Jean-Baptiste Verdier
Lead Matte Painter @ Weta Digital
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Spartacus: War of the Damned

I had chance to work on the Starz TV show Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned. This was an amazing experience, we were working next to the shooting studios and we had access to the sets to take reference photographs for our matte-paintings. The entire show was shot in studio and all the backgrounds were green screens.
I worked under Peter Baustaedter’s artistic direction who’s also an amazing matte-painter.

360° Muddy Hilltop: This matte-painting is a 360° environment which was re-projected onto the geometry to receive Massive® crowd simulation. This matte-painting was used for the opening sequence of the season.

360° Muddy Hilltop: This matte-painting is a 360° environment which was re-projected onto the geometry to receive Massive® crowd simulation. This matte-painting was used for the opening sequence of the season.

360° Rebel Camp: This matte-painting is a 360° environment right in the middle of the rebel camp in the first episode.

360° Rebel Camp: This matte-painting is a 360° environment right in the middle of the rebel camp in the first episode.

Field of Mars: This matte-painting was created to show the city of Rome viewed from the field of Mars where Crassus army is prepared for fighting the rebellion of Roman slaves under the leadership of Spartacus.

Field of Mars: This matte-painting was created to show the city of Rome viewed from the field of Mars where Crassus army is prepared for fighting the rebellion of Roman slaves under the leadership of Spartacus.

Sinuessa City: This matte-painting was originaly created for the Spartacus: War of the Damned trailer for the Comic Con in San Diego and was then improved for the integration in the episode 3.

Sinuessa City: This matte-painting was originaly created for the Spartacus: War of the Damned trailer for the Comic Con in San Diego and was then improved for the integration in the episode 3.

Sinuessa Harbour: 360° matte-painting of the Sinuessa harbour. Day and night versions. The challenge for this environment was to create the different layers of the matte painting so that the compositors could easily integrate live of CG footages of water.

Sinuessa Harbour: 360° matte-painting of the Sinuessa harbour. Day and night versions. The challenge for this environment was to create the different layers of the matte painting so that the compositors could easily integrate live of CG footages of water.

Crassus Camp: 360° matte-painting of the Crassus Camp. The position of the 6 pack camera is in front of the Crassus tent, surrounded by all the other tents of the campement. Several versions with different skies have been done.

Crassus Camp: 360° matte-painting of the Crassus Camp. The position of the 6 pack camera is in front of the Crassus tent, surrounded by all the other tents of the campement. Several versions with different skies have been done.

360° Melia Ridge Rebel Camp: I was first in charge of the rebel camp located between the big wall and the Roman camp, then I created the matte painting of what was behind the big wall.

360° Melia Ridge Rebel Camp: I was first in charge of the rebel camp located between the big wall and the Roman camp, then I created the matte painting of what was behind the big wall.

Each 360° matte-painting was provided in 3 versions: Day, Night and Fog.

Each 360° matte-painting was provided in 3 versions: Day, Night and Fog.

360° Melia Ridge Roman Camp Wall: The 360° Melia Ridge Roman Camp Wall matte-painting is the second that I have done for this environment. It shows what is behind the wall.

360° Melia Ridge Roman Camp Wall: The 360° Melia Ridge Roman Camp Wall matte-painting is the second that I have done for this environment. It shows what is behind the wall.

The point in the creation of those three 360° matte-paintings was to keep a consistency between them. Each location was visible from each other location.

The point in the creation of those three 360° matte-paintings was to keep a consistency between them. Each location was visible from each other location.

Each 360° matte-painting was provided in 3 versions: Day, Night and Fog.

Each 360° matte-painting was provided in 3 versions: Day, Night and Fog.

For the Melia Ridge Wall itself, I created 2 specific matte-paintings, one was seen from outside the rebel camp and the other was on the side of the wall, above the trench. For both of them, Vue was used to create a base render as a guide for the painting

For the Melia Ridge Wall itself, I created 2 specific matte-paintings, one was seen from outside the rebel camp and the other was on the side of the wall, above the trench. For both of them, Vue was used to create a base render as a guide for the painting

The 360° Amphitheatre matte-painting was done in 4 weeks. This painting has the particularity to look down. It required time for the integration and the extension of the Amphitheatre set and also time to paint the Rebel camp on lower terraces.

The 360° Amphitheatre matte-painting was done in 4 weeks. This painting has the particularity to look down. It required time for the integration and the extension of the Amphitheatre set and also time to paint the Rebel camp on lower terraces.

I am Spartacus – Burning Villa: This sequence is the opening of the final episode of the TV show. This painting is a re-use of a previous painting. I changed the mountains and the ocean in the background, and I painted the burning elements in the villa.

I am Spartacus – Burning Villa: This sequence is the opening of the final episode of the TV show. This painting is a re-use of a previous painting. I changed the mountains and the ocean in the background, and I painted the burning elements in the villa.

Here are 2 wide paintings for the sequence before the final battle. They show the two opposite directions of the location, one to the mountains where the old people, women and children will escape, and one to the battle field for all the others to fight.

Here are 2 wide paintings for the sequence before the final battle. They show the two opposite directions of the location, one to the mountains where the old people, women and children will escape, and one to the battle field for all the others to fight.

For the final battle, we have created four 360° matte-paintings of the battle field from four different locations in order to cover all the sequences from the Roman side, the Rebel side and the hill side.

For the final battle, we have created four 360° matte-paintings of the battle field from four different locations in order to cover all the sequences from the Roman side, the Rebel side and the hill side.

A fourth painting has been done at the beginning to be used as reference for the others. I was in charge of three of them.

A fourth painting has been done at the beginning to be used as reference for the others. I was in charge of three of them.

Aerial view of the battle field.

Aerial view of the battle field.

Closer look at the trench.

Closer look at the trench.

I painted separated light and fire passes on the catapults for the compositors so that they can easily integrate them in the battle sequence.

I painted separated light and fire passes on the catapults for the compositors so that they can easily integrate them in the battle sequence.

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