In the movie Fly Me to the Moon, visual effects play an essential role in telling a love story that unfolds in the context of the 1960s space race. Although the plot is not directly centered on space, these effects are fundamental to creating an atmosphere of realism, especially when recreating one of the most iconic events in history: the launch of Apollo 11.
The team behind the visual effects
The visual effects team, led by Sean Devereaux, worked in collaboration with several specialized companies, such as Framestore, RISE, Zero VFX, Nexodus, and Ingenuity Studios. Each of these companies contributed its unique expertise in various areas, from the digital recreation of the Saturn V rocket to the integration of invisible effects that blended NASA archival footage with digitally created shots.
The challenge of recreating Apollo 11
The work done was so precise that the audience could not distinguish between the original archival footage and the CGI-generated shots. This recreation of the Apollo 11 launch was a considerable technical challenge, which required a joint effort to ensure that the effects did not interfere with the movie's main plot. The mission control set and the launch scenes were particularly complex, but they were resolved with great detail to achieve perfect integration with the emotional narrative.
Realism and its importance for the plot
One of the greatest achievements of this project was maintaining the realism of the visual effects without clashing with the human story told on screen. The characters, played by Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, are the focus of the movie, and all the technical work behind the Apollo 11 recreation was done with the aim of highlighting the story of the people on Earth, rather than distracting with technological aspects. The effects not only contribute to the atmosphere but also allow the viewer to immerse themselves in one of the most significant feats in history.
"The challenge was not only to make the Apollo 11 launch look real, but also to maintain the emotionality and human closeness in a story set in space."
The legacy of visual effects in contemporary cinema
This digital recreation work marks a significant advance in the use of visual effects in cinema, showing how they can be integrated perfectly and discreetly to give veracity to historical events without detracting from the narrative. The experience gained by the visual effects team sets a new standard for future productions seeking to faithfully recreate historical moments while keeping the focus on human emotions.