Keeping It Real: Framestore’s VFX Breakdown of "Civil War"

Framestore’s David Simpson took on the role of Production VFX Supervisor for "Civil War", collaborating closely with director Alex Garland, Director of Photography Rob Hardy, and Production Designer Caty Maxey to achieve the film's gritty, documentary-style aesthetic.

Framestore’s primary objective was to enhance and extend the real-life action while addressing elements that were either unsafe or impractical to execute on set or location. Both Alex and Rob embrace a fluid, organic filmmaking approach that allows for spontaneous, serendipitous moments during filming. This method results in a stronger, more dynamic cinematic experience and provides a wealth of reference material for post-production.

Civil War VFX Breakdown © Framestore

Environment Building

To accurately depict Washington, D.C., Garland, Simpson, and Hardy conducted extensive location scouting to inform their plans for finding suitable locations in Atlanta that could double for the U.S. capital. When no appropriate stand-ins were found, partial sets were constructed, and the VFX team was tasked with building out the environments. To bring the world of "Civil War" to life, the Framestore team went above and beyond in their environment builds. The team constructed over 3,700 buildings, with more than half a million office furniture items.

Civil War VFX Breakdown © Framestore

Facts 

It took a dedicated team of 175 artists 406 days to complete the intricate VFX work for "Civil War". During this period, the team achieved the following:

• 13 miles of Washington, D.C.
• 75 landmarks
• 887 miles of road
• 3,736 buildings
• 64,191 street lamps
• 1,160 traffic lights

VFX Breakdown:

Source: Framestore

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