Feature Films VFX
The Bluff
Rising Sun Pictures
RSP Goes All in on The Bluff
Rising Sun Pictures (RSP) delivered integral VFX across key action and world-building sequences for The Bluff, the adventure drama from Amazon MGM Studios directed by Frank E. Flowers. Across seven months, a team of 70 artists, producers and machine learning specialists delivered more than 65 shots across 10 sequences. This work also saw another collaboration with RSP’s sister studio, El Ranchito, who contributed an additional 32 shots.
“One of the biggest challenges was achieving a seamless integration between the live action boats and fully digital ocean environments.” Says Guido Wolter, RSP’s VFX Supervisor who led the team’s body of work on The Bluff.
Several shots featured small pirate boats rowing in large studio water tanks, and the initial goal was to preserve as much of the practical water as possible. However, it quickly became clear that to achieve a convincing result, the interaction between the live action boats—including the hulls and oars—and the CG water needed to be fully re-simulated.
The primary limitation was the scale of the tank. The bow waves and wakes captured in camera did not convey the appropriate sense of speed, weight, and propulsion required for the final shots. On top of that, the lighting conditions required for the final environment differed from what was captured on stage, requiring intervention and a more agile approach.
As a result, most of the open water was replaced with full-CG ocean simulations. This approach gave both the filmmakers and the team far greater creative control over the look and behaviour of the water, while also allowing a more accurate match between the live action boats and the surrounding ocean, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and believable final result.
“As VFX artists, our goal is always to keep the work invisible,” says Wolter.
Priyanka, who played lead character Ercell, is an incredible performer who fully commits to physically demanding scenes, but in a few cases the action was too dangerous and required a stunt double. In those moments, the team steps in to seamlessly bridge the gap.
“We prepare for this work by carefully studying Priyanka’s facial features, expressions, and mannerisms.”
A visual and descriptive understanding of what makes her performance unique is built as a foundation to guide every head replacement. It is a very detail driven process, where subtle nuances in timing, expression, and movement make all the difference.
A close collaboration with client-side VFX supervisor James McQuaide and VFX editor Steven Cuellar was essential to this process. They helped provide access to the best possible reference material, including takes on either side of the replacement shot, which gave a much stronger understanding of performance continuity and intent. This context is crucial in ensuring that the work blends seamlessly into the surrounding footage.
“By developing a deep familiarity with her performance and working closely with the client team, we can integrate these enhancements in a way that feels completely natural, so the audience remains fully immersed, whether she is crashing through windows or taking down opponents in a fight.”