Moonraker VFX creates a "Cosmic Noir" universe for "Killers of the Cosmos"

Moonraker VFX, an award-winning visual effects studio based in Bristol, UK, has set a studio record for the number of shots taken in a single project to bring a "cosmic noir" style to the new hybrid documentary, Killers of the Cosmos. Produced by Wall to Wall Media, the six-part series stars Aidan Gillen as a gumshoe comic character, who embarks on an investigative mission to uncover the evidence and threats to Earth that space throws at us.

The Moonraker team spearheaded the production of the 10-minute dramatic footage within each episode, filming actor Gillen on the greenscreen, and drawing a visual aesthetic that places the character in comic-style urban settings. The series, which is currently airing on Science Channel / Discovery + (US) and Discovery Channel (UK), boasts over 700 shots, each requiring bespoke graphic design and animation.

Graham Stott, Moonraker's Creative Lead, commented: “Ingesting that number of shots, while maintaining a beautiful and consistent look, was a gigantic challenge for the team. That's more than you'd expect in a big budget feature. We had to make sure that Aidan not only had a coherent look, but that all the rooms had the same visual motifs that hung together like a gallery of works ”.

The VFX studio has used a wide range of talent and written their own software tools, leaning on their VFX, animation and illustration engineering teams to execute this new genre-defining style that effectively deals with live action frame by frame.

“It was an aesthetic approach to a project we had never tried before: relying on Moonraker's best creative people to deliver such a large volume of work where the detail of each shot is considered and consistent,” noted Hannah Lewis, producer. by Moonraker VFX.

Tim Lambert, executive producer of Wall to Wall Media, said, “The Moonraker team has managed to create a fantastic but absolutely believable world in which our gumshoe could work. No one has ever done anything like this in a documentary series before and we are happy with the results ”.

www.moonrakervfx.com