Meg 2: The Trench

As lead VFX partner for ‘Meg 2: The Trench’, DNEG delivered over 700 shots over 14 sequences. The team was responsible for the majority of the film’s second act along with various key sequences throughout the film. The work ranged from the initial previsualisation, development of the hero assets (the three new Megalodons and a fresh addition to the franchise, the Snappers), character animation, and complex FX work to establish the vast underwater world it all takes place in. From lush underwater forest-type environments teeming with life, to barren rocky wastelands littered with skeletons of whales.

It was decided to shoot using a ‘Dry for Wet’ filming technique which allowed much more flexibility during the production process. This also gave the post-production team the creative freedom to stage the action sequences within the enormous environments as required.

The team was required to build any environment visible as the action descends into the sea. The  submersibles and mechanical arm that drops them into the water was also built by the team.

The Thermal Valley contained large scale vents with a variety of life being sustained around them and the canyon that the submersibles had to go through while outrunning a chain of explosions, created within Houdini. 

Above water, the team worked on The Zhang Institute & the Inlet Tank. These sequences required a complete 2.5D environment extension to match into the establisher shots, originally shot in Greece. All water was a full simulation, to allow a perfect match to surrounding shots, and ensure consistency when Megalodons interacted with the water.

The DNEG Stereo team also delivered stereo conversion services for the movie.


THE RETURN OF THE BIGGEST OCEANIC PREDATOR

'Meg 2: The Trench' | Trailer