorealistic compositing that often mixes with his philosophic views on aesthetics made him a frequent speaker at international events, Perez is widely known for sharing his research and artistic insights with the global VFX community. He is also the author of the industry-standard book The Color Management Handbook for Visual Effects Artists (Focal Press) and has delivered masterclasses at leading studios worldwide.