Disguise Creative Services spent 52 weeks on Jared Hess’ hit action comedy, working as a virtual art department to create 20 digital environments in Unreal Engine that were used in pre-production, production and post.
Did you know that one of 2025’s highest-grossing films isn’t just based on a game, but made using game technology too? To learn how, just ask Disguise Services. VFXWorld and AWN caught up with the creative services team, who for 52 weeks, worked as part of the Virtual Art Department (VAD) on the film - creating a series of over 20 virtual environments in Unreal Engine, used across pre-production, production and post to help bring director Jared Hess, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ A Minecraft Movie to life.
To create the real-time environments for the film, the VAD began by using Blender, Cinema 4D, and Maya to refine Rhino set models sent from the movie’s traditional art department. Once the models were optimized, they were imported into Unreal Engine, where the VAD team used the art department’s references to set up lighting and materials, as well as build landscapes around the models. This resulted in cohesive 3D environments that could be used as full 360° worlds, as well as 180° setups.
“We were brought onto A Minecraft Movie early in pre-production,” says Disguise Services’ Senior Unreal Engine Artist, Talia Finlayson, who worked with VAD Supervisor Heide Nichols, VAD Art Director Pat Younis, and Unreal Engine Artists Jake Tuck and Laura Bell on the project. She explains that while the Disguise Services team has already helped to deliver a range of noteworthy projects - from HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death to Apple Music commercials - being involved in A Minecraft Movie early on in the process was essential for this production.
“Because we were involved early on in the pre-production on A Minecraft Movie, the director, Jared Hess, was able to use our Unreal Engine environments to actually block out scenes and plan shots, as well as review and approve virtual and even physical sets before they were built. He could suggest changes on the spot, and we would then use Unreal to adjust camera angles or environment details in real time to support his vision.”
As well as helping Hess plan shots, the VAD’s environments also simplified pre-production in other ways. Production VFX Supervisor Dan Lemmon was able to use the scenes to determine where green or bluescreens would be most effective. The stunt team used them to assess available space and plan acrobatics. And each department head used them to support reviews by providing a clear, navigable 3D version of each set. This included mapping out fire lines for safety and incorporating accurate, to-scale models of camera rigs and cranes to determine how cameras could be positioned within the space, all well in advance of the shoot.
“At one point, Pat Younis even set up a PlayStation controller so that anyone could navigate the Unreal environments firsthand,” reveals Bell. “It allowed the director to freely explore the scenes, adjust camera settings, and capture screenshots directly — it was a great way to aid the creative process.”
Once principal photography began, each physical set was scanned using LiDAR, and then aligned with the virtual environments, which were optimized for tracking before any scenes were shot on green and bluescreen stages. Then, once post-production started, the Unreal Engine environments were supplied to each VFX vendor so they could build their visual effects shots based on the VAD’s Unreal virtual environments approved by the Production Designer, Grant Major.
“By using our Unreal Engine environments, we were able to carry Grant’s vision all the way through to post” says Finlayson. “We could block out sets, explore shot composition, adjust layout and scale, and simulate lighting and camera movement in real time, allowing for quick, informed decision-making and creative experimentation without the cost or delay of physical builds. Then, because all the environments were approved early and shared throughout the pipeline, we could ensure the visual intent was preserved. What started as a concept actually carried through to the final frame.”
For both Bell and Finlayson, being able to work on A Minecraft Movie was a full-circle moment. “I was a huge Minecraft player as a teenager, so getting to work on the film was special,” says Bell. “It was even more special knowing that others in the VAD shared the same connection to the game, so our in-game experiences constantly inspired us. One great example is when Pat recreated Steve’s iconic lava-chicken shop inside Minecraft to demonstrate how it worked in-game. The art department used that build as a reference to conceptualize what you see in the final film.”
“In some cases, we even brought in geometry from the game itself to help quickly block out areas,” Finlayson reveals. “We did this for the Elytra Flight Chase sequence, for example, which takes place through a large canyon. The geometry in this valley was pulled directly from the game into Unreal, which was super satisfying, as you can see actual Minecraft landscapes being used in the movie.”
Now the film is complete, Bell and Finlayson both hope it represents a new era for the VAD. “Everyone collaborated with the VAD, including the art department, VFX, lighting, set dec, props, greens, and stunts”, says Bell. “It felt like the central hub, and made filmmaking much more streamlined and flexible for everyone involved. I just felt genuinely lucky to be part of such a thoughtful, talented, and collaborative team, especially alongside Talia.”
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
