Creator: Charlie Brooker
Production: House of Tomorrow
Postproduction: Technicolor
Series Designer: Joel Collins
VFX Supervisors/Art Directors: Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn and Dan May
Series Supervising Art Director: Robyn Paiba
Series Graphic Art Director: Erica McEwan
Concept Artist/Matte Painter Supervisor: Rafael Martin
Concept Artist/Matte Painter: Sammy Khalid
Concept Artist: Nandor Moldovan
As Series Production Designer, Joel Collins created the look and design for the first 19 chapters of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. Dan May and Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn joined in as VFX Art Directors/Supervisors, and Rafael Martin as concept artist and matte painter. Painting Practice provided nearly all the designs and effects across the series, including the show's iconic technology and screen designs. Black Mirror has become on of the studio's cornerstone bodies of work, showcasing our unique and wholistic approach to design. Over the years this show allowed us to flex every muscle, and span design, art and technical skills across a huge array of disciplines.
Available to stream on Netflix
READ SOME OF OUR INTERVIEWS
Series Production Designer, Joel Collins talks to CREATIVE REVIEW
Series Production Designer, Joel Collins talks to PUSHING PIXELS
Series Graphic Art Director, Erica McEwan talks to PUSHING PIXELS
S1EP1 - 'National Anthem'
For this episode Painting Practice developed the identity of the main news channel ‘UK News including all the onscreen interfaces, motion graphics and web feeds. Co designer Robyn Paiba also used our team extensively to generate all of the graphic design on the show from crisp boxes to company Logos.
S1EP1 - 'National Anthem'
S1EP2 - '15 Million Merits'
“The first unusual challenge was not to start work in episode one but two. With a visual effects shot in almost every frame, Fifteen Million Merits was every designer and producer’s nightmare. Our decision early on was not to ‘leave it to post’ but grab a hold of the problem. So with the first film bubbling away, we set to work on the next’s concept designs and motion graphics.
The graphics needed to be created, animated and graded prior to the shoot. We also had to pre-shoot shows to appear on screens and were charged with the task of designing and creating an avatar for every actor, plus thousands of CG individuals for the audience of the show-within-the-show, Hot Shot.” Joel Collins, Broadcast, November 2011
S1EP2 - '15 Million Merits'
S1EP3 - 'The Entire History of You'
For this episode, Painting Practice designed the on-screen interfaces and visual effects throughout the show, for more than 150 shots. Although full of drama and tension, this particular episode was visually much quieter than episode two, from sleek and sophisticated computer interfaces to a discreet yet alarming futuristic eye effects.
S1EP3 - 'The Entire History of You'
S2EP1 - 'Be Right Back'
The emotional heart of Be Right Back is quite powerful and although the technology plays a large part in Ash’s resurrection, it was important that it didn’t get in the way of the story. The VFX were deliberately subtle and had to complement the look of the film.
It was decided early on that the technology should have a tactile nature to it, in particular Martha’s easel. Series designer Joel Collins came up with the initial design for this well used piece of technology whilst Painting Practice worked on the interface and it’s overall feel. Other smaller details included the pregnacny test and Martha’s laptop.
S2EP1 - 'Be Right Back'
S2EP3 - 'The Waldo Moment'
Waldo is a computer generated TV personality that is driven by human performance, much like a puppeteer. Having an ‘onscreen’ character meant that we had to make a decision regarding his performance - would it be applied in post or would it be done live on set?
We opted for live so that any alteration to Waldo’s performance would be carried out on the day of the shoot, to avoid extensive post-animation work later on. We worked very closely with Passion Pictures in both the design and execution of Waldo on set. Our Waldo was driven by three puppeteers including award winning director Darren Walsh. In the end Waldo became very much a part of the cast!
S2EP3 - 'The Waldo Moment'
White Christmas
In this episode, each three tales had their own unique demands in terms of VFX and production design. Production designer Joel Collins and supervising art director Robyn Paiba faced unique challenges involving key set constructions, multiple locations, and prop builds. The main set build had to transform from an arctic outpost into a country kitchen before the audience’s eyes. With a particularly tight schedule, we road test designs and approaches with both the director Carl Tibbets (White Bear) and the art department before shooting.
The bulk of the VFX compositing was handled by Technicolor with VFX art direction and animation being carried out by the Painting Practice team, working up the show’s opening shot and the mind boggling ‘snow globe’ finale. Along with Charlie and VFX supervisor Justin, both teams worked across the ‘look’ of many of the standalone effects such as ‘Blocking’ and the Zedeyes.
White Christmas
Every day is a new set of challenges on this show. I’ve loved the variety, problem solving, and collaboration with the core BM Art and Painting Practice teams who help to make the magic happen.
Erica
Series Graphic Art DirectorMost recently I’ve enjoyed watching forums and blogs popping up everywhere to discuss the hidden ‘easter eggs’ we build into the graphics from other episodes. People love it!
Erica
Series Graphic Arts Director
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