
How the visual effects team at Lux Aeterna used subtle 3D lighting, dust effects, and precise compositions to establish the new visual style of the BBC Two series
By Contributor
Published: October 2, 2023 Updated: October 3, 2023
How the visual effects team at Lux Aeterna used subtle 3D lighting, dust effects, and precise compositions to establish the new visual style of the BBC Two series
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Bristol-based VFX studio Lux Aeterna played a pivotal role in breathing life into the rich history of Great Britain for BBC Studios' series, Union with David Olusoga.
The four-part historical series delves into the past of the United Kingdom, tracing its roots from the 1600s to the early 1900s.
The team at Lux Aeterna, renowned for their work on Netflix show Our Universe were responsible for all the GFX and motion graphics in the series. Under the leadership of creative director and co-founder Rob Hifle, and with motion graphics lead Joe Hockney, along with their VFX and compositing teams, they embarked on the task of crafting an engaging visual narrative. This included visual elements such as historical archives, maps spanning centuries, and the intricate design of the Union flag.
One of the key challenges faced by Lux Aeterna was managing a vast volume of historical materials and archives. Their mission involved transforming historical documents and low-resolution archive footage into graphics that melded with the overarching narrative. Achieving this required a delicate balance of visual storytelling prowess and technical finesse to elevate the quality of the archive visuals provided by the production team.
Describing their approach, Hockney says, We employed subtle 3D lighting, dust effects, and precise compositions to complement the aesthetics of the specially filmed footage and synchronise seamlessly with the pacing of the documentary. What made this project unique was our close collaboration with the editing team. Our work often involved longer sequences of shots, the pacing and composition of which found form thanks to that organic process with the edit room. Given the diversity of the archive, we worked to unify the look via artificial camera work and the aforementioned lighting, ultimately weaving together disparate assets into a cohesive whole.
In terms of technical tools, Lux Aeterna primarily harnessed After Effects for motion graphics, occasionally integrating Cinema 4D and Nuke.
Hifle underscores the importance of their partnership with series producer and director Francis Welch and editor Dilesh Korya in the editing process. Our collaboration with the editing team was exceptionally close. This relationship has been cultivated over numerous projects with David, and we've developed a deep understanding of each other's workflows. These films are often meticulously crafted over extended periods due to logistical or wider commitments, requiring our adaptability to changing schedules.
Welch echoes this sentiment, David and I have worked with Lux Aeterna's creative director and co-founder Rob Hifle for many years on a number of high-profile films. Rob is a brilliant creative and we always enjoy collaborating together. The challenge with a landmark series is you have to establish a new visual style, this evolved over the course of the production and Rob and the Lux Aeterna team collaborated with us on this journey. As the series evolved during filming and in the edit, the graphics brief also evolved. Lux Aeterna were very flexible and supportive as we collaborated together to establish the right visual style.
The first episode of Union with David Olusoga is set to air on BBC Two on Monday 2nd October at 9pm, with the entire series available for streaming on BBC iPlayer on the same day.
Europe Stories
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...
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...
13/01/2026
Luxembourg, December 17, 2025 - SES S.A. ( SES or the Company ), a leading spa...
13/01/2026
Live broadcasts from RT 2FM Breakfast with Carl, Roz & Aisling, RT Radio 1 Tod...
12/01/2026
Spotify's new co-CEOs, Alex Norstr m and Gustav S derstr m, start off the new year with a message of renewed leadership, creative responsibility, and what...
12/01/2026
At Spotify, we listen to a lot of music. And every year, our global editors and artist partnerships teams come together to spotlight the emerging voices we beli...
12/01/2026
Spotify's global editors and Songwriter & Publisher Partnerships team spend their days immersed in new music, tracking the writers behind the songs breaking...
12/01/2026
X-Rite and Rhopoint Launch Rhopoint PANTORA Aesthetix to Streamline Creation of...
12/01/2026
12 Jan 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Launches 5G Pilot in Lviv Lviv, January 12, 2026 - VEON, a global digital operator (Nasdaq: VEON), today announces that Kyivsta...
12/01/2026
Monday 12 January 2026
The ultimate betrayal: Harry and Jamie Redknapp, Paul Me...
12/01/2026
Rohde & Schwarz opens larger office in Japan to increase its support for the Jap...
12/01/2026
Welcome to the AVECO team: introducing new members of management
At AVECO, we are continuing to implement our #newAVECO strategy, which aims to build an even s...
12/01/2026
For the first time in the nine-year history of Dancing with the Stars, the first...
10/01/2026
This year, podcasts are making their Golden Globes debut with a new category honoring the medium's leading shows and creators. To mark the occasion, Spotify...
09/01/2026
RT Player has 157 million streams, up 10% year-on-year
An increase on 2024, RT...
09/01/2026
RT 2FM has today announced the highly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2026, kicking off 2FM Rising week for the eighth year on The Tracy Clifford Sh...
09/01/2026
RT to Host the 2026 RTS Ireland Awards
Thursday, 16 April 2026 | Dublin Royal Convention Centre
The RTS Ireland Television Awards 2026 | Gradaim RTS 2026 | R...
08/01/2026
An evidence-based analysis on disinformation and information manipulation in Sudan's ongoing conflict is published today. (January 8th 2026).
Thomson Found...
08/01/2026
In 2025 we launched the Spotify Partner Program to give creators more ways to tu...
08/01/2026
On Wednesday in Los Angeles, Spotify welcomed creators and press to a brunch cel...
08/01/2026
TSA awards Rohde & Schwarz contract for advanced airport screening ahead of Socc...
08/01/2026
The review looks back at DPA's miniature microphone development over the years. It compares the evolving technologies from the original mics through CORE an...
08/01/2026
Comscore Launches Audio Targeting and Measurement Capabilities with The Trade De...
08/01/2026
Tonight, on RT Prime Time at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
Tonight, Prime T...
08/01/2026
The Late Late Show celebrates the very best of traditional Irish music with its first-ever full special dedicated entirely to the tradition
Lisa Canny | Kevin...
08/01/2026
It will be murder on the dancefloor when Dancing with the Stars returns this S...
07/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
07/01/2026
We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messag...
07/01/2026
This week, all eyes are on the podcast industry as the Golden Globes recognizes ...
07/01/2026
Podcasts are stepping onto a new stage this week as the Golden Globes recognize the medium for the first time. To mark this milestone moment, we're hosting ...
06/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
06/01/2026
Lorde. A$AP Rocky. JENNIE. Baby Keem. KATSEYE. That's just a taste of who...
06/01/2026
Channel 4 and UKTV are giving viewers even more reasons to stream, with UKTV's U service set to feature thousands of hours of free, unmissable and bingeable...
06/01/2026
Tuesday 6 January 2026
An update on our Sky Mobile prices
Devesh Raj, Chief Operating Officer, Sky
Today, we've announced some changes to the prices of ...
06/01/2026
Comscore Launches Daily Program-Level Reporting with Deduplicated Insights on Sh...
06/01/2026
Comscore Completes Recapitalization Transaction with Preferred Stockholders Foll...
05/01/2026
Bad Bunny's DeB TiRAR M S FOToS defined the sound of 2025 for listeners eve...
05/01/2026
As the clock struck midnight and 2026 was born, so was an exciting range of new ...
05/01/2026
These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'...
05/01/2026
DANDANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS TO SHAKE UP SUNDAY NIGHTS
Reigning Rose of Tr...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
The Quantum 852 is situated in the 6,500-seat Seoul-based place of worship, a church which is home to a 1,000-person choir and a 50-piece orchestra. There are f...
01/01/2026
Formed in 2002, OneRepublic have enjoyed huge international success, with over 18 billion streams on Spotify alone. Their current tour, Escape to Europe, contin...
01/01/2026
We had been using the club's previous console for the last ten years, so we researched manufacturer information very carefully, says venue audio manager Mr...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...