3D Environment Scans of Chicago for Shameless SE11
For the final season of Showtime's hit series "Shameless," MYND Workshop embarked on an ambitious project in collaboration with Ghost FX to recreate the iconic neighborhood that has been central to the show's narrative. Tasked with capturing the essence of the setting while the cast remained unable to travel to Chicago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MYND Workshop utilized a sophisticated blend of lidar, photogrammetry, and aerial drone technology to bring the neighborhood to life digitally.
William H. Macy on the set of Shameless with blue screen (right) and composite render (left)
Discover how our environment scans were used in post-production on Shameless Season 11
See the transitions between blue screen shots and final composite renders
With a dedicated team of three, the entire neighborhood was scanned in just one day, demonstrating MYND Workshop's efficiency and capability to handle large-scale and complex 3D scanning projects under tight deadlines. The comprehensive scanning process was designed to capture every detail of the hero houses and their surroundings, ensuring a faithful and photorealistic representation for the series' visual effects needs.
Drone footage of South Chicago neighborhood featured in Showtime’s hit series Shameless, Imagery used for photogrammetry processing
Initial 3D point cloud from LiDAR and photogrammetry scans of Shameless neighborhood
Initial 3D point cloud from LiDAR and photogrammetry scans of Shameless neighborhood
Initial 3D point cloud from LiDAR and photogrammetry scans of Shameless neighborhood
Following the extensive capture phase, the data underwent meticulous post-processing. This included the retopology of meshes to enhance performance for VFX renderings, the development of new UV maps to accurately apply textures, and texture reconstruction to ensure the digital models mirrored their real-world counterparts with high fidelity. These optimized 3D models provided the VFX team with a detailed and realistic backdrop, enabling seamless compositing against blue screen footage for the show's final episodes.
Initial high poly mesh (left) and high poly mesh with textures (right) of one of many houses captured
Initial high poly mesh (left) and retopologized mesh with reprojected textures (right)
Retopologized mesh of one of the 3D scanned houses
Retopologized mesh (left) and retopologized mesh aligned with original high poly mesh (right)
Retopologized mesh of stair (left) and retopologized mesh aligned with original high poly mesh (right)
Select retopologized elements showing the simplification of geometry
To bring the authenticity of Chicago to Los Angeles, the production team constructed replicas of the two main 'hero' houses on a local lot, creating a tangible and realistic setting for the actors. Surrounded by expansive blue screens, these structures allowed for a controlled filming environment, blending physical sets with digital landscapes. MYND Workshop's detailed 3D scans of the Chicago neighborhood became instrumental in this fusion of real and virtual, providing a comprehensive backdrop that extended beyond the confines of the physical set. These meticulously rendered scenes, derived from our scans, were skillfully composited in post-production, seamlessly replacing the blue screens with vibrant, lifelike depictions of the surrounding Chicago environment, thus maintaining the show's characteristic sense of place even amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Blue screen behind mocked up film set of two rebuilt houses in Los Angeles
Blue screen behind mocked up film set of two rebuilt houses in Los Angeles
“Frank” and “Liam” walking in a shot in front of a blue screen
“Lip” in a shot in front of a blue screen
“Debbie” with blue screen replaced with our 3D scans of the Chicago neighborhood (seen behind)
“Kev” with blue screen replaced with our 3D scans of the Chicago neighborhood (seen behind)
