Skyfall

Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. Whilst MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, exploring his own past and revisiting SKYFALL, his family home.

For this 23rd instalment in the James Bond franchise, Cinesite was awarded four main visual effects sequences involving both environments and creature animation.

The most complex aspect of Cinesite’s work was the creation of a full CG Komodo dragon; the first CG creature in a Bond film. After a skuffle in a Shanghai casino, Bond and baddie Tank fall into a candle-lit pit populated by the Komodos.

The creatures team visited London Zoo and carefully researched the anatomy and movement of real Komodos. This reference was used for modelling, animating and texturing, before the creature was composited into the live-action plate. The scene was further enhanced with the addition of CG dust and gravel that mirrored the action within the pit.

In addition to the Komodo dragon, Cinesite was responsible for sequences staged on the London Underground, creating digital environments and set extensions to complement the production’s physical set and enhance the high-octane chases through London’s iconic Underground network. For the underground train crash sequence, a CG train was added to some shots and various clean ups were required to augment the look and feel of the physical set and spectacular practical stunts.

• Release date: 26.10.2012
• Studio: Eon / Danjaq LLC / Columbia Pictures / MGM / UA
• Director: Sam Mendes