VFX Breakdown

Based on King’s 1986 eponymous novel, the story follows a shape-shifting evil presence known as Pennywise, the dancing clown, brought to life by VFX team.

Rodeo FX, Lola Visual Effects, Method Studios, Soho VFX worked on the CG & VFX for the movie.

Rodeo FX team delivered 95 shots for the movie. They created CG assets to enhance or completely replace actor Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise as he takes different shapes to personify each kid’s biggest fear. Rodeo FX team built a detailed Pennywise digi-double hold up for both wide, high-energy animation shots, and tight close-ups.

Referencing production concept art, They hand sculpted, textured and animated all variations of Pennywise’s transformations, including extreme body contortion, full head morphs, distorting facial features, and elongating arms shape-shifting to tentacles and to insect-like appendages.

For the Ancient Cistern, production built a 16 feet high, fully dressed enclosed set. Rodeo FX team created a digital version of the set, extending it to 160 meters high and expanding the central toy tower by instancing multiple toy assets and clothes from various decades. They also created a library of digital kids to populate the set, floating lifelessly around the toy tower.

Source：Animation Boss