VFX Artist - Weta Workshop - District 9

For the film District 9, the Visual Effects were created by the VFX company Weta Workshop. With much of the film production taking place on a physical set in Johannesburg, a large portion of the VFX involved compositing digital objects into the real environment, such as the large alien spacecraft floating in the sky throughout the film.

With a simple use of layering and colour correction, weta workshop would have been able to composite the space craft into the Johannesburg skyline, using colour gradient to mach the craft to the skyline.

Using similar techniques to those of the spacecraft, Weta would have been able to composite the animated Mech into the shot. However, difficulties would arise due to the fact that the camera would have to track the digital mech, despite it not being actually there. 

Learning from Weta's example, I have found that it is entirely possible to produce an effective composition using a very simply animated but highly detailed high polygon 3D animated model, such as the large flying saucer used in the film.