An in-depth exclusive conversation with VFX Supervisor ANDREW WHITEHURST discussing Steve McQueen’s latest film, BLITZ, and the visual effects that help immerse us in the physical and emotional 1940-41 time period of World War II during the German bombing campaign in the United Kingdom known as THE BLITZ.
SYNOPSIS: Set in London during The Blitz, a harrowing German bombing campaign during World War II, BLITZ follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mom and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son. BLITZ deals with timely themes of race, social class, and the civilian impact of warfare, adding to Steve McQueen’s widely acclaimed filmography.
Written and directed by Academy and BAFTA Award-winner Steve McQueen, BLITZ stars Saoirse Ronan and newcomer Elliott Heffernan, with Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Weller, Stephen Graham, Leigh Gill, Mica Ricketts, CJ Beckford, Alex Jennings, Joshua McGuire, Hayley Squires, Erin Kellyman and Sally Messham rounding out the cast.
With over 20 years in television, film, and commercials, Visual Effects artisan ANDREW WHITEHURST has more than made his mark. An Academy Award winner and BAFTA Film Award Nominee for his work on “Ex Machina”, he is also well known and lauded for his work with Sam Mendes as Visual Effects Supervisor on “Skyfall” and “Spectre”, not to mention his VFX work on “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”, “Paddington”, “Annihilation” and the mini-series “Devs”. And now he tackles World War II and the limited time period within the wat known as “The Blitz”, immersing us in the terror, fear, and hope through the eyes of a 9-year-old.
Articulate, engaging, and passionate about this work, as we discussed his collaborative process with director Steve McQueen, Andrew emphasized the importance of atmosphere and narrative pressure and the key VFX elements necessary to achieve the portrayal of a grim, historical London. Calling on the master artisan VFX companies like Raynault VFX, Cinesite, Host VFX, and ILM was an important part of the visual effects portion of the film as practical and digital came together to tell this story. The film’s aesthetic, particularly the child’s perspective, influenced VFX decisions. Elevating Andrew’s always exemplary work, in addition to extensive research and the importance of historical accuracy, is his personal connection to his many years in London and seeing the scars and remnants of the war, much of which influenced the VFX work.
As we broke down the film and the visual effects work, we discussed in detail, among others:
- Andrew’s personal connection to London and the history of the Blitz. “As a long-time resident of London, I have a deep appreciation for the city’s history and the profound impact the Blitz had on it. Seeing the physical scars and remnants of that devastation as I walk through the city gave me a unique perspective to bring to the visual effects work.”
- drawing on his own experiences and observations to “help the VFX teams create a sense of authenticity and emotional resonance. Things like the indiscriminate nature of the bombing, the miracles of survival, and the small signs of life amidst the rubble – there were details I could point to and explain to the artists to ensure the visuals truly captured the spirit of that time.”
- bringing a deeper sense of “history and humanity. I wanted the audience to feel the weight of what London endured, but also the resilience and determination of its people. Integrating those emotional undercurrents into the visual effects was crucial to honoring the narrative and doing justice to this pivotal moment in the city’s history.”
- walking the streets of London and explaining the bomb damage to the VFX artists to create realistic and narratively powerful moments
- key considerations in reflecting a child’s perspective through the film’s visual aesthetic and camera work
- the whole aesthetic of the film revolves around George’s point of view, with the set design, Yorick Le Saux’s filming, and the color palette all respecting that viewpoint
- George’s perspective wasn’t a conscious decision, but rather something that flowed organically from the collaboration of the different departments. The height of the camera, and the choices around lighting and smoke/dust, were all influenced by the need to convey the experience of George. The visual effects work followed this same approach with George’s POV just naturally emerged from the overall creative vision for the film.
- collaborating with Steve McQueen
- initial conversations focused on creating the right atmosphere and narrative pressure for the film, rather than just discussing technical details
- discussions about the kinds of elements like smoke, dust, and fire that would be needed to convey the gritty, dirty environment of wartime London.
- Andrew and McQueen, who has a fine arts background, would draw things to communicate their ideas visually which allowed McQueen to feel comfortable with the visual effects approach
- decision to create fully digital vistas of the city and add environmental elements to the practical set builds.
- open dialogue between McQueen and all of his collaborators, including Andrew
- collaborating with cinematographer Yorick Le Saux and other department heads; production design, lighting, and costumes created a rich and detailed world that provided a clear direction for the visual effects work
- understanding what each department was doing visually in order to build the visual effects
- the flooding of The Tube sequence
- a combination of practical and visual effects
- special effects team, led by Hayley Williams, built an incredible system of dump tanks and water pumps that allowed them to flood the set with up to 4 tons of water. This enabled them to capture practical footage of actors being pulled along the tracks as the water rushed in
- because of child actors, they couldn’t place them in the full force of the flooding which meant the visual effects team had to composite elements together. They used footage of the actors running through relatively still water on the set, combined with elements of the full-force water practical effects shot separately. They then added some CG water elements to tie everything together seamlessly
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 11/26/2024
BLITZ is now streaming on AppleTV+
