Discover how Image Engine simulated geometric crystal spears erupting from the floor in Avatar: The Last Airbender using custom Houdini tools, collision-aware systems, and physically inspired lighting to allow for artistic control, integration with the plate and characters, and beautiful final renders to relay the director’s vision.

In this talk, Image Engine breaks down the technical approach behind the jennamite crystals featured in episode 4 of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. These vibrant green crystals grow rapidly and unpredictably, trapping our hero. The effect had to look natural yet stylized, dangerous yet beautiful, while integrating seamlessly with actors and sets in a live-action environment.

To achieve this, the team developed a Houdini-based procedural system capable of driving crystal growth that felt organic, scalable, and art-directable. The goal was to support a range of creative needs, from wide establishing shots to close interaction with performers, without requiring bespoke FX setups for each shot. It also required unique look development to show internal structures as crystals crack and explode.

This session will explore the procedural workflows that enabled us to simulate high volumes of geometry while preserving flexibility and visual clarity. 

Key Topics

• How our system adapted crystal growth over varied surfaces and set pieces
• Layering techniques to give crystals visual depth and light interaction
• Strategies for syncing growth with live-action timing and camera work
• Render optimizations that minimized artist time while maintaining quality
• Balancing custom simulation logic with workflow efficiency

By combining technical precision with creative control, we were able to bring the crystals to life in a way that supported the narrative and elevated the sequence. Attendees will leave with practical insights into building physically-inspired procedural effects in production and how to strike the right balance between simulation complexity, shot diversity, and delivery demands.

In this session, Image Engine shares how a concept-first approach, streamlined workflows, and technical problem-solving allowed us to deliver some of the series’ most ambitious sequences, ranging from the vast genetic memory library inside a Thinking Machine to massive sand simulations featuring the legendary sandworm.

We’ll break down how our pipeline enabled scalable, collaborative solutions for complex challenges across departments. From the intricacies of animation-driven holograms to the technical demands of simulating cascading sand, attendees will walk away with valuable insights and practical takeaways they can apply to their own work.

Key Topics

• Concept-Driven Approach: How we used early concept art and reference studies to align creative vision with the client, gaining buy-in before production began.
• Streamlined Pipeline: See how our FX library card swap pipeline, batchable templates, and attribute-driven setups helped smaller teams work more efficiently without sacrificing quality.
• Genetic Library: Explore the design and lighting of Anirul, the vast genetic archive, as well as how our custom tools allowed animation to drive holographic FX that lit the scene and reflected in real time.
• Large-Scale Environment FX: Learn how we handled desert and storm simulations at scale, including tricks to manage heavy particle FX while maintaining art direction.
• Holograms: Get a look at how we built the complex, multi-camera holographic war table, featuring hundreds of procedurally generated projectors and lights, and aligned outputs across departments for seamless integration.

Whether you’re a student, generalist, or pipeline developer, this talk offers an approachable, behind-the-scenes look at how Image Engine tackled complex sequences through early concept alignment, creative problem solving, and efficient pipeline design.