Wicked Oscars Bake Off Reel | Framestore

Watch the Wicked Oscars Bake Off reel, narrated by Production side VFX Supervisor Pablo Helman. The reel gives a glimpse behind the curtain of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the beloved musical, the SFX, production design and VFX work, from Framestore and ILM, used to expand exquisite sets, craft a magical menagerie, and add some spellbinding effects simulations.

Framestore VFX Supervisor Jonathan Fawkner and Animation Supervisor Dale Newton helped to extend and ground the stunning production design into the magical world of Oz, whilst bringing life to it. Our teams expanded Munchkinland, Shiz University, the Emerald City and the Ozdust Ballroom. Doctor Dillamond led our creature component, as well as the other Shiz animal professors, the Ozdust band, the caged lion cub, and some Emerald City residents. Our effects teams built Glinda's bubble, burned Elphaba's effigy, and produced a stunning string of subtle additions - adding sparkle to Glinda's crown, and using CG lighting to temporarily 'de-greenify' Elphaba during 'The Wizard and I'.

For the epic finale, Framestore Pre-Production Services (FPS) choreographed the camera movements in pre-visualisation and refined following the shoot in post-visualisation, before handing over to our friends at ILM to implement the final visual effects.

Wicked utilised our entire creative process, travelling from Art Department concepts, through visual development, pre-visualisation, tech-vis and post-visualisation, through to final VFX. It was amazing to be able to collaborate with Production Designer Nathan Crowley, costume designer Paul Tazewell and cinematographer Alice Brooks, as well as sharing sequences with ILM.

It's an honour and a privilege to have been invited to Oz, and we wish Pablo, Jonathan, and our fellow nominees the best of luck at the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards.