VFX Compositor Xiaoli Zhang amplifies the drama for NBC’s “The Blacklist”
Xiaoli Zhang is a talented artist, but instead of creating colorful paintings or grand sculptures, most of her work is, in a sense, invisible. As a compositor, she works on subtle visual effects for many of the most popular shows on television, and yet audiences all over the world would not notice her work, and that is her goal. Her singular goal is to transport audiences into the world of the production, but often times, that world is not where the series was filmed, and requires a detailed eye and great artistic talent to remove or add details that transform the shot.
“It’s no secret that nowadays almost all films and television series require some type of visual effects work. I need to trick people’s eyes into believing that everything they see was how it was originally shot. For instance, I used matte painting techniques to make a shoot from New York City look like it was really filmed in Paris,” she says. “When I entered the world of actually making movies and television, I realized there are things that can’t be filmed with just a camera. Visual effects help with the story and help make the story happen. I think this is very powerful.”
Millions all over the world have seen Zhang’s work, whether on Netflix with hits like Inventing Ana or network television including Fox’s 9–1–1 and 9–1–1 Lone Star, ABC’s The Good Doctor, and more. Her resume is extensive and impressive, but it is not the awards and accolades that motivated Zhang, it is telling a good story.
This is exemplified by Xiaoli’s work on NBC’s The Blacklist, a long running hit television series that began in 2013. The show follows Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader), a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades. He tells the FBI that he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world that he has compiled over the years.
“I really enjoyed watching the interaction between the cast as well as the story’s twists and turns. It’s a good mix of crime and drama. I’m curious about every case the characters take on. The plot has the characteristics of American style heroism, like a crime version of the superhero film,” she says.
Zhang was approached to come on board the series because of her vast skill and experience when working with green screen shots, something The Blacklist heavily utilizes. Almost all the driving sequences are shot in green screen and this requires skilled compositing work to make it look like they are truly on the road and in a moving vehicle. On top of this, blood shots and gun shots require unique compositing techniques to make them look realistic. The show would not have had its continued success without providing these believable aspects to the audience, especially on a crime related series, and Zhang provides this essential service.
“This is a big and well-known TV series. I really enjoyed working with other talented artists on this show. We would share creative ideas with each other to make the shots look perfect,” she says.
Each episode of The Blacklist has its own challenges, and that is what Zhang loves. Her largest task is Green Screen Keying, which required looking into the most minute details, such as strands of hair, reflections in glasses, and making the background and the foreground people look like they are in the same world.
The Blacklist is currently in its tenth season, with strong reviews from television critics and great audience reception. Every episode of the multi-award-winning series brings in millions of viewers, and it is currently available to stream on Netflix in North America to its 75 million subscribers.
“I feel both proud and excited that this project is such a success. When I hear people talking about The Blacklist, I feel proud to be able to work on this project and I know how much work was done by compositors like myself,” she concluded.
