Foundation Season 3
Framestore returned to the sprawling galaxy of Apple TV’s Foundation, delivering approximately 500 shots that blend grand sci-fi spectacle with grounded physical reality. Led by VFX Supervisor Carlos Monzon, teams in Montréal and Mumbai, supported by London-based Pre-production Services (FPS), were tasked with visualizing Isaac Asimov’s complex universe. They brought the series' ambitious and complex visual language to life through massive, bespoke environments and scientifically rooted effects.
Foundation Season Three is streaming on Apple TV.
I am deeply grateful to the Framestore team for their exceptional artistry and dedication throughout season three of Foundation. Their work consistently elevated the visual storytelling, blending technical brilliance with creative vision to expand the scope and immersion of the series. In particular, their contributions to the Novacula sequences were extraordinary, delivering a stunning and unforgettable visual centerpiece that captured both the scale and emotional weight of the event. Collaborating with such a talented and passionate team was an honor, and their impact on this season cannot be overstated. A VFX Supervisor couldn’t ask for better creative partners.
The Blueprint: FPS
The collaboration began early, with FPS providing previs, techvis, and postvis that served as the season's visual roadmap. "FPS's previs laid a strong foundation, getting us 60% there quickly," explained VFX Supervisor Carlos Monzon. "We then built on their initial camera setups, refining the shots to elevate visual storytelling and meet Chris Maclean's high standards." This agile approach was essential, especially with evolving scripts and creative demands. "The adaptability of our team was essential," noted Visualization Supervisor Michelle Blok. "Despite major creative shifts, we always provided effective solutions that fit the evolving vision." This front-end work ensured the final execution was efficient and aligned with the director's vision. Learn more about our FPS work here.
Engineering Clarion Station
The season’s technical crown jewel was Clarion Station, a monumental 5km-wide megastructure. Far from a simple backdrop, Clarion functioned as a fully rigged vehicle with three rotating habitat panels, each simulating its own day-night cycle. "One of the biggest challenges was building an asset of such scale that remained performant," explains Monzon. Leveraging a USD (Universal Scene Description) pipeline, artists utilized instancing to scatter hundreds of thousands of structures, from a brutalist cyberpunk city to a mycelium-rich "Secretorium", maintaining immense visual complexity without compromising system resources.
Science Meets Fiction: The Novacula
For the Novacula, a weaponized station containing a black hole, the team balanced creative flair with scientific plausibility. Inspired by a Hoberman sphere and "Tupperware for a black hole" concepts, the design required intricate coordination between modeling, environment, and FX teams to visualize the containment of unparalleled energy. The result is a grounded, tangible aesthetic that aligns with the show's "hard sci-fi" tone.
The Invisible Art
Ultimately, the technology served the narrative. "It’s all about supporting the story," says Monzon. "The best way to do that is to not let the audience see the visual effects work". From the atomic destruction of planets to the subtle play of light in a rotating space station, Framestore’s work remains the invisible force binding the galaxy together
CREDITS
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Foundation Season 3 - Pre-Production
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