Dune: Prophecy

As the franchise's popularity soared, it became essential for the VFX work on Dune Prophecy to perfectly match the cinematic quality of the films—spanning effects, props, and environments. The uniquely antique props were of particular importance to the production team, as were the intricacies of the Bene Gesserit environment. Every scene required seamlessly textured environments and high details to maintain the visual identity of the Dune universe.

Evgeny Harkonnen levitates in his chair during the fateful confrontation with his estranged niece, Valya Harkonnen, in episode four ‘Twice Born’. To give the illusion of the chair hovering, actor Mark Addy was placed in a wheelchair–with the wheels removed in Nuke by rotoscoping the shot.

We delivered around 400 shots for the series, working closely with Michael Enriquez, the VFX Supervisor and Terron Pratt, VFX Producer for the HBO series.

The project enabled us to demonstrate our broad range of VFX skills with a scope ranging from prop composites to background texturing and background textures, 2D compositions and environmental textures to blood and water effects.

“We worked closely with the VFX Supervisor, who was heavily involved in providing feedback from the start,” says Gouri Shankar, FutureWorks VFX Supervisor. “We requested reference photos for the props early on, as these played a significant role in the scenes and narrative.”

Background textures and environmental lighting were used to enhance the atmosphere of the series and the team ensured background continuity between VFX shots and the set elements. Props were a major focus; their design needed to be flawless–from physical objects that required adjustment to blood and wound enhancements, and body double replacements. “It was great to be part of creating props that were so highly regarded in the series. The references provided us with a clear direction while allowing for room to showcase our creativity.”

A creature is butchered for meat on Lankiveil, homeworld of House Harkonnen. We elevated this scene by compositing blood into the snow and the body of the creature using Nuke.

Creating unique shapes and textures for Dune Prophecy was a complex process that required meticulous detailing to meet Enriquez's expectations. Beyond props and backgrounds, we also delivered conceptual designs for action sequences and new terrains. Effects like blood and water had to integrate seamlessly into scenes, enhancing their realism and contributing to the visual narrative. We initially had to request additional references, as these were not readily available. We knew how important this work was and wanted to ensure every detail was outlined from the beginning.

The choice of tools was vital, not only for efficient pipelines but also for delivering high-quality VFX. Blender was used for detailed character-specific work, such as hair and general clean-up. All compositing tasks were handled in Nuke and final touches and conceptual work were completed in Photoshop.

All images are courtesy of HBO Max.

“The team and I loved working on this series. It was fantastic to collaborate so closely with the VFX Supervisor and 3D compositing team. Building a strong relationship and clear communication from the start was key to ensuring successful deliverables. We've received great praise from the client for our work and can only hope to return for the rumored second season," Gouri concludes.

Summary

Info

Project:	Dune: Prophecy
Client:	HBO Max
Service:	VFX