The Case for Fully CG Filmmaking in 'Jurassic World: Rebirth'

This week, ILM released a VFX breakdown reel for Gareth Edwards' Jurassic World: Rebirth, narrated by VFX supervisor David Vickery. In a franchise that pioneered much of early CGI as we know it today, it makes sense that this film leans just as hard into the technology.

Sometimes, going fully digital might be the smarter creative decision, the team says. Here’s why.

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CG Can Give More Control

The entire opening scene of Rebirth is a fully CG creation. This wasn't because they couldn't shoot it, but because it gave Edwards the control he needed to open the story exactly the way he wanted. This meant no logistical anything to consider. Monkeys could be directed the way they wanted, and they didn't need to worry about weather.

Can You Do Settings Differently?

Over 50 pages of Rebirth's script take place on the ocean. Only about 10% of those sequences were actually shot there, and of the shots in the film's VFX reel, only seven feature any real water.

Much like Steven Spielberg did for Jaws, the production shot in a tank in Malta, and ILM built an entirely new water effects pipeline to sell the rest.

Emerging filmmakers tend to think "real location means authenticity." But even for low-budget or student directors, it’s possible to take advantage of the same idea. In fact, we just covered a student filmmaker who also faked his ocean shots.

Conditions Can Make the Decision for You

For the T. rex rapids sequence, the production shot at a whitewater rafting center in the U.K., which was so cold that actors had to wear wetsuits under their costumes. Because of that, VFX had to entirely replace arms and torsos in post.

The rapids environment itself was fully digital. Even the inflating raft was a VFX simulation, with the actor miming the pulling of the ripcord on set.

You can't always control the weather, temperature, or other location conditions. Knowing in advance which elements VFX can take over (and building that into your workflow before you shoot) means you still get the shot you need without waiting for conditions that may never come.

The Small Practical Detail Sells the Digital

The Titanosaur courtship sequence is two massive CG creatures. The team added small birds taking off and landing on the creatures' backs.

Whenever you're asking an audience to believe something impossible, find the small true thing inside it. A creature that interacts with the world in what seems like a mundane, specific way feels more real.

Know What Each Tool Is For

Many filmmakers, including Ryan Coogler, are proponents of starting practical. And Rebirth did do some of that, starting with plates that they composited for environments, etc.

The thing to remember is knowing what practical gives you and knowing what digital gives you, and choosing based on what the scene needs.