Scanline VFXhas shared with AWN and VFXWorld a visual effects breakdown reel highlighting its work onNetflixs limited series,American Primeval. Created by Mark L. Smith and directed / executive produced by Peter Berg, the gritty drama examines the violent collision of culture, religion, and race in 1857 America. Led by VFX supervisor Adam Balentine, the leading VFX house collaborated with overall visual effects supervisor Andrew Ceperly and Berg to deliver over 1,000 visual effects shots across all six episodes.The show stars Taylor Kitsch, Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, and Shea Whigham. Julie O'Keefe is Indigenous Cultural Consultant and Project Advisor. Artisans include: Hovia Edwards-Yellowjohn (Shoshone Bannock-Navajo), Pete Yellowjohn (Shoshone Bannock), Georgette Running Eagle (Shoshone Bannock), Robert Perry (of Bannock Shoshone descent), Kugee Supernaw (Quapaw and Osage) and Son Supernaw (Quapaw-Osage and Caddo), Joe Cheshawalla (Osage) Debbie Cheshawalla (Choctaw), and Molly Murphy Adams (Oglala Lakota).According to Balentine, from the outset, it was clear the VFX would need to seamlessly support and preserve the raw beauty of the on-set photography. Authenticity and realism were crucial, he notes, as every shot aimed to reflect the unforgiving realities of the period. The scope of work was vast, ranging from enhancing landscapes such as mountain, forests, and rivers, to adding period-appropriate muzzle flashes, weapon effects, and visceral blood and gore. As you watch the reel (and show), some of the main highlights of the work you can spot are settlements and developing towns that were brought to life by Scanline with digital crowds of settlers, wagons, horses, teepees, and drifting smoke. Mountain ranges and forested landscapes were extended through a blend of plate stitching and custom particle systems. We transformed a tranquil desert stream into a raging river for a perilous crossing sequence, Balentine says. Already breathtaking mountain passes were elevated further with a Nuke-based particle system for snow and atmospheric effects, which Scanline developed specifically for the series.Striking the balance between showcasing the West's brutal harshness and its natural beauty was a constant challenge, Balentine continues. Every enhancement had to blend seamlessly with the plate photography to ensure each scene felt like an authentic glimpse into the past.He goes on to share that handling the blood and gore also required a delicate approach, as his team strove to push the violence to reflect the brutal nature of the time, while avoiding excess that could distract from the story's grounded realism.Source: Scanline VFX Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.