'The Black Phone' Calls on VFX Legion to Heightening the Thrills with VFX Firmly Grounding the Supernatural in the Real World

VFX Legion was recently called on by Blumhouse Productions to create the visual effects for director Scott Derrickson’s supernatural thriller, ‘The Black Phone.’ Co-written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill (‘Sinister,’ ‘Dr. Strange’) and starring Ethan Hawk as the maniacal villain, the chilling tale is an adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story of the same name. Legion, the company that provided the effects for ‘Sinister 2,’ (2015), re-teamed with Derrickson, Cargill, and Blumhouse, delivering over 200 shots for their new psychological thriller.

Set in suburban Denver, Colorado in 1978, ‘The Black Phone’ is the story of Finney Shaw (Mason Thames), the latest victim of a sadistic serial killer dubbed ‘The Grabber’ (Ethan Hawk). The boy is held captive in a basement where help comes in supernatural form through calls from his kidnappers’ previous victims on a disconnected phone.

Led by co-founders senior VFX supervisor James David Hattin and VFX producer Nate Smalley, Legion’s team designed and produced designed a wide range of shots that run the gamut – from complex sequences combining animated digital doubles with practical stunts, greenscreen, set extensions, CG environments, rebuilt camera transitions, crowd duplication, and a mix of dynamics - to removing rigging, and digitally deleting elements out of place with the authentic look of the era.

The LA and B.C.-based visual effects company contributed to every phase of the creative process - from pre-production and on-set supervision, through post-production. Brought on board early, Legion visualized digital options and worked closely with the director, helping develop the tone of the film before shooting began.

Legion was relied on to meet the challenge of designing dozens of nuanced visual effects that heighten the visceral impact of paranormal events without ever taking the audience out of the seemingly real world where the story unfolds.

Led by co-founders senior VFX supervisor James David Hattin and VFX producer Nate Smalley, Legion’s team designed and produced designed a wide range of shots that run the gamut – from complex sequences combining animated digital doubles with practical stunts, greenscreen, set extensions, CG environments, rebuilt camera transitions, crowd duplication, and a mix of dynamics - to removing rigging, and digitally deleting elements out of place with the authentic look of the era.

The LA and B.C.-based visual effects company contributed to every phase of the creative process - from pre-production and on-set supervision, through post-production. Brought on board early, Legion visualized digital options and worked closely with the director, helping develop the tone of the film before shooting began.