The miniseries All Her Fault, starring Sarah Snook, is a case study in the discreet use of visual effects. To set the story in the suburbs of Chicago, the Studio Blackbird team worked with around 800 VFX shots, all designed to go unnoticed. The main challenge was digitally altering the physiognomy of Melbourne, adjusting everything from the trees to the pavement, to sustain the narrative illusion without drawing attention to the technique.
Integration from Preproduction and the Challenge of Digital Physics 🎬
Nick Ponzi and his team integrated the effects from the earliest planning stages. Meticulous work was the digital recreation of the main house in an affluent neighborhood, ensuring its consistency in every shot. The most complex sequence was a computer-generated car accident. It was designed with realistic physics simulations, not to impress, but to serve the plot's climax and reveal crucial information about the mystery.
When Your Neighborhood Has a Digital Double and You Hadn't Noticed 😉
It's a comfort to know that if you ever get lost in an idyllic Chicago neighborhood, you might actually be in Melbourne. VFX artists are now the ultimate landscapers and urban planners, capable of pruning trees, changing the asphalt, and adjusting the sunlight with a few clicks. All so that we, the viewers, can suspend disbelief without wondering why the birds sing with an Australian accent.