47 Meters Down

Project Overview

Our work on the film covered a wide gamut of both 2D and 3D visual effects work, including vast set extensions, intricate simulation work, fully CG environments, digital actors, extensive CG integrations with live plates and the creation of astonishingly photorealistic CG sharks.

Over five months we built an impressive slate of key sequences, including various close-up shots of photorealistic 3D sharks, a CG cage that plummets into the depths of the ocean, ferocious attack sequences and more.

On top of all this, one of the major challenges we faced was helping the director to achieve his vision for the underwater setting where most of the film takes place. As the lion's share of underwater shots were filmed in a purpose built water tank, we were tasked with seamlessly extending all of these shots to remove anything man made and turn a relatively small tank into the vast depths of the Pacific. This work is prevalent throughout the film.

Produced by Tea Shop & Film Company, 47 Meters Down tells the story of two sisters who travel to Mexico, only to become trapped in a dive cage on the ocean floor. In shark-infested waters, the pair struggle to survive both a dwindling air supply and the advances of these terrifying aquatic beasts.

The film’s Director, Johannes Roberts, worked closely with on-set VFX Supervisor Sean Mathieson, who was brought on by Outpost VFX to create a tense, visceral and immersive survival experience.

When asked about Outpost VFX’s work on 47 Meters Down, Roberts said: “Just phenomenal work. I’m speechless how good you guys are.”

As an added bonus, Outpost VFX’s owner Duncan McWilliam served as Executive Producer on the film, steering the VFX budget to create the best possible on-screen production value.

“47 Meters Down was a real breakthrough opportunity for Outpost VFX to show what we are capable of producing,” explained McWilliam. “Being the sole VFX vendor on the show across such a broad range of VFX disciplines was fantastic for our team to really flex their creative and technical muscle.”

“This show really accelerated the development of our in-house proprietary tools and pipeline and now gives us a great calling card for creature and environment work across VFX-heavy shows. With the release of 47 Meters Down, we hope to springboard off its success and be seen as a go-to VFX facility on large-scale features in the future.”