East of Eden

At the heart of the work was the creation of turn-of-the-century California. We built expansive CG environments designed to integrate seamlessly with practical locations, while a broad range of supporting visual effects helped preserve the authenticity of the period. The team’s work included an animated deer reacting to a hunter’s rifle blast, blood effects, muzzle flashes, wig and prosthetic clean-up and invisible period fixes.

The work also extended to more dramatic forms of transformation and period environments. We crafted a CG house and progressively burned it down across four shots, carefully escalating the destruction from one shot to the next while maintaining continuity throughout the sequence. We also extended buildings on the streets of Chinatown in San Francisco, building upon the beautiful practical sets.

Creating a convincing period environment meant establishing a world that could remain consistent across different shots, camera positions and sequences.

Working from client-supplied historical references alongside footage captured on set, we created a master CG environment matching the practical location. During research and asset development, the team established a central scene that could then be adapted across multiple setups and camera angles.

Select shots were used to test the environment early, including mocked-up camera positions that allowed both Framestore and the client to assess how the world would hold together from different perspectives. This approach provided a shared visual foundation for the work and ensured consistency as shots moved through production.

Collaboration across our CG departments was central to the process, with teams working from the same underlying layout and methodology. Period-accurate set dressing became an important visual motif, helping evoke California’s Central Valley at the turn of the 20th century while ensuring the CG work remained grounded in the production’s practical photography.

The project offered Framestore the opportunity to contribute to a new interpretation of one of American literature’s most celebrated works.

The connection between this adaptation and the story’s cinematic history runs particularly deep. Showrunner Zoe Kazan is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed the landmark 1955 film adaptation starring James Dean, Julie Harris and Raymond Massey.

This new telling expands its focus beyond the earlier film, approaching Steinbeck’s story through a contemporary lens and placing Cathy Ames’ perspective at its center. Led by Kazan alongside co-Executive Producer and Showrunner Jeb Stuart, the series brings a different point of view to the material while retaining the landscape, history and sense of Americana at the heart of Steinbeck’s work.

For our VFX team, that made authenticity especially important. The visual effects needed to expand the world without calling attention to themselves, allowing the environments, creatures and invisible effects to remain firmly in service of the characters and story.

“It was exhilarating to work on a retelling of such a beloved, incredible piece of literature. Steinbeck's narrative captures the heart of Americana at a pivotal moment in US history, and this production updates that vision with an empowered female voice bringing the narrative into our current era. Our challenge to create period accurate environments based on practical shoot locations inspired our team to partner with the client ensuring a creative success.”

-John Kilshaw, VFX Supervisor & Executive Creative Director, Episodic

“I have had the privilege of working with Framestore on both The Diplomat and East of Eden. Across both projects, the team at Framestore proved themselves to be true partners. Deeply collaborative, highly invested, and consistently focused on elevating the work in every way possible.

Framestore’s environmental work and world building were nothing short of stunning. They brought a level of artistry and realism that seamlessly grounded each setting, while still enhancing the scope and visual ambition of the shows. In parallel, their creature work was equally impressive. Thoughtfully designed, beautifully executed, and always in service of performance and story.

Beyond the creative, what sets Framestore apart is their approach to collaboration.  From prep, to production, to finally in post, they navigated complex challenges with composure and clarity. Repeatedly stepping in to support not just their own work, but the broader needs of the Show. Whether facing tight timelines, shifting priorities, or evolving creative, their team remained solutions-driven, proactive, and incredibly reliable.

Their production and supervision teams are exceptional partners. Every member of the team is organized, communicative, and deeply experienced. The notes process was efficient and purposeful, with iterations that consistently moved the work forward without redundancy.

Framestore brings together top-tier artistry with a genuine spirit of partnership. They elevate every project they are part of, and I would work with them again without hesitation.”

-Marian Golden, VFX Producer