From early concept and look development to large-scale simulations and final compositing, the project mobilized hundreds of artists and specialists to bring an evolving, living threat convincingly into the real world.
Can you give us your overall view of the VFX work on Cold Storage?
Cold Storage was an exceptionally ambitious VFX project, covering a wide range of shots—from invisible interventions to full creation of the Fungus, creatures, and numerous simulation effects—making it both technically and artistically demanding. The work unfolded in several major stages: concept and look development, an intense production phase, and a long period of finalization and polish. This structure allowed the teams to gradually evolve shots as the film’s vision became clearer.
From a production perspective, Cold Storage was designed as a highly collaborative and adaptive project. We set up a core production/supervision team, supported by leads dedicated to each department—assets, animation, FX, environments, lighting, and compositing. This structure allowed us to respond efficiently to post-production needs, test screenings, and ongoing creative adjustments.
How did you coordinate with the production, director, and VFX supervision?
The film involved many creative stakeholders, which is typical for large international productions. Producers and supervisors were highly involved, generating frequent artistic discussions and iterations. Collaboration with StudioCanal, the U.S. producers, the director, and general supervision was marked by strong creative engagement and a shared commitment to pushing the film’s quality as far as possible.
With 431 people involved at MPC, how were teams organized?
Teams were structured by department, each with a dedicated lead and production support to ensure smooth communication. We established routines to brief the teams artistically and relay feedback effectively. The first departments engaged were LookDev and Assets to define the Fungus and creature designs. Next came FX simulations and creature animation, followed by unifying all elements in lighting and compositing.
Creatively and technically, what were the main VFX challenges?
The core VFX focus was the Fungus itself, requiring extensive work in design, look development, organic simulations, shading, and rendering. The main challenge was creating a visible, moving, menacing, unstoppable virus, perfectly integrated into live-action footage while supporting the story and atmosphere. Another major focus was explosions. We developed both organic and nuclear explosions, which demanded extensive reference research to align with the director’s vision and numerous iterations to achieve ambitious yet realistic simulations. The final nuclear explosion was particularly challenging—but also very fun to execute.
Which shots or sequences were the most demanding in terms of complexity, volume, or innovation?
Shots showing direct interaction between the Fungus and actors were particularly complex. Contamination scenes and environments affected by the Fungus required large simulation volumes and render resources, engaging much of the MPC team. The final Storage explosion alone mobilized a dedicated team for several months.
From a production standpoint, what were the main challenges on a project of this scale?
The main challenge was managing a constantly evolving project, both creatively and editorially. This required continuous resource prioritization, tight coordination between departments, and constant dialogue with production and supervision to secure key sequences while keeping the overall schedule and budget on track.
Final word?
We especially want to thank the core production team, the department leads and supervisors, and all MPC artists and technical teams, whose commitment, creativity, and resilience were outstanding on such an ambitious project. Cold Storage is above all the result of a remarkable team effort.
