Senior Compositor Aaron Wei makes magic for Jennifer Lopez’ new hit film
When many people think of visual effects in film and television shows, their mind goes to other worlds that have come to life like in Star Wars and ordinary people being given special abilities like Superman. However, what doesn’t come to mind instantly is the work of a compositor, an individual who blends the elements and resources of a shot together. Sometimes simply hiding an imperfection in the background of a scene or implementing a feature of a body that isn’t there naturally can take countless hours of work just for the audience not to even notice it, which is often the primary goal. This requires a deep understanding of natural laws and physics, or occasionally manipulating the laws to emphasize or enhance the subject matter, achieving an artistic or surreal look the clients desire. Compositors are required to understand many disciplines, from both 3D and 2D perspective, needing a strong artistic sense and creative mind, as well as sense of leadership to be able to excel in this role. Aaron Wei understands this more than most. As a senior compositor, he has worked on countless film and television productions, allowing audiences to be taken away and transported to different places and times.
With a distinguished resume including highlights like The Americans, Glass, The Good Fight, and many more, Wei has become an in-demand senior compositor. His vast understanding of his craft is evident in his work, and his singular aim is to entertain the masses. He consistently impresses those he works alongside with his determination and extraordinary capability and enjoys every aspect of his role.
“Aaron is always friendly and professional in nature. He has a great artistic eye and pays attention to the smallest details. He openly offers suggestions and welcomes critiques. He is very good with figuring out what it takes to make a shot look real when using computer generated elements. He is very efficient with the programs and tools we use in the office, and this enables him to reach his deadlines,” said Jonathan Skebla, Lead Compositor.
2018 proved to be a formidable year for Wei, working on dozens of projects. One of these was the film Second Act starring the celebrated triple-threat, Jennifer Lopez. It follows Value Shop assistant manager Maya Vargas, who wants only one thing for her 43rd birthday — a promotion. While her résumé may not scream upper management, her track record certainly does. Vargas is an innovator who listens to her customers and delivers results. When she loses the job to a college-educated candidate, Maya sets out to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts — and it’s never too late for a second act.
“I really liked the idea that the film promoted, which is that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts. In my life experience, friends who did well in school weren’t always doing better than the students who struggled in school when it came to life in the real world. Some people’s intelligence and creativity just doesn’t shine under school’s rules and criteria. Although I wouldn’t recommend a fake resume like they do in the movie, Second Act introduced a very good point that it’s never too late for a second act,” said Wei.
Wei was recognized by his team for being the most efficient member in post-production. By the end of the project, his supervisor told him he did almost the entire film solo. He was delivering six to nine shots a day on average, a goal no one else could achieve. In one particular case, there were a ton of beauty retouching shots for whenever there were close ups of the stars. Wei therefore invented a complex beauty retouching tool that could reduce the time it took for each job, taking a task that would normally take four to five hours down to 15 minutes.
Second Act was released in theatres on Dec. 21st, 2018 and was an instant international hit. Grossing millions in the box office, the film captivated audiences and impressed critics. With a film like this, Wei wanted his VFX work to blend in perfectly with the film, making sure it was unnoticeable to the eye, and he achieved just that. This allowed viewers to focus solely on the story, which he thought was of the utmost importance.
“This movie resonated with so many people and allowed them to find their voice. That’s the greatness of storytelling and a great message worth sharing. I am really proud of being part of it and contributing to this great film,” he concluded.
