As the final chapter of the belovedGuardians of the Galaxysaga unfolds inVol. 3, director James Gunn ensures the journey is packed with unforgettable moments. Yet, one scene in particular has captured the audience’s awe and admiration—the grandiose hallway fight sequence towards the film’s climax. This breathtaking scene, which appears to be a single-take spectacle, is actually the result of intricate planning and execution by the wizards at Weta FX. Guy Williams, the VFX supervisor from Weta FX, recently peeled back the curtain to reveal the secrets behind this cinematic masterpiece.
InGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the ragtag group of misfits find themselves trying to settle into life on Knowhere. However, the tranquility is short-lived as the shadows of Rocket’s troubled past soon catch up with them. As Peter Quill contends with the heartache of Gamora’s loss, he is tasked with rallying his team for a hazardous mission to save Rocket—a mission fraught with such peril that its unsuccessful completion could signal the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Now available on Disney+ and for purchase at various retailers, the film has been receiving rave reviews, especially for its groundbreaking visual effects. Among the most debated scenes is the hallway fight, which, as Williams unveiled, is not a one-take sequence at all. It is actually a diligently pieced-together compilation of 18 separate shots, filmed across three days. Williams divulged these insights in a recentCorridor CrewYouTube channel video, where he explored the complexities involved in crafting the scene. Williams shared:
“There’s a lot of stunt choreography going on here. Stephane Cerretti is the VFX supervisor who oversaw this for Marvel and he worked with all those teams to figure out how they were going to shoot it. Spoiler alert, this is not one shot. It’s 18 shots shot over the course of three days.”
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Strategically Placed Cuts and Exhaustive Choreography in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
According to Williams, the challenge lay in strategically determining where cuts could be made without disrupting the flow of the action. For example, a specific cut was made as Mantis ascends onto a character’s shoulders, dividing the action into two separate stunts.
“She’s rigged for one stunt and when she lands on his shoulders, it’s cut so they can rig him to flip,” explained Williams. This level of detail was applied to 16 other moments within the scene, requiring exhaustive choreography and planning to ensure a seamless final product.
“You’re doing choreography through until the end so you can figure out where the cuts are. One of those beats is where you push into Quill where he starts to do his hallway fight,” Williams further elaborated.
The revelation of the intricacies involved in creating this seemingly seamless sequence only amplifies the admiration for thetalent and dedication of the entire teambehindGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As we bid goodbye to our esteemed interstellar vagabonds, we can draw comfort from the realization that their final escapade was manifested with peerless passion and dexterity.
