The VFX, stunts, and motion capture of 'Ramayana': Meet the three Hollywood experts behind the magic

The full-length four-minute "Ramayana" trailer is, undoubtedly, impressive. The scale, visual effects, world-building, character and creature design... The massive amount of money spent is there for all to see. It remains to be seen if the storytelling and drama will complement the technical achievements. For now, one thing is for certain: the team has gone all out to ensure that "Ramayana" looks spectacular. How can it not be when they have some of the best international technicians working behind it?

Among the international talent working on "Ramayana", the involvement of three Hollywood technicians, experts in their key areas, brings much promise: visual effects supervisor Dan Glass, action director Guy Norris, and performance specialist Terry Notary. While the filmmakers have not publicly revealed every detail of their responsibilities, their previous work offers a strong indication of what to expect in "Ramayana".

Dan Glass is one of the senior creative leaders at DNEG, the Oscar-winning visual effects studio behind the film. His work is expected to focus on creating the vast mythological world of "Ramayana". This includes designing the visual look of locations such as Ayodhya, Lanka, and the celestial realms, as well as supervising digital creatures, massive armies, and large-scale battle sequences. He is also responsible for ensuring that computer-generated imagery blends seamlessly with live-action footage. The challenge with a mammoth undertaking such as "Ramayana" is not simply to create impressive visuals, but to build a world that feels sacred, believable, and emotionally authentic. Glass is renowned for delivering this kind of balance in films such as "Mad Max: Furiosa", "Batman Begins", and the "Fantastic Beasts" films.

Guy Norris brings his expertise in large-scale action and warfare. Best known for his work with maverick filmmaker George Miller on "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "Mad Max: Furiosa", Norris has worked closely with Yash, who plays Ravana. His likely responsibilities include designing the major combat sequences, from the Rama-Ravana confrontations to the massive war in Lanka. His speciality is practical stunt and wire work, and creating action that feels physically real rather than entirely dependent on visual effects. His vast experience could help give the film's battles a sense of weight, momentum and intensity rarely seen in mythological cinema.

Perhaps the most intriguing member of the "Ramayana" team is Terry Notary. With high-profile epics such as "Avatar", "Planet of the Apes", "The Hobbit", and the "Avengers" films, Notary is an expert in performance capture and creature movement. His speciality is helping actors and digital characters move convincingly. For "Ramayana", this may involve designing the movement style of the Vanara army, creating believable body language for Hanuman and other Vanaras, and training actors to move like mythological warriors. He is also experienced in coordinating scenes that involve the combination of live performers and digital characters.

Together, these three artists form a powerful creative partnership, essential for an enterprise that involves plenty of bucks. So, in a nutshell: Dan Glass creates the world. Guy Norris designs the action, and Terry Notary shapes the character behaviour and movement.

Directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra, "Ramayana" is headlined by a stellar ensemble comprising actors from across Indian cinema: Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Ravi Dubey, Sunny Deol, Shobana, Rakul Preet Singh, Kajal Aggarwal, Lara Dutta, Kunal Kapoor, Harish Uthaman, Raghav Juyal, Mohit Raina, Saurabh Sachdeva, and more. It has music by the legendary Hans Zimmer (his first Indian production) and AR Rahman.