Philip Ridley's first film in 15 years, Heartless premiered on 21 May 2010 and was released on DVD on 25 May 2010 in the UK. Written and directed by Ridley, it stars Jim Sturgess, Noel Clarke, Clémence Poésy and Eddie Marsan. The story centers around Jamie Morgan (Sturgess), a troubled photographer with a birthmark on his face shaped like a love heart. A bizarre series of events brings him to the belief that violent gang activity in the East End of London where he lives and works is actually of supernatural origin, and that demons are at work...
Producers Richard Raymond and Pippa Cross approached Framestore on the basis that this was a film that was going to have to be made for very little, but whose script demanded a lavish and sophisticated visual style. Says William Sargent, "It ticked all our production and VFX boxes: it was very cool, dark and stylish; the risk was minimal; and Ridley is an extraordinarily interesting figure in theatre and film."
Framestore's production role included creative input as the script was developed through a number of drafts, and the company provided the film's DI as well as its VFX. The film was shot in HD using the Genesis. Says Sargent, "We gave audiences an East End of London they'd never seen before - recognisable, but with a sharp, noir-ish edge - lots by night, lots of colour. I think that what we brought complemented and served the production superbly."