The discussion tackled how the speakers approached the vision for building the worlds of the series. Designing for The Rings of Power meant exploring an era set years before The Lord of the Rings. Rather than relying on « retro-design, » Howe explained that his approach requires returning directly to Tolkien’s original text, trusting intuition, and striving for sincerity. For Howe, initial sketches set the architectural direction, acting primarily as an imaginative spark.
When The Yard VFX stepped onto the project as shooting was wrapped. They relied on concept art from Season 1, existing art books, including the ones from John Howe, which has profoundly shaped how modern digital artists approach worldbuilding, and combined them with their team’s deep lifelong passion for the lore.
However, the speakers emphasized that every fantasy realm must operate on its own internal logic:
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Cultural Consistency: John Howe builds worlds by first asking about a civilization’s culture, materials, and religion, building the environment step-by-step with a « pedestrian » approach.
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Environmental Logic: Laurens Ehrmann pointed out how Khazad-dûm’s reverence for stone dictated VFX decisions avoiding unnecessary sculptures, or placing vegetation only near light and water sources, and tracking mirror-reflected light accurately, as few examples. Still, VFX artists also use their imagination to expand the worlds according to the camera angles.
John Howe pointed out the importance of the importance of VFX in providing the crucial layer of realism that allows audiences to fully immerse themselves in the fantasy. For The Rings of Power, the scale of modern visual effects is massive. Laurens Ehrmann revealed that, at The Yard, a team of 80 artists—spanning modelers, texturing artists, FX specialists, lighting experts, and compositors—worked for 18 months to deliver roughly 10 minutes of footage for Season 2.
Both panelists agreed on the core principle of their work: despite the advanced technology used in modern post-production, digital artistry must always serve the story. As Howe balanced the narrative arcs of individual episodes, seasons, and the grander series structure, Laurens Ehrmann emphasized that adequate time dedicated to VFX pipeline development is what ultimately elevates a show’s visual success.
Watch the full video below to learn more: