Freefolk Launches TV Department with Work on 'Alienist'

Building on its 15 years of award winning commercials work, Freefolk wanted to broaden its offering into film and TV , as the studio was very aware of how the quality of TV programming had risen and , consequently , the opportunities and demand for HETV VFX.

Managing Director Justine White is excited about the future for Freefolk and realizes the importance of having the best VFX talent in her team. “The key for us in producing great work is having some incredibly skilled people at the top with a good eye.”

Based on a series of novels by Caleb Carr, The Alienist is the story of a serial killer in New York during the late 19 th  century and much of the work was recreating the New York of 1896 and Freefolk provided a around 140 shots over the entire series. 

Working closely with overall VFX Supervisor Kent Houston and VFX Producer Wendy Garfinkle, their VFX covered a wide range of shots and sequences, including multi layered, CGI heavy, hero scenes to intricate work sitting an eyelash, barely a pixel in width, on a finger.

The Freefolk team, lead by VFX Supervisor Steve Murgatroyd, built Washington Square, Stuyvesant Square and Greenpoint docks and extended many of the impressive practical sets constructed at the studio in Budapest. The largest build for the 3D team was The Bowery, with it's overhead rail track and down at heal establishments. 

Justine White, who’s delighted with what her team have produced on this project commented: “the nature of the work on The Alienist meant it made sense to use the unrivalled talents of our Head of 2D, Steve Murgatroyd as VFX Supervisor on this project, his wealth of film experience and artistic eye meant he was the perfect fit.  Steve, along with VFX Producer Tony Willis and the whole team worked hard to produce VFX I’m incredibly proud of”.

The Alienist started in the US on TNT on Monday, Jan. 22, and will be available in the UK on Netflix from April 19.