BOURNEMOUTH, UK — Outpost VFX (outpostvfx.co.uk) delivered over 420 VFX shots for Johannes Roberts’ new intense survival film, 47 Meters Down. The studio served as the sole VFX vendor for the film, which was released on June 16th.
Produced by Tea Shop & Film Company, 47 Meters Down tells the story of two sisters who travel to Mexico, only to become trapped in a dive cage on the ocean floor. In shark-infested waters, the sisters struggle to survive both a dwindling air supply and the advances of the aquatic beasts.
The team’s work on the film covered a wide gamut of both 2D and 3D visual effects, including vast set extensions, intricate simulation work, fully-CG environments, digital actors, extensive CG integrations with live action plates, and the creation of photorealistic CG sharks. For over five months, Outpost’s team of 40-plus artists worked on the slate of key sequences, including various close-up shots of photorealistic 3D sharks, a CG cage that plummets into the depths of the ocean, and ferocious attack sequences.
Director Johannes Roberts worked closely with on-set VFX supervisor Sean Mathieson, who was brought on by Outpost VFX to create a tense, visceral and immersive survival experience. When asked about Outpost VFX’s work on 47 Meters Down, Roberts says: “Just phenomenal work. I’m speechless…”
Outpost VFX's owner, Duncan McWilliam, was executive producer on the film alongside the Weinsteins, steering the VFX budget to create the best possible on-screen production value.
“47 Meters Down was a real breakthrough opportunity for Outpost VFX to show what we are capable of producing,” explains McWilliam. “Being the sole VFX vendor on the show across such a broad range of VFX disciplines was fantastic for our team to really flex their creative and technical muscle. This show really accelerated the development of our in-house proprietary tools and pipeline and now gives us a great calling card for creature and environment work across VFX-heavy shows.”
Outpost VFX used Nuke for 2D work, Maya for 3D and animation, Houdini for the film’s numerous particle and fluid simulations, and ZBrush for creature sculpting. The studio also employed 3DEqualizer and After Effects.
“Since creating this film back in March 2016, the studio has doubled in size and worked across a series of Hollywood blockbusters, including Life, Jason Bourne and Nocturnal Animals,” notes McWilliam. “With Electric Dreams and Final Score currently in production at the studio, our team is being constantly challenged to create incredible work. With the release of 47 Meters Down, we hope to springboard off its success and be seen as a go-to VFX facility on large-scale features in the future.”