Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation ups the ante in a major way with death-defying action atop an Airbus, along a motorway, at a theater and inside an underwater vault. Planning the movie's unbelievable real stunts required intense planning and coordination, including detailed previsualization and technical schematics by The Third Floor London to depict ideas, considerations and input from across the filmmaking and production crews.
Embedded with production at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios and from The Third Floor's dedicated offices in London's Soho, The Third Floor worked closely with director Chris McQuarrie, producers, cinematographers, unit directors, stunt and special effects coordinators and the visual effects team to help map out sequences and develop plans for how to shoot and execute them. The previs was also used to communicate the vision as well as the impact and viability of major action moments, which included the opening in-camera stunt by Tom Cruise on the A400 military plane, the high-speed motorbike chase, a virtuoso spy chase set at the Vienna Opera House, and a suspenseful underwater scene involving extremely long takes.
For a look at how the actual visual effects were accomplished, see Staying Real in the July/August 2013 issue of CGW.
Given its ambition and scale, the sequence in the water-filled, torus-shaped chamber involved precise coordination and collaboration from every department. From the underwater DP and camera teams to stunts, special effects and visual effects, the scene needed to be prepped, rehearsed and achieved extremely carefully, explains Vincent Aupetit, previs supervisor at The Third Floor London, whose team worked on the feature for about eight months. This is where previs and the techvis derived from the previs were absolutely crucial.
Basing from models provided by production design, Aupetit's previs artists constructed the whole torus environment to scale with high attention to detail. The sequence was originally prevised as a classic cinematic sequence of around 80 shots. After director McQuarrie decided to experiment with a bolder approach using long oner camera takes, the team re-worked the previs with a bare minimum of cuts to convey more of the feeling of claustrophobia and suffocation experienced by Cruise's Ethan Hunt character.
The key motto for the director, and for our team, was making the scene believable, Aupetit recalls. Using the experience I gained working on Alfonso Cuarons Gravity, and thanks to the talent and dedication of our previs animation team, a sequence was developed that felt fluid and never contrived, where the camera follows Tom in a manner that is natural and tangible, but has all of the cinematic quality in framing and shot composition that is needed to portray such an intense and extraordinary situation.
As the sequence was taking shape and finding its cinematic rhythm, the previs team collaborated to help explore the ways in which it would be achieved. Artists first deconstructed the long, continuous takes that would appear seamless in the final movie into smaller ones more adapted to live-action shooting. The different junctions - where the camera would subtly drift away from the action or near-invisible camera wipes would happen - were defined with the input of all other departments and the director.
In the sequence, Hunt is sent circling around the underwater chamber at high speeds. To achieve the effect of the current, the actor needed to be strapped to a rig that would move him around and allow him to tumble underwater, but the camera then needed to move at great pace towards and away from him to accentuate the illusion of movement through space.
To help with this effect, we reverse-engineered our previs, taking into account the precise dimensions of the tank and soundstage, to closely recreate in CG the conditions of the actual shoot, Aupetit explains. We integrated the rigs created by the special effects team and had ongoing interactions with the underwater camera crew to provide them with as much technical data as we could - position, angle and speed of the different elements through time, dimensions, position and speed of the camera, depending on the lens.
The special effects team used the previs to create and refine the rig that would carry Cruise underwater and define the placement of the various turbines that would create underwater current. It was also key for the divers and camera crew to work out the length of each take and how long the actor would need to hold his breath. In a particularly complex beat of action, two actors interact during a very long underwater take, making coordination of rigs, camera movements and choreography even more complex.
As rehearsals and shooting tests progressed, previs and techvis scenes - including The Third Floor's cameras, props and characters animations and textures, the environment model, and techvis setup for each shot - were provided to Double Negative, who could then use the production-approved assets to kick-start final visual effects work.
During the shoot, the previs was super-imposed on the master monitor, allowing live-action elements to be shot with remarkable prevision to the previs plan.
From early concept to the final result, this sequence represents a tremendous team effort, concludes Aupetit. Carried forward by the vision of director Christopher McQuarrie, the result is some magnificent work and a breath-taking piece of action cinematography, with creative and technical talents coming together to create something that had truly never been attempted before.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...
18/03/2026
Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4.
Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...
18/03/2026
SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...
18/03/2026
The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...
18/03/2026
(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture
18 March, 2026
Media releases
New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...
18/03/2026
Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...
18/03/2026
Brainstorm transforms productivity and sustainability with Suite 7 at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled its educational presentations for the 2026 NAB Show. This year SMPTE will ...
18/03/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, today ann...
18/03/2026
Digital Alert Systems
Preview
2026 NAB Show
April 19 - 22
Booth C3452
At the 2026 NAB Show, Digital Alert Systems will showcase Version 6.0 of its DASDEC ...
18/03/2026
Setplex today announced that it will showcase its complete, fully integrated Zapflex platform for the first time at the 2026 NAB Show, introducing powerful new ...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking DP for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Director of Photography for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy Feature Film- I...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Location, Sound for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Location/Sound for Low Budget Dramed...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Film - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with its Most Powerful Hardware...
18/03/2026
Oscar Nominated Two People Exchanging Saliva Posted with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio handle...
18/03/2026
Boston Conservatory Presents Celebrated Musical Satire Urinetown Performances for this Center Stage production will take place at Boston Conservatory Theater ...
18/03/2026
Charlie Puth Joins Switched on Pop at Berklee NYC The Berklee alum spoke with host and Berklee NYC professor Charlie Harding for a live taping, answering audi...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
BAFTA winner James McAvoy to star in Sky Original serie...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing announce multi-year agreement for the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing have announced a new mult...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Unveils Poster and Trailer for Original Feature Fil...
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation ups the ante in a major way with death-defying action atop an Airbus, along a motorway, at a theater and inside an underwater vault. Planning the movie's unbelievable real stunts required intense planning and coordination, including detailed previsualization and technical schematics by The Third Floor London to depict ideas, considerations and input from across the filmmaking and production crews. 
