VFX Master Aaron Wei adds to the drama on ‘The Good Fight’

Whenever Senior Compositor Aaron Wei begins a new project, he has one thing on his mind: the story. To this VFX master, every decision he makes, he structures his artistry around storytelling.

“Through the camera lens, you selectively show parts of life and tell the story you want. It is the most profound way of communication, despite culture and language. It’s a very unique way to express your opinion, and nothing else compares,” he said.

Rather than having an eye behind the camera or standing in front, Wei puts his touch on award-winning productions while sitting at a desk, looking at his computer. He comes in after everything is shot, perfecting footage and creating the impossible. He has worked on many acclaimed films and television shows, from Netflix’s Like Father and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to the Golden Globe award-winning series The Americans and the popular show Shades of Blue. Millions have seen his work, whether on the big screen or on commercials for iconic brands.

Wei also greatly contributed to the second season of the Emmy-nominated drama The Good Fight. A spin-off of the popular series The Good Wife, the series follows fan-favorite characters Diane Lockhart (played by Christine Baranski) and Maia Rindell (played by Rose Leslie). When Diane’s life savings are lost, she and Maia must start from scratch at a new firm. Wei had always been a fan of the original show and its stars and was eager to take part in the sequel.

“This series picks up after the final episode of The Good Wife, focusing on the female leads. I enjoyed watching the show and understanding women’s struggles in life. It’s an interesting drama where people who have lived a very good life all of a sudden have to fight,” said Wei.

On top of exceptional ratings, The Good Fight has received positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes awarded the series with a rating of 98 per cent with an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Wei worked as Senior Compositor for 10 episodes of Season 2.

“Aaron is an outstanding artist. He likes a challenge and always rises to the occasion. As a compositor I can count on him to work efficiently, quickly, and always with an eye for detail.

I believe he excels as a compositor because of his curiosity and dedication. He's constantly learning about the latest that technology has to offer and incorporates his learning into his work. He always strives for excellence in the work he does as he is not satisfied with ‘job done’ but ‘job well done.’ His future will be full of tremendous success,” said Rick Shick, an Emmy Nominated Creative Director/Compositing who worked on The Good Fight with Wei.

Wei had worked on many prime-time dramas throughout his career, from The Affair to Ballers, and his work speaks for itself. Supervisors always request for him to join their team, as he is known for his efficiency and creative problem-solving abilities. This show is no different, as his work helped better shape the characters, letting the audience feels the “action” and the continuity of emotion flowing in the story. His efficiency also guaranteed the timely delivery of the work, which is essential in such a collaborative working environment.

“This show is one out of few projects I worked on that the clients had a very detailed eye on the actor and actress’ performance, they wanted literally every move to be perfect. I enjoyed working on this project. The high standard helped me to understand the performance in a director’s perspective of view and how all the details shaped the story,” said Wei.

Wei has worked on many shots for The Good Fight, each presenting their own unique challenge that he enjoyed working through. In one scene in particular, Actor Delroy Lindo was holding a card and presenting it to court. The card was painted green to make it easier to replace in post-production, but the card was curved which ended up making it very difficult to replace. Wei however, stepped in with a solution, working patiently to make it seamlessly flow with the scene. Audiences watching had no idea that the card was not actually there when the scene was initially shot, which is always his goal.

“For me, it’s a great experience working on this show and I very much look forward to working its future seasons,” Wei concluded.

The Good Fight’s third season premieres Thursday March 14th on CBS.

Written by Sean Desouza

Published March 10th, 2019