close menu

THE MARTIAN VFX Reel Shows How Mars was Made

This video contains several spoilers for The Martian! If you haven’t seen the film yet and want to be surprised when you do, then you should stop reading this post and skip the video. You’ve been warned!

It’s time to look back at 2015’s best comedy or musical: The Martian. Though only the Hollywood Foreign Press Association thinks that The Martian fits into that category, The Martian has been widely hailed as one of the best dramas of 2015, and it’s up for several Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Visual Effects. As part of the Oscar campaign process, Moving Picture Company (MPC) has released an effects reel from The Martian to highlight the work of VFX Supervisors Richard Stammers and Anders Langlands, as well as their team at MPC.

While it’s no surprise that CGI was used to create the illusion that Matt Damon’s Mark Watney was trapped on Mars, the striking thing about this effects reel is the way that subtle changes were made to the environment and the costumes worn by Damon and his co-stars. Some of the scenes were shot in front of green screens, of course, but the video also demonstrates how the parts of the movie that were filmed in Wadi Rum, Jordan were modified to make the area look more like the red planet.

The Martian VFX team has some pretty stiff competition at the Oscars this year, as The Revenant, Ex Machina, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens are also up for the Best Visual Effects award. A winner will be named at the 88th Oscars on Sunday, February 28.

What did you think about The Martian’s visual effects reel? Let us know in the comment section below!

—

Image Credits: 20th Century Fox

Exclusive Interview: SUITS Creator/Showrunner Aaron Korsh

Exclusive Interview: SUITS Creator/Showrunner Aaron Korsh

article
Exclusive: Watch ‘Eskimo Brothers’, THE LEAGUE’S Jon Lajoie’s…

Exclusive: Watch ‘Eskimo Brothers’, THE LEAGUE’S Jon Lajoie’s…

video
Mike and Tom Eat Snacks

Mike and Tom Eat Snacks : Tasti D-Lite

podcast