In 2018 our design team had the opportunity to work with director Denis Villeneuve and Production Designer Patrice Vermette on Dune. We were tasked with designing key scene illustrations that focused on capturing the sense of light and atmosphere that Denis envisioned for the world of Dune.
For Arrakis in particular, Denis wanted a sense of banality to the light, with oppressive, boring white skies. The desert needed to feel dangerous, like a vast ocean, with 'islands' of rock that could provide brief moments of safety from the worms. Many of the frames were based on masterful storyboard sketches by Sam Hudecki, and feature designs from immensely talented concept artists like George Hull and Joseph Cross from the art and costume departments, respectively.