Efficient VFX pipelines for the Johann Strauss anniversary in 2025 movie
Part 1: The start of a cosmic collaboration and initial spaceship designs.
On 1 January 2025, the film ‘2025 – A Strauss Odyssey’ unfolded as a visual homage to Johann Strauss Jr.’s 200th birthday – a clever but also courageous fusion by director and producer Barbara Weissenbeck of sci-fi epic à la 2001: A Space Odyssey and the timeless elegance of his waltzes.
As VFX supervisor for the space sequences, I worked closely with her and production manager Sylvia Massnovits to build a narrative bridge between the cosmos and classical music. Our first meeting in mid-April 2024 was the decisive get-together: a relaxed round of introductions in which we exchanged basic ideas. In May, I presented the first drafts. Filming was scheduled for August. With work starting in May, the schedule was tight but sufficient to get everything done on time.
Now, nine months after the premiere, is the ideal moment to lift the curtain: this multi-part series shares practical insights into efficient VFX pipelines, optimised for ambitious projects like this one. Whether you’re a director looking for narrative depth or a producer who needs scalable workflows, you’ll find tangible takeaways here.
In the first part, we dive into the spaceship design: how we combined futuristic forms with historical nuances to create an iconic silhouette.
The spaceship design: functional spaces as narrative cornerstones
Barbara Weissenbeck needed diverse interiors that could carry her story – places that are not only visually captivating but also dramaturgically usable.
The core areas included the bridge, also known as the command centre, which seamlessly transitioned into a relaxed chill-out area: a living room-like space with soft seating and a view of the stars, which allowed Thomas Strauss – our protagonist and lonely captain of the ship – to reflect on his legacy.
Next to it was a botanical haven with lemon trees – for me, immediately a vision of a biosphere that produced oxygen and symbolised Strauss’s ‘fruitful’ melodies. This was complemented by a rotating ring for gravity simulation and an exit hatch for a dramatic emergency near Earth.
At this point, Barbara Weissenbeck gave me free rein: a rare opportunity in production, which I used to design the ship as a whole. It was essential to me that the concepts appeared technically plausible – very much in the spirit of my role models Syd Mead and Feng Zhu, whom I am proud to call my teachers. Syd Mead’s retro-futuristic precision from Blade Runner, Tron and Elysium, as well as Feng Zhu’s organic, physics-based designs inspired me, while my scientific background (physics and communications engineering) compelled me to implement details such as rotational dynamics and biosphere ecology in a well-founded manner. Not pure sci-fi fantasy, but designs that appear plausible.
In addition, I didn’t want to make a small one-man capsule. The space of vast, opulent ballrooms and orangeries should be felt. And last but not least, this should also underline the loneliness of our pilot, our captain.
This resulted in four designs that balanced aesthetics with functionality. This phase was crucial: it laid the foundation for the later CGI integration.
The designs: a variation of plausibility and poetry
The functional requirements gave rise to four different designs, which embedded the interior spaces – from the bridge to the chill-out area to the ring – in thematically appropriate, Strauss-inspired silhouettes. Each was a tribute to Viennese icons or musical elements, combined with plausible technical components. The rough sketches, which were then recreated in 3D using simple geometry to quickly obtain different perspectives, enabled rapid feedback and decisions from Barbara Weissenbeck and cameraman Hubert Doppler. Here are a few thoughts on the designs:
- Spaceship Design World Exhibit (Weltausstellung)
Inspired by Vienna’s historic exhibitions, this classic, conservative design takes on a radial, circular structure, with a prominent ring as its central element – like the Rotunde World Exhibit of 1867 in Vienna, where Strauss waltzes were played over and over again.
- Spaceship Design Prater (Prater)
Based on Vienna’s iconic Prater Ferris wheel, this design features a chain of rotating rings strung together like gondolas – dynamic and playful. Another somewhat conservative design that impresses with its filigree detail.
- Spaceship Design Clef (Notenschlüssel)
This design shapes the ship like a stylised violin key, symbolic of Strauss’ sheet music. The rotating ring winds elegantly around the central body. The flowing curves create a dynamic design with many curved surfaces.
- Spaceship Design Violin (Geige)
An organic, curved silhouette reminiscent of the shape of a violin – a direct tribute to Strauss’ instruments. Several rotating rings encircle the body like strings. Aesthetic elegance despite asymmetry.
Before the presentation, I was naturally curious to see which ones would be favoured. How the more or less realistic designs would be received. But more on that in the next part.
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