Pre-production

Script · Concept Art · Storyboard

The screenplay was written referencing different interpretations of the existing literature, the concept art and storyboard were drawn up to lock in the visual style and narrative of the final film.

Environment Design

The palace of Nedunchezhiyan, its pillared halls and high arches were modelled in Blender and textured in Unreal Engine. The grandeur of the palace was captured using references from ancient architectural structures still standing in present day Madurai.

Character Models

Live actors were 3D-scanned, then rebuilt and rigged as MetaHumans,giving the characters photoreal skin, believable eyes and a facial rig ready for performance capture.

Costume Design & Cloth Simulation

Sarees, veils and court garments were patterned and simulated in Marvelous Designer so every fold moved with real weight, the draped silk carrying as much of the performance as the face.

Motion Capture

Full-body performance was recorded with an Xsens inertial mocap suit, letting the actors play the courtroom plea and the final scenes in real time.

Voiceover

All of the dialogues were recorded separately from the mocap performance, giving each voice actor room to find the courtroom plea and the final fury purely through the moment.

Post-production

Render passes were composited in After Effects, fire, smoke, embers and atmosphere layered together, cleanup paint and finishing touches bringing every frame to its final read.