Inside Ek Er Moddho Onek: Crafting Grameenphone’s Vision Through VFX

Every project starts with an idea, but some projects demand that you stretch that idea until it almost breaks—and then rebuild it stronger. Grameenphone – Ek Er Moddho Onek was exactly that kind of journey.

From the beginning, the priority was clear: deeply understand the client’s vision. Grameenphone wanted something emotionally resonant yet visually ambitious—grounded in reality but capable of transitioning into something bigger, almost cosmic. The project was directed by Azaman Russo, whose clarity of storytelling set a strong creative foundation for everything that followed. Our role was to translate that vision into visuals that felt seamless, believable, and powerful.

Translating Vision Into Reality

One of the biggest technical challenges was the sheer amount of match moving involved. Many shots required precise camera tracking so that 3D elements could sit naturally within live-action footage. Any small mismatch would immediately break the illusion. We used PFTrack extensively to solve complex camera moves, ensuring that our virtual cameras mirrored the real-world lenses and motion as accurately as possible.

Once the cameras were locked, the real work began.

Building and Extending Worlds

A large portion of the project involved 3D set extensions. Practical sets were expanded digitally to create environments that felt much larger than what was physically shot. This required detailed 3D modeling and texturing, with a strong focus on scale, material realism, and lighting continuity.

For texturing, Substance Painter played a major role, allowing us to layer wear, imperfections, and subtle color variations that made assets feel grounded and lived-in rather than synthetic.

To ensure accurate lighting and shadows, we used a technique where footage was parented to the tracked camera. This allowed us to project the real-world plate back into 3D space, helping generate shadows and light interactions that matched the original environment. This step was crucial in selling realism, especially in shots where CG and live action were tightly interwoven.

Rotoscoping and Cleanup

No high-end VFX project escapes rotoscoping, and this one was no exception. We carried out extensive rotoscoping and cleanup using Silhouette and Mocha AE. Whether isolating characters, refining edges, or stabilizing problem areas, this work ensured that compositing stayed clean and flexible.

From Sky to Space

One of the most visually demanding aspects of the project was the environment work. We had to perform a complete sky replacement, designing cloud systems that matched both the mood and the lighting direction of the original footage. Beyond that, the project transitioned into a full space environment, requiring an entirely different visual language—cosmic scale, depth, and atmosphere, all while maintaining emotional continuity with earlier shots.

This is where things got difficult.

At one point, we almost lost the project. Despite multiple iterations, the sky environment aesthetics were not aligning with the client’s expectations. Technically everything worked, but emotionally and visually, it wasn’t landing the way Grameenphone envisioned. The gap wasn’t skill—it was alignment.

The Turning Point

The breakthrough came from simplifying rather than complicating. Instead of building everything from scratch, we tested a simple HDRI from the production shoot that already carried the tonal qualities the client wanted. That HDRI became the anchor. Once we based our lighting and sky environment around it, everything snapped into place. The look suddenly felt right—natural, cohesive, and emotionally accurate.

Sometimes the solution isn’t more complexity. It’s recognizing when reality already holds the answer.

Tools of the Trade

To bring everything together, we relied on a tight and efficient pipeline:

• Blender for 3D modeling, lighting, rendering, and set extensions

• Substance Painter for detailed texturing

• PFTrack for matchmoving and camera tracking

• After Effects for compositing and final polish

• Silhouette & Mocha AE for rotoscoping, cleanup, and tracking support

Each tool had a clear role, and the real magic happened in how they were combined.

Conclusion

Ek Er Moddho Onek was more than just a VFX project—it was a lesson in listening, adapting, and problem-solving under pressure. From complex matchmoving and expansive 3D environments to the emotional nuance of sky and space design, every step demanded both technical precision and creative sensitivity.

Working under the direction of Azaman Russo and delivering for a client like Grameenphone pushed us to raise our standards and trust the process—even when things felt uncertain. In the end, the project succeeded not because we never struggled, but because we stayed flexible enough to find the right solution when it mattered most.

That’s the reality of visual effects: a constant balance between art and science, intuition and technique—and the belief that even one idea can become many.