For these matte paintings, I changed several daytime photos into rainy thunderstorm scenes. This is where Tom Hanks is drenched in a massive downpour, sees a cave entrance and runs to hide in it.

 

With the CG lightning striking from different clouds, I had to change the brightness of every element, from moon lit, to dark silhouette, to super bright and with highlights or shadows on every leaf!

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In the final cut, this establishing shot of the cave entrance was deemed too long, so it wound up on the editors floor. Poor Tom and I, all that work for naught. At least I didn't have to stand in the pouring rain.

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MUCH thanks to Rob Legato, Visual Effects Sup. for sharing your ingenious approach to VFX.