Curfew

Originally commissioned by Tiger Aspect Productions to work on a pivotal car chase and crash sequence, Framestore’s work on the show grew to multiple complex VFX shots across the series  -  thanks to Framestore’s fast integration into the production team and ability to produce excellent VFX to a tight time frame.

Framestore’s Curfew team was led by Head of Television, Michelle Martin, VFX Producer Amber Ducker, VFX Supervisor Simon Kilroe and CG Supervisor Johannes Sambs who worked closely with series Executive Producer and Director, Colm McCarthy and the series’ VFX team comprising Steve Street and Jakub Chilczuk to deliver various VFX shots.

One of the biggest challenges we faced on Curfew was a particular car crash shot in which we had to seamlessly marry a CG McLaren Spider (which we built from scratch) with the real car that was captured in live-action – all in one continuous shot,’ says Framestore’s VFX Supervisor Simon Kilroe. ‘The CG car had to crash through a wall, into a CG market hut, flip upside down and then slide through a stall of CG fruit, veg and crates which had to come very close to camera,’ he continues. ‘We used a library of 2D elements mixed with CG FX Debris and kept as much of the practical, in-camera explosion as possible to get the most realistic results. At the end of the shot we added muzzle flashes and a gunshot wound using 2D elements. The hole in the live action wall was a DMP with some FX debris pouring down after the crash. The team’s commitment and patience for such an intricate shot combining a multitude of FX techniques is something to be applauded.’

‘Originally approached to execute the CG McLaren sequence, our involvement grew exponentially to 345 shots across the series,’ adds Framestore’s Development Producer, Ben Perry. ‘It was fantastic collaborating with Tiger Aspect on such a tent-pole production, that shines a light on the UK's high-end drama offering. The beautifully gritty script, performances and visuals are just too good to miss.’