• About Us
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
Monday, March 27, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
No Result
View All Result


‘Mank’ Co-Producer Peter Mavromates On Accentuating a 1930s World Through VFX

Mavromates and director David Fincher oversaw a team of four VFX Supervisors to deliver the period film.

by Clarence Moye
February 9, 2021
in Visual Effects
1
‘Mank’ Co-Producer Peter Mavromates On Accentuating a 1930s World Through VFX

San Simeon Interior After VFX (Photo: Netflix)

When tackling a period-centered project like Mank, David Fincher and his assembly of below the line craftspersons create magic, fully immersing the viewer in a faithfully recreated 1930s-era California. While the project leveraged many real-world locations and built sets, changing times and the absence of an unlimited budget posed some challenges to create that immersive world Fincher and team demanded. To complete the illusion, the filmmakers looked to co-producer Peter Mavromates, who led a team of four visual effects (VFX) supervisors.

Now, Mank isn’t effects-heavy The Avengers, but that doesn’t mean VFX aren’t just as critical to the film’s storytelling and overall atmosphere.

“The assumption, at minimum, is that you’re going to at least need to retouch a background to get rid of modern anachronisms,” Mavromates explained. “As in this movie, there are situations where David [Fincher] will want to actually replace the background so that period buildings are back there.”

VFX on Mank ranged from the creation of said period buildings or elimination of modern facades to the Hearst Estate monkeys to the extension of built sets to even something as small as the straightening of curtains.

One example of subtle yet incredibly necessary VFX used in Mank appears when Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) and his wife Sarah (Tuppence Middleton) drive down Wilshire Boulevard. In the car, Mank reads a newspaper article about Los Angeles’ homeless and sees a key Upton Sinclair billboard.  Mavromates explained that simply reading the script wouldn’t allude to the VFX required for the sequence.

The VFX direction in this case came directly from Fincher. Given the extensive changes to that area since the setting of the film, Fincher would not have been able to film the sequence as he wanted without an entirely 3D CG background.

(Photo: Netflix)

That’s where Mavromates steps in and works directly with the VFX teams to achieve the finished product. Mank employed VFX work from four different houses: Artemple (Wei Zhang), Territory Studio (Simon Carr), Savage (James Pastorius), and ILM (Pablo Helman). Each house in coordination with Fincher and Mavromates worked with the other crafts departments, particularly the production design teams, to ensure their work would seamlessly integrate into the finished product.

Of particular importance to Fincher was minimizing set distractions while actors were on set. He knew he had precious little time, so he wanted elements outside of his control to be either rendered or adjusted through VFX. For example, in the Louis B. Mayer birthday and circus party scenes, all of the fires in Hearst Castle were added via VFX. For Mayer’s birthday party scene alone, there are approximately 65 shots with fire in them. Additionally, the ceilings in those scenes, which were shot on sound stages and not in Heart Castle, were all added via VFX to avoid the additional cost of physically building them out.

San Simeon Interior Before VFX (Photo: Netflix)
San Simeon Interior After VFX (Photo: Netflix)

Another compelling example of well used VFX occurs in the Glendale train station sequence. Mank is driven to the station. When he emerges (drunk) from the car, you see a series of art deco buildings in the background. Those buildings were added to the scene by Artemple. Of all of the VFX shots within the film, Mavromates calls that shot one of his personal favorites.

But Mank’s VFX doesn’t just end at the creation of period-specific architecture. Even the look of the film received a VFX-led touch-up to achieve the finished product that Fincher needed.

“If you watch our movie, you’ll see that we have grain in it. If you pay attention when you look at old movies, grain increases when it cuts to an optical — like a fade or dissolve. So we did that,” Mavromates explained. “Even though this is a digital movie, we added film changeover marks which are cues on when the projection is supposed to switch reels.”

All of these choices help Mank stand out as a brilliant example of how modern technology helped Fincher achieve the exact look and feel he wanted for the film.

Glendale Train Station Before VFX (Photo: Netflix)
Glendale Train Station After VFX (Photo: Netflix)

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Print
Tags: MankPeter Mavromatesvfx
Clarence Moye

Clarence Moye

Clarence Moye is an editor of film and television at Awards Daily. He is a member of Critics Choice and the Hollywood Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @ClarenceMoye.

Related Posts

‘Shang-Chi:’ An Action Film with a Deeply Personal Resonance For Its Cast

VFX Supervisor Sean Walker on Bringing Authentic Magic to ‘Shang-Chi’

by Clarence Moye
March 7, 2022
0

After connecting with Sean Walker via Zoom, I immediately recognized a kindred spirit. Connecting from his home office, Walker's background...

streaming

‘Dune,’ ‘Encanto’ Lead VFX Society Awards Noms

by Clarence Moye
January 18, 2022
17

Today, the Visual Effects Society (VES), the industry’s professional global honorary society, announced the nominees for the 20th Annual VES...

‘Stand’ Producer/VFX Supervisor Jake Braver on Using VFX to Render Death, Crows, and the Hand of God

‘Stand’ Producer/VFX Supervisor Jake Braver on Using VFX to Render Death, Crows, and the Hand of God

by Clarence Moye
June 15, 2021
0

A few years ago, Hollywood attempted a film production of Stephen King's epic, apocalyptic novel The Stand. Clear heads prevailed,...

‘Welcome to Chechnya’ VFX Supervisor Ryan Laney and Director David France Detail How Veiling Identities Helped Save Lives

‘Welcome to Chechnya’ VFX Supervisor Ryan Laney and Director David France Detail How Veiling Identities Helped Save Lives

by Joey Moser
March 8, 2021
0

David France's Welcome to Chechnya only shows the tip of brutality that faces LGBTQIA people living in Chechnya. It will...

‘The Midnight Sky’ VFX Supervisor Matt Kasmir On The Elegance and Sadness of Space

‘The Midnight Sky’ VFX Supervisor Matt Kasmir On The Elegance and Sadness of Space

by Joey Moser
March 1, 2021
0

There is a delicacy to George Clooney's The Midnight Sky that we don't normally see in stories set in space....

Maxon’s 3D and Motion Design Show for Siggraph to Feature All-Star Lineup

Maxon’s 3D and Motion Design Show for Siggraph to Feature All-Star Lineup

by Clarence Moye
July 17, 2020
0

Friedrichsdorf, Germany – July 14, 2020 – Maxon, the developers of professional 3D modeling, animation, rendering and motion design software...

Next Post
Composer Anthony Willis Reimagines ‘Toxic’ For His Thrilling ‘Promising’ Score

Statement from the National Society of Film Critics is BADASS

Whoopi Goldberg Conducts In Conversation Event with Forest Whitaker During Finale Screening of ‘Godfather of Harlem’

Whoopi Goldberg Conducts In Conversation Event with Forest Whitaker During Finale Screening of ‘Godfather of Harlem’

March 25, 2023
daisy jones and the six ayesha harris

Daisy Jones & The Six’s Ayesha Harris on Whether Bernie is in a Love Triangle with Simone and Daisy

March 25, 2023
Reframe: Zero Dark Thirty

Reframe: Zero Dark Thirty

March 25, 2023
daisy jones and the six ayesha harris

Daisy Jones & The Six’s Ayesha Harris on Whether Bernie is in a Love Triangle with Simone and Daisy

by Megan McLachlan
March 25, 2023
0

Awards Daily chats with Ayesha Harris, who plays Bernie on Amazon's Daisy Jones & The Six, about her character's backstory...

2023 Emmy Predictions: Have Our Drama and Comedy Series Emmy Winners Marched In?

2023 Emmy Predictions: Have Our Drama and Comedy Series Emmy Winners Marched In?

by Clarence Moye
March 24, 2023
6

It's time to start taking the Emmy race seriously. Especially since the month of March debuted two extraordinarily strong contenders...

The Best of SXSW 2023: ‘Air,’ ‘John Wick,’ ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and More Epic Crowd-Pleasers

The Best of SXSW 2023: ‘Air,’ ‘John Wick,’ ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ and More Epic Crowd-Pleasers

by Shadan Larki
March 26, 2023
6

I’m a few days removed from SXSW 2023; I’ve given myself time to sit with the 30+ movies and TV...

Apple Joins Amazon in Committing to Help Save Theaters

Apple Joins Amazon in Committing to Help Save Theaters

by Sasha Stone
March 23, 2023
77

The debate rages on as to whether films in theaters will survive. We already know event films will have no...

Doezzz ‘Yellowjackets’ Zzzeason 2 Avoid the Dreaded Zzzophomore Zzzlump?

Doezzz ‘Yellowjackets’ Zzzeason 2 Avoid the Dreaded Zzzophomore Zzzlump?

by Clarence Moye
March 21, 2023
0

We're back after a week off following the Academy Awards, and we're diving into one of our most feverishly anticipated...

daisy jones & the six music supervisor frankie pine

Music Supervisor Frankie Pine On Turning the Cast of ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ Into Rock Stars

by Megan McLachlan
March 17, 2023
2

Daisy Jones & The Six music supervisor Frankie Pine talks to Awards Daily about band camp, featuring "Gold Dust Woman"...

AwardsDaily Crew

  • About Us
  • Sasha Stone
  • Editor Ryan Adams
  • Editor Clarence Moye
  • Editor Mark Johnson
  • Contact Us

ADTV Crew

  • ADTV Home
  • Megan McLachlan, Editor
  • Joey Moser, Editor
  • Clarence Moye, Editor
  • Jalal Haddad, Senior Contributor
  • Shadan Larki
  • Ben Morris
  • David Phillips
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Oscar Podcast
  • AwardsDailyTV

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Calendar 2023
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In