Tao Bao VFX Commercial breakdown

This VFX breakdown pulls a commercial for Taobao — Alibaba’s online shopping marketplace — apart into its layers of CG, environments, FX simulation and compositing. The frame shown comes from a period-styled scene: an actress in red robes holds out an open hand and a golden butterfly hovers above her palm, trailing sparks of light through a lantern-lit interior. Terminal FX’s visual effects and 3D animation for the commercial are part of our commercial and advertising portfolio.

Breakdowns are made to be watched by people looking for the seams, which is a fair test of the work. A shot like this begins with the plate: tracking the camera and the performer’s hand, then rotoscoping fingers and costume so a CG element can pass both in front of and behind them. The butterfly itself needs modeling, animation with a believable flutter, and particle and glow simulation that reacts to its motion rather than merely following it. Its light has to spill back onto skin and fabric, or the illusion collapses at first glance. Set dressing, cleanup of anything modern in shot and a compositing pass matched to the warm practical light finish the job. Showing that process openly is something Terminal FX is glad to do.