Take a deep dive into the FX simulations for The Rings of Power – Season 2. From large-scale water and particle effects to intricate volumetrics and more, see how The Yard’s FX team brought Khazad-dûm to life and supported the epic storytelling.
As part of the very first edition of France’s Houdini User Group, The Yard was honored to be invited to share our work with the local VFX community. Held in a fully booked auditorium at ISART Digital School in Paris, the event gave attendees an in-depth look into the making of large-scale FX simulations for The Rings of Power – Season 2.
Our Head of FX, Fabian Nowak, took the stage to present an in-depth look at The Yard’s creative process, production methodologies, and behind-the-scenes research and development. The FX work on The Rings of Power – Season 2—which earned The Yard the 2025 Genie Award for Best FX Simulations—was the result of an 18-month production effort led by a team of 80 artists, including a dedicated group of 7 FX specialists.
Back on the production floor, Khazad-dûm became a key environment where a large range of effects converged. From the towering waterfalls and magical cymatics to dust-filled mining scenes and dynamic rockfalls, every detail was crafted to immerse viewers in the Dwarven world.
Using RBD, fluid sims, and a wide range of FX disciplines, The Yard created sequences that feel grounded in physicality while enhancing the fantasy of Middle-earth.
The talk was structured around three major categories of FX work developed by The Yard for the series:
Art-Directed Destruction – RBD Simulations
Fabian explored the process behind creating highly controlled destruction sequences. This included:
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Collapsing solar vents
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Pickaxe mining scenes with detailed dust, debris, and cloth effects
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The dramatic bridge collapse shot, blending RBD simulations with keyframe animation to carefully manage the speed and impact of falling rock
These scenes demanded precision and creativity to convey physical realism while supporting the story’s emotional stakes.
A Variety of FX Techniquess
This segment showcased the versatility of The Yard’s FX pipeline:
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Vellum simulations for clothing, hair, beards, and vegetation
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Fire FX for torches and braziers
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Procedural modeling for magical objects like an orb filled with amethyst-like structures
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Custom crowd systems for background characters carrying props (like wheelbarrows) and navigating complex paths
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Additional atmospheric details like mist, dust, and smoke enhanced the realism of every frame
The presentation also offered insights into how FX, crowd, and CFX were combined to deliver seamless, integrated results.
Water Simulations – Rivers, Waterfalls & Cymatics
Water played a central role in several key sequences, requiring:
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Large-scale river and waterfall simulations
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Realistic cymatic effects, where ripples on water respond to a character’s voice
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Reference-based design aligned with Season 1 continuity
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Optimized setups with custom airfields and a custom whitewater solver to streamline iterations and increase control
