In Lakeshore Entertainment's I, Frankenstein director Stuart Beattie offers a darkly cerebral tale in which the monster of the Mary Shelley novel (here named Adam and played by Aaron Eckhart) has survived to modern day and become embroiled in a deadly confrontation between an assortment of grisly gargoyles and demons.
Working under the supervision of James McQuaide, the film's visual effects supervisor and one of its executive producers, Rising Sun Pictures produced several dozen visual effects shots for I, Frankenstein. The studio's team created intricate environmental effects and matte paintings used to establish several of the film's dark and brooding settings. Artists also conjured up effects for what became known as the stasis chamber, a devilish, quasi-scientific machine used to reanimate life.
The stasis chamber was originally conceived as needing relatively modest visual effects enhancement. The practical set piece used in the production was shaped like a large canister. Once a subject was placed inside and the machine switched on, jolts of electricity were to course around its sides as the dead subject was brought back to life. Our brief was to create an event that quickly kicks up in force and reaches a pinnacle, recalls RSP visual effects supervisor Adam Paschke. It needed to feel extremely visceral.
RSP's design team combed through a variety of sources for inspiration, including video material of classic Kessler science experiments and earlier movie incarnations of the Frankenstein story. The practical set was open-it contained no glass, and it was surrounded by a series of rings, notes Paschke. James McQuaide wanted the audience to believe that something quite eventful-and awful-was happening in those rings, some sort of force that moves from one ring to the next and meets in the middle.
Ultimately, the team settled on a concept involving three main elements: electrical arcs that play along the sides of the chamber, plasma skinning that develops inside the chamber as the process of reanimation occurs, and vapor which forms as the machine becomes over-cranked and perhaps out of control. We built a network of electricity between each ring and shrouded the subject with plasma like a cocoon, explains Paschke. The effect progresses over time. The force of the network is drawn from one ring to another and meets in the middle, causing repulsion. This blow out creates the stasis effect.
The stasis chamber is used twice in the film. Early on, scientists who've built the machine use it in an attempt to bring a rat back from the dead. Near the climax of the film, the machine is used to reanimate a recently departed human subject. At McQuaide's suggestion, the RSP team helped to make it appear as though the machine had undergone an evolution between the time of its first and second appearance.
James wanted it to be clear that, during the early test with the rat, the scientists were operating in a somewhat volatile and uncertain zone, Paschke says. They knew the science from Victor Frankenstein's notes, but didn't know how far they could push it. When they pitch the idea to Bill Nighy's character, they aren't sure it's going to be successful. They were walking a fine line between reanimating the subject and frying it. So, there needed to be an element to the forces that was a little bit out of control. It had to read as if it was a bit dangerous. You wouldn't stick your arm in the stasis chamber.
Further on in the show, when we have a human subject, the system is much more refined. It's obvious that they have learned to calibrate it and calculate the amount of force.
RSP's collaboration with McQuaide was lively and intensive. Paschke notes that as an executive producer of the film, McQuaide had been involved in the production of the film from its earliest phase and had a deep connection to the story. He knew the show inside out, as most supervisors whom we work with do, but he had so much insider information, Paschke recalls. He was very conscious of where he should invest his energy and where we should invest ours. That was very helpful.
The briefing sessions in cineSync went on for hours because he would give us such detail, Paschke adds. James really believed in this story. He could answer any question. And that was fantastic. He was precise and direct.
The fruits of that collaboration are evident in the results. The stasis chamber is a much more complex, nuanced and engrossing effect than originally planned. When it goes crazy near the end of the show, we went to town, completely bursting the seams, Paschke says. Controlled volatility is quite an art. We were working with systems that responded like electricity and would arc along different parts of the environment. We got a system down pat that allowed us to control that quite effectively. So we were definitely satisfied with the result. It was good fun!
About Rising Sun Pictures:
Rising Sun Pictures is a passionate team of artists, producers and technicians, known for providing complex visual effects and CG character work to feature film and television clients over the past 18 years. With the infrastructure to deliver a full spectrum of services from Design through to Digital Intermediate, RSP boasts a filmography of 100 films, with such titles as Prometheus, The Hunger Games, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, the Harry Potter series, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Gravity, The Great Gatsby, The Seventh Son and The Wolverine. More Info at http://www.rsp.com.au
###
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
08/05/2024
zweiB updates to latest version of R&S CLIPSTER Specialist in deliverables for cinema, events and trade shows
Rohde & Schwarz, a global leader in broadcast...
07/05/2024
NAB Show 2024
Utah Scientific rocked the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas, unveiling two new game-changers in video signal management.
Our primary focus this yea...
07/05/2024
7th May 2024 The nations favourite comedy channel Gold has teamed up with the ma...
07/05/2024
There's something special about summer. We're not sure whether it's the warmer weather, the longer days, or something else a bit more magical, but s...
07/05/2024
NITV appoints Michael Rennie as Presenter and Senior Producer for NITV News
Media releases
NITV has announced the appointment of Michael Rennie as Presenter...
07/05/2024
The ability for line-of-site tactical voice and data networks to seamlessly traverse over Satellite Communications is an emerging requirement to assure warfight...
07/05/2024
On April 5, 2024, the L3Harris Avionics Products Repair Station (NN2R037L) in Gr...
07/05/2024
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
07/05/2024
Share this article
width=32 height=32 loading=lazy data-lazy-src=https://apogeedigital.com/app/themes/juniper-theme/src/img/icons/facebook-purple.svg />
wid...
07/05/2024
BURBANK, Calif. The Walt Disney Company has finally delivered some from profits from its hefty streaming investments, with the second quarter of its fiscal year...
07/05/2024
Bonnie Hammer, vice chair of NBCUniversal, and Jen Psaki, MSNBC host, read from their new books at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan Wednesday, May 8. Hammer's...
07/05/2024
Paramount Plus has ordered the series Crutch, a comedy that is a spinoff of CBS comedy The Neighborhood. Tracy Morgan stars....
07/05/2024
Edward J. and Melody Thomas Scott and Lidia Bastianich will receive Lifetime Achievement honors at the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards in June, the National Aca...
07/05/2024
The 2024 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony happens in New York November 12, and the honorees are Al Roker, weather and featu...
07/05/2024
Dabl Network has added The Wayans Bros., The Jamie Foxx Show, Living Single and Everybody Hates Chris to its weekday and weekend lineups. Those shows join the l...
07/05/2024
After winning a proxy fight, The Walt Disney Co. said its entertainment business turned a profit and added subscribers in its fiscal second quarter....
07/05/2024
NBA Entertainment is closing out the second season of its series Pass the Rock with a look at Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, the league's rooki...
07/05/2024
Syncbak, which provides stations with streaming capabilities, said it is rebranding as Zeam Media....
07/05/2024
Samsung has made a deal with Magnolia Pictures that will bring titles from Magnolia to the Samsung TV Plus free streaming platform....
07/05/2024
Amazon, which has added commercials to Amazon Prime Video, is rolling out new interactive ad formats that will enable advertisers to engage streamers and sell s...
07/05/2024
Syncbak, a 15 year-old provider of streaming tech for local broadcast stations has rebranded itself, adopting the name of its streaming service launched in Febr...
07/05/2024
POST Luxembourgs journey with TAG Video underscores how finding a vendor who und...
07/05/2024
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. New findings from Hub Entertainment Research provides extensive data showing that the majority of consumers will opt for lower cost ad-supporte...
07/05/2024
NEW YORK The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) has announced th...
07/05/2024
CBS News has named Lindsey Reiser an anchor and correspondent for CBS News 24/7, the network's live, streaming news service. Reiser, who was most recently a...
07/05/2024
NEEDHAM, Mass. After more than two years of decline, worldwide tablet shipments posted modest year-over-year growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24),...
07/05/2024
ESPN is reporting that April was a record-setting month as the network delivered its best April prime time audience on record, dating back more than 30 years....
07/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has announced that Kirsten Donaldson has joined NAB as vice president of public policy. Donaldso...
07/05/2024
The Bulls are back home again this week from May 7-12! Don't miss out on any...
07/05/2024
SVG Sit-Down: AWS's Julie Souza on the Cloud and AI in Broadcast-Content Cre...
07/05/2024
Deloitte Analysts Peter Giorgio and Michael Vovk: Sports Properties Need To Reth...
07/05/2024
University of Texas' Jeff Hanel to Keynote 16th-Annual SVG College Summit Industry vet to discuss uniting live and creative in athletic department media arm...
07/05/2024
Premier League trials RefCam during Crystal Palace v Manchester United fixture By George Bevir
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 - 09:34
Print This Story
In a Premier ...
07/05/2024
CBS Sports Previews PGA Championship Plans; 125+ Cameras Include FlyCams, Bunker...
07/05/2024
Rohde & Schwarz brings cutting-edge solutions to TECNOSEC and DRONExpo 2024 Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its innovative portfolio at TECNOSEC and DRONExpo 20...
07/05/2024
Back to All News
Five New Games Join Netflix in May
Netflix Staff
Entertainment
07 May 2024
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Five new games are launching ...
07/05/2024
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of Apr. 29: Baby Reindeer' Holds Strong; Hee...
07/05/2024
Home News & Press Blancco Wins 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award
Blancco Wins 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Award May 07, 2024
Blancco's v...
07/05/2024
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today unveiled the all-new Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11, delivering breakthrough professional experiences for songw...
07/05/2024
Apple's new Privacy Manifest requirement mandates that apps explicitly disclose the privacy-related data they collect, the purposes for this collection, and...
07/05/2024
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour arrives to shake up EuropeHaving shaken four continents, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour finally brings the biggest pop culture icon o...
07/05/2024
Isiphetho: Destiny' beats Scandal!'E.tv's latest telenovela Isiphetho: Destiny' beat the channel's longest running soapie, Scandal!' ...
07/05/2024
Now there's HELP for ex-prisoners to find work in South AfricaNew initiative for ex-prisoners to find work in South Africa proves it's never too late fo...
07/05/2024
Tonight on Scandal: Cohen is pulled into keeping a secretDon't miss Tuesday, 7 May's riveting episode of South African soapie Scandal! on e.tv on DStv c...
07/05/2024
Skeem Saam: Monday's episode, 6 May 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soapie...
06/05/2024
By Ilyse McKimmie
Now, more than ever
That's a phrase so often used in the last few years that I've come to dread seeing it in notes like this one. A...
06/05/2024
alt= class=wp-image-12099 data-lazy-src=/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Blog-Exabyte-Storage-Demand-960x540-1.jpg/> Demand for storage solutions has reached unprece...
In Lakeshore Entertainment's I, Frankenstein director Stuart Beattie offers a darkly cerebral tale in which the monster of the Mary Shelley novel (here named Adam and played by Aaron Eckhart) has survived to modern day and become embroiled in a deadly confrontation between an assortment of grisly gargoyles and demons.
