Framestore VFX Work Shines on BAFTA Longlist

Framestore sees four films featuring its work place on today’s BAFTA long list for the ‘Special Visual Effects’ award. They are: 

• The Midnight Sky

• Mulan

• The Secret Garden

• Wonder Woman 1984


Fiona Walkinshaw, Framestore’s global managing director, Film, said: “Having four films on the BAFTA shortlist is a huge achievement, and will provide a real boost to everyone at Framestore creating amazing imagery while working from home. The range of films on the long list also speaks to the extraordinary talent and craft of our artists, from the audacious superhero thrills of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 to the subtle magic of Marc Munden’s The Secret Garden, and the futuristic grandeur of George Clooney’s The Midnight Sky to the historical sweep of Niki Caro’s live-action Mulan. Congratulations to everyone from Framestore who played a part in these films, and the film-makers and studios behind them." 

The work:

The Midnight Sky

Framestore assembled a sci-fi dream team to join production VFX supervisor Matt Kasmir; academy award-winning VFX supervisor Chris Lawrence (Gravity, The Martian), animation supervisor Max Solomon (Gravity), VFX supervisor Shawn Hillier (Star Wars: Episodes 2 and 3) and Graham Page (Interstellar). The team were tasked with high-level CG facial replacements, building the Aether ship inside and out, as well as ‘Sick Earth’ and it’s foreboding environment. “We had to shoot a pregnant astronaut floating in space!” said director and star George Clooney. “Framestore did a brilliant job with all of it." Find out more here.

Mulan

Working with director Niki Caro, the VFX team’s deft touch and pixel-perfect artistry paid tribute to both the much-loved animated classic and the original 1,500-year-old Chinese ballad on which it was based. VFX supervisor Hubert Maston (Dumbo) collaborated with Framestore’s Vis Dev, animation and VFX teams across a wide range of scenes and 300+ shots, including the graceful, multi-coloured Phoenix; a truly epic fight sequence and enormous matte-painted volcanic landscapes. Find out more here.

The Secret Garden

Framestore worked closely with director Marc Munden (Utopia, Electric Dreams), using subtle VFX to breathe life into the garden, crafting a full-CG robin and building complex real-world environments. "We were keen to avoid a cgi look,” said producer Rosie Alison. “We wanted to enhance nature, with a subtle organic poetry. To achieve that, we knew we needed to find collaborators with the right sensibility, and kindred spirits who would understand our vision." Find out more here. 

Wonder Woman 1984

Framestore's work involved creating seamless invisible VFX, complex environments and the villainess ‘Cheetah.’ The team collaborated closely with director Patty Jenkins to realise her vision for the eagerly-awaited sequel to the first film. “We set out to do some extremely difficult and complex work and Framestore blew me away with the results,” said director Patty Jenkins. “They were amazing partners, always delivered, and were tireless in their efforts to reach the best result possible, no matter what." Find out more here.

Of the 15 films long listed for the Special Visual Effects BAFTA, five will be nominated. 

Nominations will be announced on March 9th, with the BAFTA Awards will take place April 11th.

The BAFTA long list follows recent news that two titles featuring Framestore’s work (The Crown and Lovecraft Country) have been nominated for Golden Globes, while two (Jingle Jangle and Lovecraft Country) have been nominated for The NAACP Image Awards.