The Haunting Fusion: Unveiling Mike Flanagan's Edgar Allan Poe Show through the Eyes of the VFX Supervisor

Summary

The Fall of the House of Usher features an ensemble cast and showcases some of Mike Flanagan's most grandiose production, including gruesome deaths of Usher family members.

Discussing the creation of remarkable set pieces for the show, VFX Supervisor Marshall Krasser from FuseFX talks about the team's efforts. Additionally, he reveals that certain artists decided not to participate in unsettling scenes.

Krasser elaborates on the difficulties encountered while designing the factory and the pendulum sequence. He emphasizes the significance of paying close attention to detail and maintaining the authentic Gothic atmosphere of a Poe story.

Mike Flanagan has delivered his most ambitious and terrifying project yet with The Fall of the House of Usher. Drawing inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's iconic short story and other works, this Netflix series tells the chilling tale of a corrupt pharmaceutical CEO's descendants who become targets of a mysterious woman with a dark connection to their family's past. As the story unfolds, viewers are subjected to a string of increasingly horrifying deaths.

The talented ensemble cast of The Fall of the House of Usher includes both familiar faces and fresh talent. Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Rahul Kohli, Henry Thomas, Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Mary McDonnell, Samantha Sloyan, T'Nia Miller, Sauriyan Sapkota, Ruth Codd, Carl Lumbly, Kyliegh Curran, and Mark Hamill all bring their skills to the table. Alongside the eerie ambiance of Poe's stories, the show showcases Flanagan's most elaborate and visually stunning production to date, particularly in its depiction of the gruesome demise of various Usher family members.

After the show's highly praised debut, our website conducted an exclusive interview with Marshall Krasser, the VFX Supervisor at FuseFX. The discussion focused on the creation of the remarkable set pieces in The Fall of the House of Usher, as well as the artists' decision to abstain from participating in the more unsettling scenes.

Warning: The following content contains significant spoilers for The Fall of the House of Usher!

Marshall Krasser on The Fall of the House of Usher

Our website: Being a huge fan of The Fall of the House of Usher and Mike Flanagan in general, I'm extremely thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss this show. When did you and your team first receive an offer from him and Netflix to be a part of the production?

Marshall Krasser: Yeah, I'm trying to recall the timeline, but I remember there were initial discussions prior to April 2022. So, I would say the first conversation took place around that time, or maybe slightly earlier. However, in April 2022, we received the scripts and started delving into them, analyzing and strategizing the tasks ahead. We were fully aware that this was a highly ambitious project. Based on my estimation, the entire process took around 15 months, from script to final delivery, in terms of calendar years. Please note that this doesn't include the actual hours invested. [Laughs]

Oh, I'm sure with the hours it probably feels like 36 months!

Marshall Krasser: Yeah, it's way up there somewhere.

With shows like this, different production houses collaborate to bring it to life. When Mike and Netflix initially approached FuseFX to handle the visual effects, was it predetermined that you would be responsible for the Prospero party sequence, or were there other concepts he had in mind for your team?

Marshall Krasser: It's possible that some of those discussions took place before I joined the show. When I came on board, our primary focus was on the "Perry Party" shower sequence, as well as the building destruction and pendulum scenes. We also had some involvement with augmenting and animating the cat.

Those are my top four favorite sequences in the show! When it came to designing the factory, our team took charge of most of it. The only things already on set were the doorway, the steps leading up to it, and a small facade around the door. We were responsible for everything else. We went through several iterations, starting with a larger building on the left side with four or five stories. Ultimately, the decision was made to create an exterior that was big enough and connected well with the interior when the time came to address it.

Now, how involved then were you in the interior, was that a different team, or you just didn't have involvement in that?

Marshall Krasser mentioned that the interior art department had designed the set piece for the production. He mentioned that there were at least two walls, and possibly a third partial wall, which required extensions. The set piece reached a height of about two-and-a-half stories, with the camera sometimes capturing the rafters and lights. As a result, they had to remove those elements and extend the building. They had a guide from the set to match the plates. There were notes and possibly cat data provided regarding the overall requirements. However, they had to figure out how the pendulum would break loose, fall, and start swinging, as there was no post-vis work done for the sequence. They collaborated with the creative team and the studio's visual effects supervisor to understand what was needed. They had to create a rough post-vis to mock up the impact and ensure continuity throughout the shots. Changing something upstream had a ripple effect, impacting other shots to maintain continuity. Marshall highlighted the challenge of keeping debris and dust falling consistently between shots. Despite the complexity, the attention to detail in the scene is well executed, especially the pendulum, which retains the Gothic feel of a Poe story while being integrated into the building.

Marshall Krasser explained that keeping track of the project was challenging, as they had to rely on Rav Brar, the DFX Supervisor, to remember all the necessary information. Marshall entrusted Rav with this task, warning him to be careful not to get hit by a bus while going about his day, as he was the main custodian of the project details. The planning and animatic process took a significant amount of time. Typically, the director would work closely with the team on a daily basis to accomplish this, but due to the director's busy schedule, it was difficult to communicate and receive feedback promptly. As a result, they had to make educated guesses and send off their work, waiting for the next round of notes. This additional back and forth prolonged the schedule before they could start the hands-on creation phase. Constructing something like this required extensive feedback because the pendulum, the building, and the intended narrative all had their own stories to tell. The challenge was to bring all these elements together while staying true to the set and the desired aesthetic, making the process both challenging and enjoyable.

You did a great job once again. Perry's Party, or the shower sequence, really left a lasting impression on me. It's surprising how intense it gets, especially considering Mike's previous projects haven't been as gory. I'm curious about the discussions Mike and his team had regarding the balance between realistic VFX for the melting people and toning it down.

Marshall Krasser: Overall, we aimed to stay true to the realism of the situation. There were a few shots where we pushed the boundaries, but they asked us to dial it back, especially in terms of the aftermath. The intention was to make viewers feel slightly uncomfortable. Interestingly, some of our artists didn't want to work on that sequence; it was too graphic for them. As a result, we had to make some changes to the casting. Achieving the desired effect was challenging. Essentially, we categorized the burns into levels - 1, 2, 3, and 4 - and determined the specific points in time when each level was reached. We focused on getting four key shots to work, and then filled in the gaps to maintain a smooth flow. Brett provided us with references of acid dropping on a chicken leg, which helped guide our approach. We didn't emphasize the bubbling aspect as we felt it would be too much. Instead, our focus was on the smoke and we experimented with different types - lacey and wispy. Running multiple effects simulations was necessary to achieve the desired result. Additionally, we had to consider the body's movement and add air disturbances to the smoke accordingly. The attention to detail was crucial in making it look authentic. We mostly avoided using 2D practical elements to maintain consistency. Even for the wide shots in the aftermath, we simulated the characteristics to ensure cohesiveness. Continuity was a challenge, both in terms of smoke behavior and nailing the desired look. It took time, but in the end, I believe it turned out quite effectively. Disturbing, indeed.

I think the party scene turned out really well. However, before we reached that point, there were many extras involved in the sequence. Unfortunately, it wasn't feasible to hire and dress up every extra to resemble burn victims. So, when it came to the aftermath, we used a combination of practical effects and 3D doubles. For the smoldering scenes, some of the extras had makeup on, but there were specific individuals that we had to enhance. Particularly, the main heroes required some alterations. Perry, for instance, has a very slender build, so applying makeup and prosthetics would change his appearance. We had to work on compressing and thinning down the effects to maintain the same body shape he had when he was alive. Additionally, we added extra makeup effects, or rather, the DMP artists digitally enhanced certain areas where necessary. Sometimes, they wanted more visible ribcages, so we created artwork to showcase that. In certain shots where Perry appears close to the camera, we augmented his cheeks to add depth and allowed smoke to escape. Even in the background of Perry's Party scenes, not everyone had heavy makeup on, so we incorporated red neg and added some makeup to the distant characters as well. As I mentioned earlier, the majority of the work was handled by the practical effects team on set. Our role was to assist and make adjustments whenever the director felt the need for a stronger storytelling impact.

It's an impressive feat, I didn't realize they were so practical in their approach. Perry's burnout is not limited to just one instance, there's also the sequence involving Roderick and Juno later on. While most of it was practical, I'm curious if you or your team were involved in that sequence too?

Marshall Krasser: We did contribute to some parts of it. Particularly, we added steam to certain scenes. When Perry's cheek was visible, mostly on his left side, we addressed the indentation there. Additionally, when the camera focused on both characters, we slimmed down their arms and made other necessary adjustments to compensate for the added elements on the actor.

Before we conclude, I would like to discuss the body shower sequence with you. I understand that your team was responsible for this particular scene, where Roderick is seen gazing out of the office window while bodies are falling from the sky.

Marshall Krasser referred to the falling bodies as a challenging task. The simulation required building a part of the city for preliminary testing, where the bodies would fall, hit, bounce, and accumulate. To ensure a seamless progression throughout the sequence, a lot of effort went into covering all aspects. Michael Capton collaborated with the team in the LA offices to establish a pipeline for the project. Once the preliminary testing yielded the desired results, the focus shifted to incorporating the effects into the shots. Since the background was predominantly digital, with a DMP painting and 3D buildings, the team utilized a combination of two-and-a-half and 3D elements for dropping objects. The responsibility of creating the overall wet and rainy atmosphere fell to Derek Bird, the compositing supervisor. The challenge was to maintain the realism of the falling bodies while conveying the presence of rain. Initially, at terminal velocity, the bodies appeared blurred, so adjustments were made to the speed and motion blur to achieve the desired effect. Multiple versions were created, including one with reduced motion blur to enhance depth. Eventually, during discussions with Mike and his team, it was decided to minimize motion blur during lightning flashes to make the bodies more distinguishable. This approach added a surreal and eerie quality, enhancing the overall supernatural feel of the sequence. Another detail that was appreciated was the integration of Bruce's reflection against the window while the haunting visual effect unfolded outside. It is unclear whether this was accomplished through compositing or by using real glass, but the balance achieved between the two elements is commendable.

Marshall Krasser mentioned that the presence of glass was evident in most parts, as indicated by the reflections on his glasses. However, there was a slight challenge when it came to the shot where we tilted up and looked down as they fell. Technically, this shot required us to be outside the window, as looking straight down wouldn't be possible from inside. Consequently, we had to employ some creative solutions to determine the positioning. Ultimately, we decided to incorporate the idea of water running down the window. This subtle addition created a sense of separation between us and what was outside, effectively bringing everything together. Therefore, we included a subtle depiction of water on the windows.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this show, including its flawless execution. The critics also share my enthusiasm. Have you had a chance to read the glowing reviews? If so, how do you feel about them?

Marshall Krasser: I have skimmed through a few reviews, but I haven't delved into them extensively. I've mostly been off the grid, so I've only just started watching the episodes in their finalized form, with all the music and soundtrack integrated. As we speak, I'm still working my way through the series. My wife wants us to watch it together, so we need to coordinate our schedules. Otherwise, I would have eagerly sneaked a peek. [Laughs] However, I did catch a glimpse of some scenes in advance. So yes, I'll eventually delve into the reviews. Although reviews can be both good and bad, have there been any comments specifically about the visual effects? I haven't come across any, so it would be great if you could enlighten me on that. Ultimately, I hope the visuals seamlessly contribute to the storytelling, rather than drawing attention solely to themselves.

About The Fall of the House of Usher

Discover a chilling horror series, inspired by the literary masterpieces of Edgar Allan Poe, from acclaimed creator Mike Flanagan (known for The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass). Within this wickedly frightening narrative, witness the rise of Roderick and Madeline Usher, unrelenting siblings who have transformed Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into a dominant force of opulence and influence. However, long-buried secrets resurface as a enigmatic woman from their past emerges, leading to the untimely demise of the heirs to the Usher dynasty. For more insight, delve into our exclusive interview with Production Designer Laurin Kelsey, focused on The Fall of the House of Usher.

The Fall of the House of Usher is now streaming on Netflix!

Source: Our website Plus