Solène Kerhardy - Compositing Artist - Demo Reel 2024

Hello, I'm Solène Kerhardy, a French woman with a background in psychology who found her passion in compositing. Originally aiming for a career in video game design as a 3D modeler, I discovered compositing during the pandemic when I felt my creative process lacked depth. Compositing's transformative ability to turn creations into stunning scenes intrigued me. Then, I studied at Lost Boys School of VFX, completing an intensive 12-month program and graduating in March 2024.

MY DEMO REEL

PROJECT 1 - ACTOR REPLACEMENT

The most interesting project I worked on at Lost Boys was to replace an actor in a scene with myself. I choose a scene from the TV show Last of Us as it was my favorite show of the year and one of my favorite video games. It was a lot of fun and taught us about filming, paint out, the keying process and color correction.

First, I meticulously painted out the actress from the plate, using elements from other frames to ensure a seamless background reconstruction.

Second, I tackled the challenging task of keying myself out from the green screen, a tedious process that involved rotoscoping to capture areas beyond the key's reach. Additionally, I employed additive keying techniques to enhance hair details.

Thirdly, I focused on color correction and enhancement, striving to match the original plate as close as possible. This involved recreating the shadows casted by Pedro Pascal on Bella Ramsey for authenticity and visual continuity.

PROJECT 02 - SCREEN BURN IN

My objective for this project was to create a science fiction setting that would flow naturally with the story of a fatal virus, drawing inspiration from "The Last of Us"'s events. I aimed for a dynamic screen filled with medical data, strategically placing elements to align with the storyline I envisioned. One of the biggest challenges was to create a transparent screen, which required a lot of background reconstruction. In order to keep things consistent, I manually painted over areas that I had taken from earlier frames. The hardest part was having to replicate the hand's reflection on the screen. This required animating roto shapes while carefully color-correcting them to achieve a believable illusion.

PROJECT 03 - GHOST INTEGRATION

Many creative reworks occurred during this project's development, in the final stage I choose to create a ghost character designed to generate a spooky and icy atmosphere. I carefully designed an illusion of ice growing on the wall behind the ghost by manually animating distortion and noise patterns as I didn't have any FX elements for that part of the process. Careful color choice was also made to guarantee visual impact by generating a contrast with the actor's vivid red coat. Keying and FX integration were essential to the project; special thanks to my colleague Lincoln Dupree who created the ghost's smoke FX elements. To further improve the scene, I also added a breathing element and Caustics to give the impression that there was water in the scene. These enhancement added a new level of detail to the composition overall and improved the visual depth and realism of the surroundings.

PROJECT 04 - MUZZLE FLASH

Creating the muzzle flash was an enjoyable project where I aimed to maintain consistency with the pirate vibe from my previous ghost project. I did an extensive research on the specific firearm used, studying videos to understand how smoke and flash would realistically behave. I integrated various fire and smoke elements accordingly, ensuring a high level of realism. To enhance the effect, I incorporated a subtle camera shake, adding a sense of proximity and authenticity to the scene.

PROJECT 05 - HAIR KEYING

This project was an invaluable lesson in mastering the art of keying, emphasizing the importance of achieving a flawless alpha channel and edge integration. The shot posed challenges due to the intricate details in the actor's hair. Additionally, variations in lighting atop the hair added complexity to retaining crucial details. Despite the difficulties, I found this project immensely enjoyable and enlightening, expanding my understanding of various keying techniques and exploring different color spaces to maximize detail retention.

PROJECT 06 - AOVs COMPOSITING

Venturing into AOVs compositing was a captivating exploration. I delved deep into merging layers of 3D objects for a lifelike touch. Shuffling these layers brought endless possibilities to craft visual narratives. I aimed for a cozy winter feel, akin to a serene evening by a fireplace. Using a curved tool and integrating data from an online fireplace animation, I added warmth and charm. Incorporating snow elements further enhanced depth and realism, transforming the scene into an inviting space perfect for immersive reading experiences. This project truly highlighted the magic of digital composition, creating enchanting virtual scenes.

PROJECT 07 - LOGO REPLACEMENT

In this project, I aimed to bring back the world of The Last of Us by selecting a container plate, which felt fitting for an apocalyptic setting. Replacing the original logo with one from the game added authenticity. The key challenge lay in creating the illusion that the logo was affected by the container's curvature. To achieve this, I employed ramp nodes and experimented with different combinations until achieving the desired effect. Additionally, I enhanced the logo's realism by adding texture through scratches and stains, further immersing viewers in the post-apocalyptic ambiance !

PROJECT 08 - MARKER REMOVAL

My debut project at Lost Boys was a pivotal learning experience in paint-outs and rotos. Each marker I tackled employed a unique technique, from basic paint-outs to roto/transform methods and premult/unpremult techniques. Some markers in the project were positioned behind key details such as hair. To retain these elements, I employed animated splines throughout the shot, meticulously recreating as much detail as possible. This variety was invaluable for mastering essential compositor skills. I delved into numerous tutorials on optimizing green screens for seamless foreground keying, utilizing these techniques to ensure a smooth green screen outcome. 

This project laid a solid foundation, equipping me with vital skills for professional compositing work. This is why it was important for me to keep that project in my demo reel.

PROJECT 09 - LEG PAINTOUT

This project sticks out as one of my most difficult projects. I had the challenging task of rebuilding the background behind a leg while dealing with the parallax effect induced by camera movement. To do this, I created a 3D system and used another photograph of the scene to precisely recreate the hidden area. In addition, I changed the message on the cardboard to better reflect my post-apocalyptic theme. This required painting out elements in Nuke and tracking the banner in Mocha before creating a custom message in Photoshop. I used a special brush to keep the ink's subtleties in my message. To add depth and authenticity to the scenario, I reintroduced a logo from the game The Last of Us on the trash bin.

PROJECT 10 - WALL REPLACEMENT

This project holds a special place in my heart, being one of my favorites and among the first we tackled as students. Filming this plate in Vancouver provided an authentic backdrop, but our task was to transform the entire wall behind us. My vision for this project was to pay homage to my favorite video game, so I scoured the internet for elements that would bring my idea to life.

Firstly, I used Syntheyes software to ensure a precise track for seamlessly integrating new elements. Next, I sourced wood plank textures online and applied them to the wall, laying the foundation for my creative process. I aimed to give the wall an organic, street artist vibe, so I meticulously painted over the elements to create imperfections and enhance realism.

Weathering the wall was crucial to convey authenticity. I added elements like mold, dirt, and scratches, mimicking the effects of weather over time. Recreating shadows from the original planks and adding depth with protruding middle planks further enhanced the illusion of wall art.
I also added a personal touch by incorporating a shadow of a Tallneck, one of the robotic creatures from the video game that inspired this project. This subtle addition not only pays homage to the game but also adds an element of intrigue and fantasy to the scene, further enhancing its artistic appeal.

Rotoscoping played a significant role, requiring meticulous work to integrate my classmates and elements seamlessly into the background.

Watching this project evolve brought immense joy. It allowed me to showcase various compositing skills and express my artistic vision, making it one of the most fulfilling projects where I could infuse my personality and passions.