The Power - Amazon Prime TV Series
Starring Toni Collette, John Leguizamo and Auli’i Cravalho, this fast-paced hit show is based on the 2016 science fiction novel by British author Naomi Alderman in which young women across the globe develop mysterious new powers, namely the ability to shoot electricity out of their fingertips.
The TV streaming series has received praise from various publications.
The Independent’s Nicole Vassell wrote: “The Power is a clear allegory for how a patriarchal society makes girls feel insignificant, and how physical force effectively defines who makes the rules in society. Heavy-handed though the metaphor may be, it doesn’t feel corny – it’s genuinely thrilling to see how these girls who are underestimated, forgotten and cast aside light up when they realise that they, and their actions, matter in the world.”
For this cleverly adapted screen project, UP was charged with providing in-camera scenery and reflections for the production’s vehicle shots, as orchestrated by multiple directors.
Driving Plates supplied 360-degree plates, while UP deployed ROE DM 2.6mm LED screens and an INFiLED ER5 LED ceiling screen powered by Brompton processing, with playback via disguise gx 2cmedia servers.
UP’s ICVFX arm was represented by Lead Tech Gareth Manicom, whose job involved coordinating with the production team to ensure that the screens and playback systems were integrated seamlessly into the filming process.
He says: “The scope of work included installing ground-stacked screens on three sides of the stage and a ceiling screen that was rigged on beam rollers so it could slide in and out over the cars. The screens were used for in-camera VFX, reflections, and lighting. Additionally, they were turned into green screens with tracking markers when not in use.
“ROE DM 2.6 was chosen for the side walls, and were used for the in-camera shots because of their higher pixel pitch. Another wall and the ceiling comprised the INFiLED ER5, and was used primarily for lighting purposes. We opted for Brompton SX40 processors as they have good colour control and useful features that allow for camera synchronisation and to iron out any artifacts that might occur between the screen and camera sensor,” he adds.
disguise gx 2c media servers allowed the team to manage playback and manipulate the 10bit plate content. Adderlink XDIP KVM enabled the operator's cart to be on stage while server and processing racks were away from the action, in order to - importantly - keep the noise on set to a bare minimum
The plates were shot with multiple cameras and angles from a car driving through various cities, and Manicom was tasked with arranging the clips onto the different screens depending on the position of the camera, and adjusting the perspective, colour and intensity as required.
As is becoming more commonplace on multi-episode series, each episode of The Power had a different Director and DoP.
Manicom continues: “It was very interesting to work in this environment, and to see how the different creatives used the technology at hand. In working with UP, the equipment used is always in immaculate condition and neatly packaged.”
He concludes: “The company’s in-house team is very organised, and a pleasure to work with. The Power is a great example of what we can achieve together.”
The 9-part thriller has become the latest hugely successful addition to UP’s ICVFX credits. All episodes are available to stream now on Amazon Prime.