[vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=\u00a0\u00bbcustom\u00a0\u00bb border_width=\u00a0\u00bb2″ accent_color=\u00a0\u00bb#bdae8d\u00a0\u00bb][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=\u00a0\u00bbcustom\u00a0\u00bb border_width=\u00a0\u00bb2″ accent_color=\u00a0\u00bb#bdae8d\u00a0\u00bb][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
At the Paris Images Digital Summit (PIDS) 2025<\/a>, Harry Bardak, Head of VFX at The Yard, delivered an exclusive presentation on the visual effects of Halo – Season 2<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, focusing on two pivotal environments: the Forerunner City and the Halo ring.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9626″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bbfull\u00a0\u00bb][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n The Yard handled over 380 high-quality VFX shots across the season\u2019s eight episodes, working closely with overall VFX supervisor Wojciech Zielinski. Their focus was on seamlessly integrating CGI while preserving the visual quality of the series and staying true to the video game legacy.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Unearthing the Lost Forerunner City<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n In episode 7,\u00a0 the Forerunner City is revealed as a vast, multi-leveled metropolis hidden within a cave. Designed to evoke awe and mystery, the\u00a0 ancient yet futuristic city spans nearly 4 square kilometers, making scale a key challenge. Harry Bardak explained that The Yard team kept this strongly in mind when designing and crafting the diffferent assets of the environment. To enhance grandeur, the team chose to illuminate the environment from below, reinforcing its expansive nature.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9629″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bbfull\u00a0\u00bb alignment=\u00a0\u00bbcenter\u00a0\u00bb][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Procedural design was used to construct the city\u2019s repeating structures, including the light bridge\u2014a central feature requiring intricate animation and interaction synchronization.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9621″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bbfull\u00a0\u00bb][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9203″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bbfull\u00a0\u00bb add_caption=\u00a0\u00bbyes\u00a0\u00bb alignment=\u00a0\u00bbcenter\u00a0\u00bb][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n The light bridge, composed of energy-powered panels, posed a significant challenge. The team used Houdini proceduralism to animate its activation while practical light panels on set ensured realistic actor illumination. This hybrid approach allowed seamless blending of live-action and CG elements.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9631″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bbfull\u00a0\u00bb alignment=\u00a0\u00bbcenter\u00a0\u00bb][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Shaping the world within the Halo Ring<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Filmed at Predil Lake in Italy, the Halo ring environment faced unexpected hurdles, including drought conditions that altered the landscape and inconsistent lighting across different shooting times. The Yard tackled 104 anamorphic-lensed shots in just three months, overcoming these challenges through strategic VFX planning.<\/p>\n The concept art envisioned a lush mountain lake with futuristic structures, but the key requirement was ensuring the environment felt like the inner edge of a colossal ring. The ring\u2019s curvature, matching Earth\u2019s radius (6,371 km), had to be visually adjusted for cinematic appeal and to fade naturally into the atmosphere. Extensive discussions determined its dimensions and elements like mountains, hills, and vegetation.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=\u00a0\u00bb9215″ img_size=\u00a0\u00bblarge\u00a0\u00bb alignment=\u00a0\u00bbcenter\u00a0\u00bb][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n To reconstruct the landscape while correcting on-set inconsistencies, The Yard employed a \u00ab\u00a0divide and conquer\u00a0\u00bb method. Foreground elements were rendered in full 3D, distant ones used digital matte paintings (DMPs), and intermediate areas leveraged 2.5D projections. Addressing lighting disparities from live-shooting, the team adjusted overcast plates to appear sunnier and carefully manipulated close-up shots.<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\n\t