Movies - TV
How Dune 2’s Crew Created Paul’s First Sandworm Ride
By RAFAEL MOTAMAYOR
Paul Atreides finally rides his first sandworm in "Dune: Part Two," but the impressive cinematic moment only happened due to the crew’s meticulous work behind the scenes.
According to the book "The Art and Soul of Dune: Part Two," the three-minute scene was created using over 60 shots filmed over a period of two months.
In addition to a 90-foot-long by 24-foot-wide set piece, divided between various pieces for different shots, there were two platforms to look like the back of a sandworm.
The two platforms were covered with sand-colored elephant-skin texture and a middle section made of foam where the stunts would take place.
There was also a rig on a motion base that could stimulate the worm's movements, and a 65-feet texture for the wide shot of Paul first hooking onto the worm.
In the book, Denis Villeneuve notes that the hooks pull up vulnerable parts of the worm’s skin. This was also built into the rigs, and animated so the skin could be lifted.
A dedicated "Worm Unit" created specific lingo to explain the movements that the motion base would use for worm riding, like a "school bus bump" to make Paul bounce off the worm.
Cinematographer Greig Fraser set up an "ascender rig" to move the camera upward at around 23 feet per second and simulate Paul's descent as the worm goes down a sand dune.
Then, a smaller platform with worm skin installed on a gimbal would roll sideways, as if to shake Paul off and tilt to simulate the worm going up a dune or picking up speed.
To illustrate the worm going from a vertical to a horizontal moving pattern, Villeneuve wanted Paul to slip and be left hanging in midair off the worm's side for a brief moment.
To do this, the crew built a hinge to allow the rig to go beyond 90 degrees to bring Paul airborne, then go back to 70 degrees and create the impression of the worm slamming down.