Olivia Gomez showcases the viral Youtube channel, Corridor Digital’s, VFX art.
YouTube is the land of accidental discoveries. It is full of hidden gems that provide endless entertainment and amazing quality content. One of those hidden gems is Corridor Digital, a channel that specializes in making sketches with insane VFX art. Corridor Digital went viral in 2012 with a video called ‘The Glitch’ in which popular videogame characters, such as Mario and Link, try to (unsuccessfully) escape a glitch that is messing with their reality. With ideas like these, springing from random experiences and inside jokes, the crew manages to make incredibly creative videos full of action and comedy. Some of their most popular videos include ‘The World’s Longest Lightsabre’ (2018), ‘Tiny Guns’ (2017), ‘Portal Trick Shots’ (2014) and more.
In order to make these videos, the crew has to tap into a lot of technical and scientific knowledge. Providing a realistic illusion often means being aware of the laws of physics and paying all the possible attention to detail. On their second channel, Corridor Crew, the filmmakers explain the process behind creating their sketches, consequently bringing to light the amount of thinking they have to do in order to pull off their ideas. One example is a video titled ‘VFX Breakdown: Portal Trick Shots’ which explains the mathematical procedure they went through in order to end up with a scientifically realistic product. This also means that they have to use a lot of equipment to be able to get the right shots. A significant part of their equipment collection is made by the crew themselves, showcasing a whole other set of skills that these artists possess and use in order to make high quality content. Of course, not all of their work is animated. Corridor crew members often talk about the importance of using a mix of practical and digital effects in order to achieve the most realistic result. This level of detail-orientation is what makes them so good at what they do.
“…it is rather more interested in creating out-of-this-world illusions that look extremely realistic yet absolutely unbelievable”
Not only are they great filmmakers, they are also uncontroversial, a quality that is sometimes difficult to find in today’s world. Unlike other types of art, the main goal of VFX isn’t to provide the consumer with a social critique. Instead, it is rather more interested in creating out-of-this-world illusions that look extremely realistic yet absolutely unbelievable. A reliance on the technical side of VFX art and a focus on delivering entertaining content has probably helped Corridor stay out of trouble.
All their hard work has certainly paid off. Ever since going viral in 2012, they’ve been growing exponentially and now have 4 different channels with a combined subscriber count of 12.53 million. The main channel focuses on VFX short films whilst the other channels cover topics such as BTS of their main channel videos, podcasts, and gaming. The crew often collaborates with big brands such as Microsoft, Warner Bros. Games, and Disney to create amazing VFX art in films and video games. Corridor Digital’s work uncovered a whole new filmmaking demand and they have thoroughly succeeded at supplying it.
