The VFX studio created detailed graphics and compositing for three of the Netflix sci-fi anthology’s latest episodes: ‘Loch Henry,’ ‘Demon 79,’ and ‘Mazey Day.’
A team of 19 artists at London-based VFX studio NVIZ worked over four months to provide detailed graphics and compositing across three of five episodes for Season 6 of Netflix sci-fi anthology Black Mirror. NVIZ was led internally by VFX supervisor Agueda del Castillo, while Ian Sargent supervised screen graphics.
The episode Loch Henry followed a young couple who became embroiled in investigating an old crime while making a wildlife documentary in a small Scottish village. NVIZ recreated a montage sequence that portrayed the protagonists’ actions as they cut together the trailer for their documentary. The documentary from the story was actually produced and created in Premiere using footage and stills provided by production - the team recorded themselves “acting” out the part and matched the reference cut. The NVIZ team designed and implemented retro video capture software that looked like the “old crime reporting.” They added VHS effects to the footage, recreating scanning software and replicating old tabloid newspapers. Other work included car comps and screen inserts. The team also subtly modified the credits for the BBC’s iconic 80’s detective series, Bergerac.
Demon 79, set in the late 70s in northern Britain, required more retro design; this time, the news channel graphics were based on language already established in earlier seasons of the series. The news reports cover the rise of a right-wing political party, recreating three decades of party logos and propaganda material iterations. Subtle changes were needed to evidence the right-wing party’s evolution into a more overtly fascist presentation.
Finally, Mazey Day brought together a series of story-telling graphics created and composited as computer screen inserts, sat navs, mobile phones, and TV channel graphics and compositing work to recreate Los Angeles from footage shot in Malaga.
Black Mirror 6 is currently streaming on Netflix.
Source: NVIZ
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
