Recreating the Water Caustics Effect from Blade Runner 2049

This was initially supposed to be an easy test. I wasn't even sure if the video would make it over 5 minutes! Lo and behold, it's not as simple as it seems. I'm so glad I decided to try this out cause those water caustics were bothering me for awhile! Hopefully our recreation of the Blade Runner water caustics helps you too!

Crew:
Paul Koning
Ethan Gough

#amaran lights I use!

0:00 Intro
1:29 Mylar
3:01 Bouncing Off Water
5:12 Shooting Through Water
8:15 Conclusion

[Tenshihan-Quinn]

In the film, they used a built in 'pool' above the set and then used four point-light sources - lit from a position higher than the pool surface - all aiming at downwards angles. The waveform pattern reveals the depth of the water.

[Trippy_Space_Bunny]

I wish I could have the through water effects in the movie just constantly playing on the surfaces in my art room forever.

[hecker]

Blade runner 2049 is really a masterpiece in set design and cinematography

[NiranjanNaikVideos]

Man I became a big fan after watching your Oppenheimer recreation. Your hard work and persistence is just crazy! Keep doing this man!

[DIYPerks]

I wonder what kind of look you'd get by recording some ripples in a studio (or have them made digitally) and then using an old DLP projector to project the desired effect onto a wall?

[monkeysfromvenus]

You could use a large mirror to bounce the caustics to where you want. If you positioned the spot light under the tank on the floor with the tank three feet above it, then suspend a reflective surface (like a flat mylar sheet lol) at a 45 degree angle above the tank, you can project those caustics onto a wall without hauling the water super high. Awesome video!

[YellowNotThe]

can't get over how great these videos are, as someone who loves cinematography but also has barely any money i love how you try to keep everything cost effective but also show that you don't even need alot of money too get great shots

[aaroncarter]

Shooting a light into a point source into a satellite dish with foil on it will also make the light look even further away, which gives it a similar effect to the sun. Sorta like a parabolic reflector.

[sawsamuelsanhnit]

I’m just a photo special effect hobbyist, and I’m very glad that you tested and learn form what you are doing for each shot is what most amazing about cinematography and photography…. It’s Experience!

Also, cool fact… you can make your shots of the water by filling it more or drawing it out during the shots which might made a cool fade in or fade out focus shot…

[jordim]

I've now watched your last 3 videos —found through the Oppenheimer one, of course.
I used to be a pseudo film-maker —as quality-compared to the incredible work you're doing here— and I don't even work on this any more.
BUT, all of this is so fucking dope and interesting to watch, from the editing and storytelling to the final results, that it's still super worth it to me.

Well done. Props x1000.

[rodrigoferreira-ukon]

Your passion for cinema and cinematography is inspiring!

[DominicPiscopoFigidiniHill]

They may be hard to come by now but the old classroom Elmo projectors teachers used pre internet for showing notes can be adapted for this if you use a smaller light source as you have found. They can focus the effect and are what they used for the psychedelic colored oil backgrounds during concerts. Used to find them at resale shops dirt cheap. Brings me back to diy & film School days.

[dragonmares]

This was really great ! Please take your time, don't rush and enjoy this if you ever do another video recreating effects, this was really cool

[wydua]

Your channel is so amazing. Just beyond description, the way you tell the story, no low attention span effects, amazing audio and of course visuals.

[jaredf]

Besides using a smaller closer light source, use a smaller tank and fill it with ethanol. The much lower surface tension will give you smaller ripples. Also add some curves to the edge of the container so you dont get only square caustics.

[YuriFazio.]

What a BEAUTIFUL video dude! first time I didn`t skipped any part (not even clicked in 5 seconds annoucements) you had all my attention from the first to the last seconds.

[Andyax]

Great video William! I really liked how you explained your process while testing this :)

[StormBurnX]

When he mentioned the effect getting blurrier despite putting on the 'focusing' spotlight, I (as an optics nerd) was practically shouting at my screen for him to get the smallest, point-source light he could. I'm SO glad he figured it out! The effect was phenomenal.

[drjk]

I'm absolutely loving your movie scene recreations. Hopefully your channel will grow along with your budget so you can tackle more challenging recreations. My suggestion would be to recreate older movies where practical effects were the norm. Think 90s nostalgic films like Independence Day, Dante's Peak and Stargate, or classics like 1974's Earthquake or the iconic 1956 The Ten Commandments etc.

[howard]

simple solution: buy 10kg of liquid mercury (only ~$12000 dollars) and project the light source off of that. what you do with all that delicious mercury afterwards is up to you 😉🥴