Top SFX shots No.28: Gladiator

A show reel shot for SFX company Mill Films and compelling trailer-fodder to boot, this recreation of Gladiators entering the Roman coliseum is an exceptional meeting of superb cinematography and cutting-edge CGI effects. Arguably it's the fact that the actors are standing in front of a bit more than a green screen that really sells it - a large proportion of the lower sections of the coliseum were built on location in Malta, and blended seamlessly with the 3D architecture. Apart from anything else, this shot is a triumph of the rotoscoper's art, as Russell Crowe and company have had to be extracted from the 'missing' parts of the background on a frame-by-frame basis.

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