DEAD RINGERS

VISUAL EFFECTS

Afterparty VFX delivered 200 chilling VFX shots for the new 'Rachel Weisz' Amazon series ‘Dead Ringers’, created by Alice Birch.

Attention to Medical Accuracy in Depicting Birth
When presented with footage of birth scenes shot with silicone prosthetics, we carefully compared the material to actual birth footage in order to reproduce all of the medically accurate details. Using a combination of 2D and 3D animation techniques, we brought the silicone mothers and babies to life by creating new layers of muscle, skin, fat, and liquid blood in CG. We then tracked all of the elements onto the footage to create a seamless integration of the CG elements with the live-action footage. Our attention to detail ensures that our birth imagery is both realistic and scientifically precise, and meets the requirement we set for ourselves - to make sure that a doctor watching the show would assume we filmed actual live births!

Troubleshooting Complex Situations in Actor Double Replacement
For the twinning of actress Rachel Weisz in the series, our team at Afterparty VFX used a combination of motion control plates and CG techniques to achieve a seamless integration of Rachel as her twin. We faced challenges including a sequence in which Rachel's double is visible in a drink being handled by Rachel. We rebuilt the glass as CG, match-moved, applied liquid simulations, and integrated it back into Rachel's hand. This resulted in a visually stunning effect that seamlessly blended the two Rachels together.

Depicting Realistic Representations of Fetal Imaging
In the many sequences where medical imagery is required, such as ultrasounds, microscopy of developing fetuses, and electron microscope imagery of embryos, our team used a combination of CG simulation and 2D manipulation to replicate actual medical imagery. This required a high level of accuracy and precision, as we wanted to ensure that the imagery was scientifically accurate and would stand up to scrutiny from medical professionals. Our team carefully researched and studied the real-world medical imagery, and then used cutting-edge VFX techniques to recreate it in a visually stunning and scientifically precise way. This helped to enhance the realism of the medical sequences and ensure they held up in critical dramatic scenes.

The Mantle Parker Center
Another key sequence we created was the Mantle Parker Birthing Centre. As a key location in the series, the building needed to be visually striking and reflective of the Mantle Twins' aspirations. Our team designed a modernist building that was intentionally female and 'womblike'. To bring this set piece to life, we created a CG model that incorporated both the interior and exterior of the building so that we could control the lighting of the interior as the outside light changes from scene to scene.

Created by Alice Birch / Amazon / Annapurna Pictures