What A Minecraft Movie Looks Like Without Special Effects

Initially, many of us shared concerns about the “Minecraft” movie following its peculiar first unveiling in September 2024. However, as more details emerged and trailers were released, displaying a clearer vision of the film and completed special effects, our apprehensions began to dissipate. The hype surrounding “A Minecraft Movie” has now reached unprecedented levels, with audiences enthusiastically cheering and celebrating in cinemas. It’s clear that those who forecasted its failure were significantly off the mark.

Discussing the remarkable special effects, they truly capture the essence of the “Minecraft” gaming universe beautifully. It’s intriguing to note that the footage from the initial trailer didn’t include all the post-production work, giving us a glimpse into what the movie would look like before it was fully polished. While immersing ourselves in a film’s world can be captivating, it’s also fascinating to catch a glimpse of its development stage, before the spectacular effects were added. When the cast was working on “The Minecraft Movie,” they could only see half of what eventually ended up in the final cut. Behind-the-scenes clips and ‘making of’ documentaries offer us a sneak peek into the actual filming process.

The physical sets were elaborate

Instead of opting for a completely green-screen approach where actors could run around empty stages and let the visual effects team fill in the details later, the makers of “A Minecraft Movie” chose to use real sets. These sets were meticulously crafted and offered the actors a tangible environment to move around in and interact with. The film indeed showcased many physical sets, and it was evident that a great deal of effort had gone into their creation.

It’s worth noting that the most intricate physical setting in the film might just be the initial town where human characters first wander after entering the cube-shaped universe. This town isn’t just an illusion; every building, both inside and out, is genuinely constructed. Moreover, it abounds with various real-life items such as trees, signs, tables, crates, and even the distinctive block-like produce that characterizes this game world. Despite the sophistication of contemporary digital effects, there’s something uniquely immersive about observing a genuine physical set filled with tactile objects in a movie, especially during close-ups, which greatly contributes to making the film’s world seem more authentic and inhabited.

Skies were added in post

The effort poured into designing the sets for “A Minecraft Movie” can’t be understated; it’s truly remarkable that so much of it was built in reality rather than just digitally created. However, due to practical considerations, these sets had to be constructed entirely within an indoor environment. This approach offered several benefits. Firstly, it shielded the sets and props from harsh weather conditions, eliminating concerns about rain, wind, or other natural disturbances. This allowed the physical elements of the movie to stay in pristine condition throughout filming. Secondly, shooting indoors enabled flexibility with timing, allowing for both daytime and nighttime filming without worrying about inconsistencies in weather or lighting between shots.

For the creation of “A Minecraft Movie”, the filming took place indoors on sets and sound stages when necessary. Subsequently, during post-production, the special effects team added skies to all outdoor scenes. This approach enabled them to manipulate the time of day for each shot and fashion a sky unique to the Minecraft universe – complete with pixelated clouds, a square sun and moon, along with various flying creatures that further enriched the movie’s world.

A mix of practical and digital effects were used for the environments

In the picture displayed, you can clearly see how the main town square from “A Minecraft Movie” appeared during filming, suggesting that the sky was primarily added using digital technology. This was typical for most of the movie since it was filmed on sound stages, requiring computers to do the majority of the work in creating the illusion that the characters were outdoors – or at least, outdoors within a virtual game environment.

In addition to replacing a roof with sky, the digital team went a step further to create the impression that the blocky universe in the film was as vast as it appears in the game. This required computers to extend the horizon in side shots because most of the close-up objects like walls, rocks, trees, stairs, etc., were actual physical sets. However, anything beyond the immediate foreground was usually digitally rendered to give the appearance that the Minecraft world stretches infinitely in all directions. To achieve the game’s sense of an endless world on screen, digital enhancement was necessary.

The portal was a physical set element too

In the universe of “Minecraft” video games, it is necessary for players to construct portals in order to transition between dimensions. Similarly, portals in the hypothetical “A Minecraft Movie” enable interdimensional travel and a passage between the game’s cube world and our reality. With their enchanting properties and eye-catching blue aura, these portals are another impressive effect that seems computer-generated but are actually built by the talented set designers of the film.

The portal frame is a real prop on set, while its radiant blue light is achieved through practical effects visible even in behind-the-scenes footage. The digital effects team enhanced its otherworldly qualities by adding elements like the swirling effect you see in the final movie, which was digitally drawn. Additionally, more special effects were needed when characters interacted with or moved through the portals.

Stand-ins were used for various characters

In a Minecraft-themed film, even though the digital characters like villagers and piglins are not real, there needed to be something for the real-life actors to navigate around. Behind-the-scenes clips show individuals dressed in brown cloaks with bulky props, who appeared to represent where the virtual villagers would later be placed within the movie. The size of these stand-ins matched that of the completed film’s villagers, preventing them from accidentally touching a physical set piece or an actor, as they would have gone through walls and other characters once fully animated.

Furthermore, an entertaining behind-the-scenes clip from Instagram emerged, showcasing what seems to be the shooting of the scene where the Piglins invade the town. Along with the previously mentioned actors scampering about in square, brown costumes, stunt performers are visible moving around the set in grey motion capture suits, adorned with markers and wielding axes and swords. It’s apparent that these individuals were later transformed into Piglins, as they assaulted the villagers – and their wide grins during filming indicate they were thoroughly enjoying themselves while working on “A Minecraft Movie.

Some creatures had physical models that were digitally altered

To set the record straight, this film isn’t flawless; in fact, there are parts that might seem a bit implausible when watching “A Minecraft Movie.” Some aspects, while they may detract slightly from the movie’s overall quality, were conveniently overlooked by viewers during their viewing experience. However, it’s important to note that sometimes, for the sake of keeping the story flowing, one must suspend disbelief. One such instance is not questioning too deeply why these individuals, who had been leading ordinary lives prior, suddenly possessed the skills to wield swords and pickaxes effectively and fight off hordes of dangerous creatures as if they’d been preparing for it their entire lives.

From my perspective, it was quite an assumption that those creatures were entirely digital, never truly materializing on set. However, behind-the-scenes footage unveils a different story. Creatures such as the ghast were painstakingly crafted by our crew members as physical models. These models served either as a guide for animating them or as stand-ins to interact with actors, like the villagers. It’s even plausible that these models were used in the film itself, with special effects and animations added during post-production.

The actors had to act with sheets and gray backgrounds

It is well-known that certain creatures and inhabitants seen in “A Minecraft Movie” were actually human actors wearing special costumes or physical models. This explains how they could interact with these characters during filming, just as it is clear they could work with the physically present sets. However, it’s also important to note that many elements added to “A Minecraft Movie” in post-production were not part of the original set.

In numerous behind-the-scenes clips of “A Minecraft Movie,” you might notice instances where actors were enclosed by what seemed like plain gray fabrics and screens. During these scenes, the cast had to picture the intricate backgrounds, characters, and monsters that would be digitally added later, as if those elements were already present. Therefore, when you view the finished product of “A Minecraft Movie” and see a character like Garrett (Jason Momoa) expressing fear towards a massive creature, remember that the actor may have been reacting to nothing on a vacant set during filming for that particular moment.

General Chungus was just a head on a stick

Emma Myers, who portrays Natalie in “A Minecraft Movie,” has been giving fans a sneak peek into the filming process by posting behind-the-scenes photos and clips on social media. One such image shows her standing on a soundstage, brandishing a well-known “Minecraft” sword while a backdrop of a starry night is projected onto the surrounding fabric. The picture also offers a glimpse into the movie’s set when Myers or any of her fellow actors had to act alongside General Chungus, one of the film’s intimidating villains.

Behind Myers, a figure donning a motion-capture suit similar to those seen in the earlier piglins vs villagers scene stands. This performer carries a pole, with an object bearing General Chungus’ face at its tip. As General Chungus towers over the movie’s human characters, the actors required something for eye-level reference when interacting with him, and this setup served that purpose.

The diamond armor’s glow was added digitally

In “A Minecraft Movie,” it’s evident that the filmmakers were well-versed in the game’s intricacies, subtly incorporating various minor details and hidden references, some tracing back to video game history. For instance, during the climactic battle against Malgosha, General Chungus, and the piglin army, Steve equips a diamond armor suit, a potent type of armor in the games that fans appreciate for both its strength and stylish appearance. This armor stands out due to its unique glow, which results from its diamond structure and magical attributes.

The creative team behind the movie recognized that just having Jack Black wear armor in a specific shade of blue-green wouldn’t meet fans’ high expectations. They were anticipating the famous diamond armor to emit its signature luminescence, and, if anything, desired this on-screen glow to surpass the brilliance seen in the video games given the film’s large budget and live-action format. Consequently, the effects team incorporated the glowing features of the armor during post-production, aided by using purple lights and screens during filming to simulate how the armor’s glow would illuminate surrounding objects.

The jetpack scene wasn’t entirely fake

In the movie “Minecraft,” it could be said that the main character is Henry (Sebastan Hansen), a boy whose unusual creativity often clashes with his peers in the real world, but ultimately saves the day in the game’s block-based universe. Following Steve’s backstory, the latter part of “A Minecraft Movie” focuses on Henry and how his brilliant imagination lands him in various predicaments.

Due to the peculiar rules of cinematic plotting, Henry manages to construct a jetpack at school, utilizing the school’s facilities, and is even given permission to showcase it in front of his fellow students and teachers who cheer him on. Despite one classmate tampering with his prototype, Henry successfully takes flight.

As a gamer, I was amazed to find out they had footage of Hansen rehearsing jetpack flying, but instead of using a genuine working jetpack, he relied on wires for support. It wasn’t like he was just lounging on a chair while the magic of green screens and digital effects took over. The man got off his feet, soared around the set, and put in some real effort to make those scenes where he used the contraption in the movie appear as authentic as possible.

Jack Black really did ride Jason Momoa (sort of)

Since “Minecraft” has been playable by the public since 2009, it’s not just young children who are fans of the game. It makes sense that an adult-oriented aspect would be present in “A Minecraft Movie,” catering to those who started playing as kids but have grown up since then. One such detail was the somewhat risqué position that Steve and Garrett found themselves in when they were flying through the sky together, needing to get close to each other to squeeze through a narrow opening.

One amusing depiction within the movie is Black appearing to ride on Momoa’s back, using strands of his hair for guidance. However, it should be noted that they weren’t actually soaring through the air; instead, this was filmed in a green screen studio with Momoa lying down. The camaraderie between these actors during filming and their subsequent promotional activities suggests they enjoy each other’s company off-screen as well. In the making-of footage for that flying scene, it’s evident that they had trouble keeping straight faces due to the awkward position they had to assume to convincingly create the flying illusion.

2025-04-23 17:31