Behind the Scenes: The Little Mermaid's Underwater Set Secrets

Discover the innovative blue screen techniques used during the production of Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake, directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey as Ariel. As a significant portion of the film takes place underwater, the team had to find creative ways to depict life beneath the waves. New behind-the-scenes footage shared by Michael Cook, Charles Emanuel, and Entertainment Tonight offers an exclusive glimpse into the making of the film, showcasing how the underwater sequences were captured. Watch as Bailey interacts with performers in blue suits or puppets, all set against a large blue screen backdrop.

Blue Screen May Have Been The Little Mermaid's Best Option

The Little Mermaid used a "dry for wet" blue screen setup for its water sequences, while Avatar: The Way of Water opted for a tank in which actors held their breath and acted out their performances. While Avatar's CGI is superior, it's important to note that the film had a larger budget and more time for pre-production, production, and post-production. Therefore, using blue screen was likely the best option for The Little Mermaid in terms of cost-effectiveness.

Bailey's performance on the blue screen set may not be entirely visible to the audience in the movie. Her time spent sitting on the performer's back and moving around on wires was likely used as a reference for the VFX artists who recreated the scenes in post-production. Despite this, the behind-the-scenes footage provides an interesting insight into The Little Mermaid's production methods and the impressive on-screen visuals that were ultimately achieved.