SET DRESS ON SOLARIS

LHABITANT ADRIEN 24 April 2024

INTRODUCTION

To streamline the preparation of shots, I've implemented three scenes for each shot to set up renders effectively.

The first scene is used to set up the Dodos and their groom in layers of USD FG, MG, BG.

Then, there's the set dressing scene where we gather the Dodos, set up lighting, LPEs, FX, etc.

Once everything is in place, we perform a Flatten USD, which involves compressing the entire scene into a single large USD file. We then retrieve this file in our Batch scene to render the render layers.

I'll explain this choice in more detail in the Batch section.

OVERVIEW OF THE PIPELINE

Through this diagram, I illustrate the connection between the various scripts and steps I've implemented for assembling the shots.

We have a folder for each shot where we store all the components needed for assembling the shot, such as Groom, Animation, FX, etc. The folder structure remains consistent.

Therefore,

I've established automatic paths using a Python script that replaces them based on the name and sequence.

This allows us to load all the elements at once and saves a lot of time with each setup.

ENVIRONMENT AND SET MANAGEMENT

For the environment, we created a general set in USD, which is a complete island. It consists of multiple USDs for each part of the island, which we eventually merge into a single large USD. This way, any modifications to parts of the set are updated within it.

We reuse this set in all the shots of the film and adapt certain parts as needed for each shot.

We favored instancing to generate a large quantity of vegetation on the island.

Assets created by Talhia Brom

Therefore, we chose to create an asset library containing all the vegetation. Solaris' instancing tools are effective but lack many options.

Heloïse took charge of developing a very comprehensive HDA (Houdini Digital Asset) that allows us to instance multiple props, which are input into the layout node. The node enables us to rotate, scale, animate, and place the different assets according to the normals relative to the terrains, allowing us to create sets very simply.

LIGHTING AND SHOT PREPARATION

Here is an overview of a shot preparation scene in Solaris. Here, we set up the groom, lighting, including LPEs (Light Path Expressions), FX, and all the elements needed before rendering layers.

We will delve deeper into each part, starting with the integration of characters and their grooming.

Here, we have 6 reference nodes that load the USDs of the FG, MG, BG characters, both for animation and fur.

We use automated paths based on the scene using a Python script I created, which retrieves various information from the scene's name and looks for each part of the shot's "Package."

BATCH AND TRACTOR MANAGEMENT

Batch