Portal on the thermal plane video is an ink blot effect (I’m a VFX guy more context in description)

Understanding the Ink Blot Effect in the Portal on the Thermal Plane Video: A VFX Perspective

In the realm of visual effects (VFX), creating mesmerizing and surreal visuals often involves innovative techniques that blend practicality with digital artistry. Recently, a notable video featuring a portal on the thermal plane has garnered attention due to its distinctive ink blot effect. As a VFX professional with over 15 years of experience in capturing and manipulating images both in physical environments and digital spaces, I’d like to provide an analysis of how this effect might have been achieved, along with its historical and stylistic context.

Overview of the Effect

The effect appears to depict a portal formed through dynamic ink blot patterns, characterized by rapid shape changes and a fluid appearance. Interestingly, the portal’s form seems to shift dramatically from frame to frame, with minimal continuity in shape, suggesting a collage-like approach rather than a single, fluid animation.

Practical Versus Digital Techniques

Such an effect can be produced through practical or digital means, or a combination of both:

1. Practical Method:
2. Capture individual frames of ink splashes or blotches performed in real life.
3. Isolate specific ink patterns from these frames.
4. Overlay these images as screens or matte layers onto the footage, creating the impression of a shifting portal.

5. This method allows for organic, unpredictable shapes that can lend a tactile feel to the illusion.

6. Digital Method (After Effects or Similar Software):

7. Utilize templates or custom compositing techniques to mimic the ink blot appearance.
8. Generate or animate ink-inspired textures procedurally.
9. The rapid shape changes can be achieved with frame-by-frame compositing or shader effects, giving the appearance of an evolving ink blot portal.

Observations and Inferences

The substantial shape variability—where very little of the form persists across frames—suggests that the creator may have sourced specific frames from practical ink effects and applied them as overlays. This approach simplifies the process and allows for highly organic, chaotic shapes without complex digital modeling.

Context and Cultural Significance

The ink blot effect is far from new in visual media. Notable examples include:

• The surreal imagery in 2001: A Space Odyssey
• The abstract visuals in Tree of Life
• The opening credits of True Detective

Given that the aforementioned video was released shortly after or around the same timeframe as Tree of Life and