Marvel’s Agent Carter: Behind the Scenes Visual Effects
Summary
In this article, we explore the challenges faced by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) in producing visual effects for the Marvel’s Agent Carter TV series. The effects range from period drama set in 1940s New York to major explosions that are expected of the Marvel Universe. The primary challenge was to produce feature film level effects on a weekly TV schedule. ILM used their Academy Award-winning proprietary tools to produce complex fluid, particle, and smoke simulations. Green screen and set extension work were shot to facilitate the TV schedule, and all the work was filmed by one cinematographer.
Table of Contents
- ILM’s Expansion to Television
- Challenges Faced by ILM
- Complex Effects
- Green Screen and Set Extension Work
- Women in Senior Visual Effects Leadership Role
- Behind the Scenes Action
ILM’s Expansion to Television
With the new show Agent Carter, Marvel expands further into the television space, and they are not the only ones moving to the small screen. Visual effects for the series were done by ILM, who traditionally only did visual effects for films. However, they brought their considerable talents to episodic television under the supervision of series VFX supervisor Sheena Douga.
Challenges Faced by ILM
The primary challenge for ILM was to produce feature film level effects on a weekly TV schedule. Sheena and the ILM team faced the daunting task of delivering effects shots that included everything expected of the Marvel Universe, from period drama set in 1940s New York to major explosions.
Complex Effects
ILM used their Academy Award-winning proprietary tools to produce complex fluid, particle, and smoke simulations. The effects were crafted out of multiple layers of practical and primarily digital explosions with smoke, fire, and sparks added and tracked in carefully to give the sequences the kind of production value that audiences have come to expect from both Marvel and ILM.
Green Screen and Set Extension Work
Well-controlled green screen and set extension work were shot to facilitate the TV schedule. All of the work was filmed by one cinematographer, Gabriel Beresta, who Sheena had worked with extensively before.
Women in Senior Visual Effects Leadership Role
Sheena is a newcomer to the Marvel Universe herself, but she has done second unit work on a range of Marvel films from Thor 2 to Iron Man. It’s great to see ILM expanding to television, and given the nature of this show’s particularly strong independent female lead, it’s also great to see women such as Sheena in such a senior visual effects leadership role today.
Behind the Scenes Action
ILM pulls no punches in their detailed work, and major effects shots such as the oil refinery explosion are painstakingly crafted. Subscribe for more behind the scenes action.
