top of page

Studio 1 Project: Baz Luhrmann's Stages

Jan 3, 2024

Updated: Mar 12, 2024

Thesis Overview: My goal is to recreate digitally three different stages from the movies "Elvis"(Arnold Maya), "Moulin Rouge"(UE5) and "Romeo and Juliet"(Houdini Redshift), to study Baz Luhrman's cinematography and style.


March 13, 2024 (Class 20)


Final result of my lighting studies:



Elvis:



Reference:


Moulin Rouge:

Reference:

Romeo & Juliet:



Reference:


March 11, 2024 (Class 19)


For today's update, I was able to complete all renders for all three stages. The only thing remaining is replacing the film strip intros with my own which I am currently rendering. I am also planning to add some detail in comp to make the intros more cinematic.




March 6, 2024 (Class 18)

For today's update, I was able to take the Elvis stage to completion. This is the final edit of this particular stage. If there are no additional notes, this is the final result.



Moving forward, I am currently in the rendering process for Romeo and Juliet stage. I will also continue refining Moulin Rouge based on last class's feedback, and begin working on the introduction film strip.


March 4, 2024 (Class 17)

For today's update, I polished Shot 1 and 2 of Elvis's stage, I added some additional fog animation in comp and tweaked the color grading. If there are no additional inputs, I would consider these two shots final.


Shot1:



Shot2:



For Romeo and Juliet update, I refined the materials, and added glow animation in post to fake the movement of candles. I also re-grade the plate and added a vignette with grain to add some cinematic detail. I will be following this approach with the other 3 shots. If there is no additional input or feedback, I would consider this shot final.



February 28, 2024 (Class 16)


For today's update, I started addressing some of my peer's feedback from last class's critique on the Elvis stage particularly. I added more detail and volume to the spotlight so it looks more realistic as Nathan suggested on the form. Other than that, I also added some minor fog animation and softened the spotlight a little more. I also brought down the brightness of Shot 1 and 2.



February 26, 2024 (Class 15)


Class 15 checkpoint:


My plan for the remaining classes is to continue iterations based on feedback. There are still some minor things I want to address for each stage. Apart from the stage iterations, I also want to render the stage intros from a 3D film slip instead of the vectored image I have been using.




Elvis:

Improve:

  • Spotlight Right direction needs to point towards Elvis

  • Add material imperfections to floor

  • Re-grade shots 1 and 2. (I think they are too light now. I don't want to see too much of the background)

  • Add imperfections to spotlight material

  • Fix artifact on specular highlight

  • Softer spotlights on floor

  • Minor fog animation

  • Bring down material exposure on shot 3



Reference:



Moulin Rouge:

  • Iteration based on feedback

  • Specular highlights on Columns

  • Push Bloom and DOF in Comp


Reference:



Romeo and Juliet:

  • Iteration based on feedback

  • Add candle detail

  • Add minor flickering light

  • Re-consider if candles should be rendered separately. (Particularly in Shot3)

  • Fix character's hand placement on first half of shot 3


Reference:



February 21, 2024 (Class 13)


For today's update I did some minor material refinement for the following objects:


Drums:



  • Coat

  • Improved IOR/Roughness

  • Added bump to seat

  • Improved color matching


Cello:



  • Coat

  • Missing: Noise variation on base color


Progress spreadsheet


February 19, 2024 (Class 12)

For today's update, I refined Moulin Rouge Materials in Substance Painter.

Taj Mahal Texture Maps:


Curtain Detail Texture Maps:








Balcony Texture Maps:






























Reference:




February 14, 2024 (Class 12)


For today's update I focused most of my work on continuing to refine materials and polishing the look of closeups in the Moulin Rouge Stage.


Troubleshoot the curtain faceting problem in Unreal, I decided to export the curtains from Maya with the Game Exporter. This way, UE5 was able to read the smoothness (key 3) while keeping the geometry optimized for the render engine.


Before:



After:


Settings:


In addition to this, in the UE5 import settings, I had to change the Normal Imput Method to "Import Normals and Tangents" instead of just "Import Normals"


Apart from this, to enhance the new material and model on the curtain, I added two additional lights to the stage.




I also started working on the material details of the Taj Mahal on Substance Painter.




February 12, 2024 (Class 11)


Based on Ed Mendez's feedback on the Arnold Hall Auditorium presentation, for today's update I started to make improvements on some closeup shots to push forward my skills as a lighting and look dev. artist.


Elvis:


For Shot 3, I decided to enhance the lighting scenario so Elvis's guitar is more prominent. I also added a minor animation to the spotlights in the back so it looks as the stage is gradually turning on.


Before:


After:



For shot 4, I changed the emmissive recording light on top of the camera so it looks more realistic.




Settings:





Romeo and Juliet:


Based on Class 5 feedback, many of my peers mentioned that there were a lot of ease in and ease out camera movements on my stages. I revisited the cameras and decided to change the first shot for Romeo and Juliet to a static focus shift instead.



Feedback for this shot is greatly appreciated.


Moulin Rouge:


I tweaked the curtain rope model for it to match my reference better. I will also retopologize the curtains so it doesn't look so low poly but keeping it optimized.







My goal for next class is to start pushing forward materials in Substance Painter. Since I think out of all three stages this is the one most behind, I will be heavily focusing on it.


Progress Spreadsheet:


February 7, 2024 (Class 10)


Midterm checkpoint:




Vimeo Link:



Elvis:



Reference:



Moulin Rouge:



Reference:



Romeo and Juliet:



Reference:




Moving forward in all stages, I want to develop materials even more, re-visit camera movement, and improve lighting. For next delivery I am also planning on pushing details in comp.


Progress spreadsheet:


February 5, 2024 (Class 9)


Over the weekend I worked with developing basic materials procedurally for both Elvis and Romeo and Juliet stages. Here are some still frames of the Elvis stage.

Romeo and Juliet is still a work in progress and I am planning on rendering it today.


Shot 1:



Shot2:



Shot3:



Shot4:



Shot5:



Reference:



Moving forward with Elvis for the next couple of weeks, I am planning on softening the shadows and do some minor color grading work on volumetrics for shot 1 and 2. Other than that I am also planning on doing specific lighting for shot 3 so the protagonist of the shot (Elvis's guitar) is more visible. I will also continue working with Materials to make them more photo-realistic.



January 31, 2024 (Class 8)


Tuesday's Progress:


Research Material References


Elvis:


Camera:


Mic





Spotlights:




















Elvis guitar:


























Drums:








Cello:



Curtain Polyester:



Stage floor:


Moulin Rouge:


Curtain:





Gold Detail:


Orchestra Iron Fence:




Orchestra Music Fence:



Romeo and Juliet:


Candle Wax:



Gold Candlestick:





Plant:


Bed Fabric:



Religious Icons for wall:




Marble Angel:




Golden Christ:



Monday's progress:


Completed UVs for each stage.


Elvis:








Moulin Rouge:









Romeo and Juliet:








January 29, 2024 (Class 7)


Over the weekend, I was able to update most of my UVs for all three stages. However, they are not fully done yet. Elvis:



Missing:

Finalize Camera UVs

Spotlights

Drums


Moulin Rouge:



Missing:

Heart on Stage (Front)

Orchestra Fence


Romeo and Juliet:



Missing:

Part of Stage

Bed


Progress Spreadsheet:


January 24, 2024 (Class 6)


For today's minor update, I started checking objects in my scene that need UV improvement. I used a checker board to evaluate stretching. Based on the following photos, there is a significant amount of UV refinement I need to do over the weekend before jumping into materials.


Elvis:

Shot1:



Shot2:



Shot3:



Shot4:



Shot5:




Moulin Rouge:

Shot1:



Shot2:



Shot3:



Shot4:




Other than that, I have been considering revisiting the camera movement based on last class feedback before the next delivery. For now, I will be focusing more on materials and UV refinement.


Progress Spreadsheet:



January 22, 2024 (Class 5)


Delivery for class 5 consists of first lighting block for all three stages without materials.





Progress SpreadSheet:


January 16, 2024 (Class 4)


Today I was able to catch up on my modeling progress for Moulin Rouge's stage. The only thing I am missing are the orchestra instruments, which I will be importing them from the marketplace, and the detail on the stage which I will try to recreate with a material instead of modeling it myself.


WIP of stage model:



Stage Reference:


Since I am done with the basic models, I will be exporting the stage as a mesh and start the lighting process in Unreal Engine. My goal for class 5 is to show a lighting render for all three stages.


Progress sheet:



January 16, 2024 (Class 3)


For today's update, I finished most of the models I wanted to make myself and gathered others from outside sources such as Quixel, Turbosquid and CG trader. In addition to modeling, I started some early lighting block for Elvis Stage.


Progress:


Elvis:

Shot1:



Shot2:



Shot 3:


Shot 4:


Shot 5:


Responsible for all assets except Curtains


Stage Reference:




Moulin Rouge:

For this stage, I modeled the music stand and added geometry for the emmisive lights on Taj Mahal. I still want to add more detail to the stage itself so it is closer to the reference.


Shot 1:



Shot2:



Shot 3:



Shot 4:



Stage Reference:


As for the orchestra, since I am planning on rendering this stage in Unreal Engine, I am taking the liberty of using the following Megascans from the marketplace.




Romeo and Juliet:

For this stage, I gathered all the assets from outside sources and did some layout. I believe it is ready to do some early light test.


Added assets:

  • Candles

  • Crucifix

  • Angels

  • Bed

  • foliage

  • candlestick


Shot1:



Shot2:



Shot3:



Shot4:



Stage Reference:



January 10, 2024 (Class 2)

For today's update, I started gathering some references and assets for the models I will be using for my stages.


Elvis:

Modeled the cello with optimized topology:


Gathered references for models I will be completing next. My goal is to finish with all remaining assets for this stage by Friday.


Vintage Drums:




Spotlights:



Camera:






Moulin Rouge:


Over the weekend my plan is to keep pushing forward the detail of this particular stage with orchestra models (considering researching these in the EpicGames Marketplace) , more stairs and lights on the Taj Majal.


Romeo and Juliet:

Currently researching and gathering remaining assets (Angel/Crucifix/Bed/Candles)


Angel:



January 8, 2024 (Class 1)


Last quarter I developed the "Baz Luhrmann's Stages" previz in my Concept Development class for Studio 1 project. I will be using it as the base edit for my studio. I will be updating such video throughout the quarter to reach the most refined final product.

During the break, I established the action plan for the quarter in the Google sheet below.


Game Plan for the Quarter!!


Review of Pre-Viz from Concept Class:


Comments

bottom of page