Simulating Whitewater Rapids in Ratatouille

Eric Froemling, Tolga Goktekin, Darwyn Peachey

Abstract:

In Pixar's Ratatouille, a key story point involves a rat being swept through the sewers of Paris, plummeting down waterfalls and along steeply sloping tunnels, through a series of high-speed S- bends which cause the torrent of water to bank up sharply on each turn. Bringing the director's vision of this wild and perilous rapids sequence to the screen required us to use a wide variety of water effects techniques to give the appearance of rushing water, spray, foam and bubbles. One of the greatest challenges was to pull these diverse techniques together into a seamless sequence.

Paper (PDF)

Available as Pixar Technical Memo #07-03