Conference by Dennis Müller, Senior Lighting & Compositing Artist

A return of experience on lighting and compositing

It was a two-hour digital conference that the CG Animation & FX Master Degree students from ESMA schools attended with the theme of classic design principles combined with examples of current VFX and animation films.

Throughout the conference, Dennis Müller presented extracts from films or short films to illustrate his point, including productions to which he contributed.

The conference went straight to the heart of the matter, after a presentation of the speaker and his background, by addressing the notion of shot composition. He explained what constitutes a good image composition, involving the proper management of the camera and the framing of the scene. Indeed, as he pointed out, digital tools are not magic and it can sometimes be complicated, if not impossible, to correct badly composed shots with lighting or compositing. He also spoke about concepts specifically related to lighting, his speciality.

He then presented the differences between 2D and 3D spaces, their composition or the placement of the various elements within the image, the visual hierarchy and the play of the camera. He also discussed special effects and how they interact with the elements in the shot while maintaining the mood and atmosphere of the scene. A comparison was made between so-called photorealistic projects and stylized projects, which affects the approach to a project.

Sharing experience

Having a professional of his stature around is always an unexpected chance to get feedback. Firstly, Dennis Müller insisted on the importance of carrying out in-depth preparatory work beforehand in terms of visual research: photography, painting, film, etc.

Secondly, Dennis Müller’s experience within multiple studios has enabled him to gain perspective on their operating methods. Each studio has its own way of managing, for example Sony or Disney, who completely internalise their films. Some projects especially in VFX, however, will require the contribution of several other studios.

He could not fail to mention a few tips specifically for those who want to go down the lighting/compositing path. For him, it is essential to focus on the emotional part that must emerge from the image and that the viewer must feel; credibility must come first and the light must support the story. Finally, think globally for the lighting / compositing which are linked to each other. And to illustrate his point, he presented the students with a typical day in his professional life.

Of course, the meeting could only end with the traditional question and answer session, during which the students could ask their specific questions.

About Dennis Müller

Dennis Müller comes from Germany where he trained at the renowned Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. After graduating, his career in the digital image world began with a first position as a Compositing Artist at the Berlin studio FX Factory. After that, he worked and travelled in several countries: Buck in New York (from which he took on the role of Lighting Artist); Red Knuckles in London; Triggerfish Animation Studios in South Africa; MPC and then ILM and Sony Pictures Imageworks and finally the Walt Disney Animation Studios where he has been working for several months and where he had already done a stint a few years before.

His experiences have led him to work on both television and big screen projects (Moana, Justice League, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, The Irishman, Jurassic World: Dominion and, more recently, the latest Disney film: Encanto).

For a few years now, in parallel to his functions in the studios, Dennis Müller has begun to dispense his knowledge acquired throughout his career to students who are training in CG animation or VFX.