Back in 2019, Angela Barson gave us an inside look at BlueBolt‘s visual effects work on Johnny English Strikes Again. Her impressive portfolio has since grown to include hits like Outlander, Peaky Blinders, The Great, and The Peripheral. Following her collaboration with director Robert Eggers on The Northman, she now discusses their latest project, Nosferatu.
David Scott launched his visual effects career in 2003, gaining experience at MPC, DNEG, and Weta FX before joining BlueBolt in 2020. His impressive credits include Man of Steel, Avengers: Endgame, No Time To Die, and The Great.
What was your feeling to work again with Director Robert Eggers?
Angela // I never really felt like I’d stopped working with Robert as the conversations about Nosferatu started before our previous collaboration The Northman had finished.
The passion that Rob has for his films is very infectious. He does so much research and is so knowledgeable on his subject matter and the time period that it draws you in. He knows what he wants, but at the same time is very collaborative and open to other opinions.
After many, many years working in this industry, I think Rob has reignited my passion for working in film. Working with him and his team is genuinely enjoyable!
David // Having previously worked with Robert Eggers on The Northman, I was excited to collaborate with him again on Nosferatu. I knew from the start that this project was going to be something special. Robert and DOP Jarin (Blaschke) have such a distinct and atmospheric visual style, which makes working on their shots both creatively rewarding and technically challenging. It was a fantastic experience to help bring their vision to life once again.
How did you organize the work with your VFX Producer?
Angela // By the time we got into hard prep and the VFX Producer came on board, I’d been on the project for 8 or 9 months and had already done a very detailed breakdown of the entire film. The producer took over all the financials, but I kept on top of the shoot planning. I need to know exactly what we’re shooting each day, what plates or elements we might need, when a greenscreen is needed, what VFX needs from makeup, costume etc. I have to be well prepared when we’re shooting so I’m able to answer any questions thrown my way.
Crystal Dowd was the VFX producer for the shoot, then Lisa Renney (who hadn’t been able to cover the shoot) took over in post. I’d previously worked with Lisa on The Northman and she came with an amazing team (Lilles Whitby, Sarah Buisson and VFX editor Carlo Milillo). They dealt with everything financial, tracked all shots, took notes in reviews and generally organised everything, leaving me free to deal with the creative stuff. I don’t think I’ve ever worked on such a well organised, unstressed and fun show in post. It was a joy to work with them and the wider post crew.
What is your role on set and how do you work with other departments?
Angela // I’m the head of department for VFX, so I need to work closely with all the other department heads. It’s a constant discussion between VFX and all the other departments to find the sweet spot between what will be practical and what will be VFX.
I worked especially closely with the Production Designer, Craig Lathrop, to work out which sets would be locations or builds and where VFX would take over. We’d been talking about it for months before we even got into prep, so had a very good idea of where the split would be to utilise CG in the most effective way possible.
Robert Eggers and the DOP Jarin Blaschke storyboarded the entire movie, which really helped with planning. I had a lot of discussion with Jarin about all aspects of the film. Jarin is fully involved in the VFX aspect of the film and makes sure all plates and elements we need are framed, lit and captured as they’re needed to give the best possible final result. It’s refreshing to work with a DOP who is so interested and invested in the VFX.
My job in prep is to plan as much as possible so we know what will be CG, what elements need to be shot and what data we need to gather. BlueBolt provided some pre-vis for a few of the bigger CG shots to help design the shots and inform everyone of what we needed to shoot to create the final result.
Once we’re into the shoot my job is to be there to answer questions, make sure we are getting all the photography and data we need, but most importantly to problem solve if something unexpected happens. VFX is often used as the solution when unforeseen problems arise and it’s very important to know that we can deliver exactly what’s required once we get into post, without breaking the budget.
Wisburg feels like a character in its own right. How did you approach designing this fictional German town to make it both believable and unsettling for the audience?
Angela // Wisburg was created by the Production Designer, Craig. He did a huge amount of research and scouting before I was involved. We then had many conversations about the styles of buildings that he wanted and how the city would be laid out. We went to scout several towns in Germany in early prep which was very informative.
The VFX team later went back to photograph and lidar scan all the suitable buildings in Germany so BlueBolt could create a library of CG buildings. BlueBolt created a full CG city which included recreating the practical backlot builds. We placed virtual cameras at all the main story locations so we could make sure the layout would work for all key views. The visual relationship between the Manor House, Hutter’s House, the canal and Wisburg’s main street needed to work across the movie.
David // To bring this fictional German town to life, we drew inspiration from real-world locations like Lübeck, Stade, and Gda?sk. These cities informed the layout of the winding streets, the architecture, and the estuary, grounding Wisburg in a tangible, historical reality. We were fortunate to work with some fantastic concept art from Craig, whose work really captured the unsettling and atmospheric tone that Robert Eggers envisioned for the city. His designs helped set the look and feel of Wisburg, balancing the eeriness with a sense of authenticity.
What techniques or visual effects were used to balance the historic authenticity of Wisburg with the eerie atmosphere required for Nosferatu?
Angela // The eerie atmosphere came from the blend of production design and Jarin’s cinematography. We shot with old Dagor and Baltar lenses which had a very specific vintage look. Scotopic filters were used for the night work so there was almost no red in the plates, unless there was fire. The night work, interior and exterior, was hard moonlight. A lot of the frame was in shadow helping to create the eerie atmosphere. The entire movie was shot on film giving detail in the blacks with a lot of grain.
David // To balance Wisburg’s historic authenticity with the eerie atmosphere, we used a range of visual effects techniques that enhanced the unsettling tone while staying grounded in realism. A great example is the iconic hand shadow traveling over the city. For this shot, we collaborated closely with Jarin Blaschke, the DOP, to ensure the lighting aligned seamlessly with his practical setups. Jarin envisioned the scene as moonlit, with hard, dramatic shadows cast across the city. The sky needed to be clear yet ominous, with striking backlit clouds. To bring the city to life—or rather, to underscore its eerie stillness—we added subtle atmosphere, chimney smoke rising from a few houses, debris scattered across the streets, and empty boats drifting in the canals. The streets themselves were completely devoid of people, amplifying the unease. As this was night time, we also matched Jarin’s technique of using a Stoptic Filter to remove red light, which added to the shot’s haunting monochromatic feel. All these elements combined to create a balance of historic realism and an unsettling, otherworldly mood.
Count Orlok’s castle exudes decay and dread. Can you share how the team conceptualized and built this haunting environment—was it primarily digital, practical, or a mix of both?
Angela // Orlok’s castle was based on Corvin Castle, a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, Romania. We scouted the castle early on with the idea of filming there, but it was being renovated and was becoming too pristine. All of it would have needed to be changed by the art department and VFX, so in the end the interiors were all built as practical sets on the stages, the courtyards were locations and the exteriors were fully CG.
We scanned and photographed Corvin Castle to use as a base, then aged and weathered it to give the level of decay that was desired. The surrounding environment, including the river at its base, was fully CG. When we created the fully CG castle shots, Jarin was integral in the framing and lighting of the shots. The lenses had of course been profiled so we could recreate the look precisely.
What challenges did you face when blending the digital and practical elements of Orlok’s castle, especially given its role as such an iconic horror setting?
Angela // There wasn’t much of a challenge blending digital and practical elements with Orlok’s castle as it tended to be either fully CG, or requiring minimal top ups. The use of practical atmospherics, snow and smoke, does of course add a level of complexity when blending CG and practical, but also helps the final shots look photoreal. The lenses and filters used added an extra challenge to all the CG work.
Lighting seems essential to Wisburg’s unsettling feel and the castle’s ominous presence. How did the VFX and lighting teams collaborate to amplify the visual storytelling?
Angela // VFX worked hand in hand with Jarin. Night shots were lit with hard moonlight, for both interior and exterior shots. Scotopic filters were used when there was no fire so there was almost no red information, emulating the way we see at night. When there were fully CG shots, Jarin worked with David (Scott) and the VFX team on the framing and lighting. This helped to ensure consistency in look throughout the entire film, regardless of the practical and CG split.
David // From the very beginning, we worked closely with Jarin to ensure that the VFX lighting aligned with his vision. Jarin joined us at BlueBolt early in the process, even when we were still working with greyscale layouts, to discuss his approach to each CG shot in detail. These early discussions, combined with reviewing the shots as they turned over, gave us a clear direction for the lighting. As we progressed, we not only focused on matching the dramatic and lighting Jarin envisioned but also began layering atmospheric elements into the shots. This included fog, subtle haze, and other environmental details that blended seamlessly with the surrounding live-action plates.
The ocean scenes during the voyage feel incredibly foreboding. How did you achieve this balance between realism and a sense of supernatural dread in the VFX work?
David // We began by drawing from photographic and painted references provided by Robert and Jarin. These references were rich, moody and textured, capturing the dramatic and foreboding feel they wanted for these sequences.
Our approach was to always backlight these shots, with the moon either in frame or just out of view at the top. This lighting setup allowed us to create dramatic skies filled with richly textured, backlit clouds that added depth and atmosphere to each scene. The skies played a significant role in storytelling as the voyage progressed. Initially, they reflected a sense of uneasy calm, with pastel hues of sunrise framing the Empusa’s departure. However, as the plague began to take hold of the ship and Orlok claimed his victims, the skies grew darker and more ominous.
Water simulations are notoriously complex in visual effects. Can you walk us through the challenges of creating the stormy seas and how they were integrated with live-action elements?
Angela // The two shots of the full ship at sea were fully CG, so no integration with live action. Creating stormy seas is always complex, but CG water is something BlueBolt have been working on for a while. Layers of water, froth, spray and rain whipping through frame all help to add the complexity and detail required.
The shots of the small boat travelling up the canal in Wisburg was also a fully CG environment. The boat and people were shot on the back lot, with reflective boards on the ground to capture reflections for the CG water.
David // Creating the stormy seas for Nosferatu was a complex challenge, both technically and artistically. In total for the voyage, we had three fully CG shots and one that needed to be integrated with live-action footage.
The biggest challenge in the CG shots was achieving a stormy ocean that felt vast and believable. To do this, we had to layer in a high level of detail—violent waves, mist blowing off the crests, and gusting rain—to capture the chaotic energy of the storm. Each element had to work together to create depth and realism.
For the live-action shot, integration was particularly tricky. We had to carefully match the lighting and the intensity of the rain already present in the plate to ensure a seamless blend between the CG water and the practical elements. Balancing all these factors was key to making the ocean feel like a living, relentless force within the world of the film.
Nosferatu’s shadow is one of the film’s most iconic and chilling elements. Was this effect achieved purely through traditional cinematography, or did VFX play a role in exaggerating its impact?
Angela // Whenever possible, his shadow was created practically in situ by Jarin’s lighting and Bill Skarsgard/Orlok. This was the case in the majority of shots. For the occasions where we couldn’t make it work practically, we shot shadow elements with Bill in his Orlok prosthetic makeup and used them as elements in post. It was never animated in VFX.
The rats are an unsettling and symbolic presence throughout the film. How were they created—were practical effects used alongside digital animation to make them feel authentic?
Angela // The rats were a mix of live action and CG. We had one to two thousand real rats on set, some of which were trained. We tried wherever possible to have real rats in shot and ideally closest to camera so that the most clearly seen rats were real. This approach worked a lot of the time, but sometimes it was easier to remove all the real rats and replace them with CG, rather than trying to interweave CG with the real ones which would have meant a lot of roto work.
It was of course always useful to have real rats somewhere in the shots so we had a reference for lighting and animation. This was achievable in almost every shot apart from when the chapel was set on fire, for obvious reasons.
The chapel scene was the most challenging. The actors had to wade through a swarm of rats, using their flaming torches to keep them at bay. We created some practical moulded ‘rat mats’ and had a load of model rats that we used to cover the floor. The actors had to pick their way round the mats and model rats, giving them something to react to and they also provided a very good lighting reference. It also meant if you saw through a gap in the CG rats, you’d be looking at the ‘rat mats’ rather than bare flooring. Lighting the swarms of CG rats to match the moving firelight was especially challenging and took many painstaking rounds of lighting and compositing to make it seamless.
Animating swarms of creatures like rats can be a technical and creative challenge. What tools or techniques did you use to simulate their chaotic yet natural movements?
David // Animating swarms of creatures like rats is always a balance between technical precision and creative storytelling. We used Golaem to handle the large swarms of rats. To ensure their movements felt chaotic yet natural, we created around 60 different animation cycles, covering a variety of behaviors and speeds to provide plenty of variation within the swarm. Once we had the overall look and feel working, we went in and fine-tuned individual rats within the crowd. This allowed us to adjust their placement, swap out animations, or remove specific rats to refine the composition of the shot. By combining these procedural tools with manual adjustments, we were able to craft swarms that felt alive, unpredictable, and convincingly integrated into the unsettling world of the film.
Angela // We did a VFX shoot of rats for movement reference and to be used as elements if possible. BlueBolt created a library of rat animations which they could blend between depending on the shot requirements. Dealing with the rats intersecting each other was a technical challenge, but BlueBolt started working on their rat pipeline early in the shoot. By the time shots were turned over they were ready to go.
Were there any unexpected technical or creative challenges encountered during the production?
Angela // I don’t think there was anything unexpected as we’d planned everything very thoroughly. There were of course unforeseen issues which we had to react to, but nothing that was out of the ordinary.
The main challenge I had was testing positive for Covid and being sent straight home when we were shooting a few nights of big VFX shots. However, I was given a remote link from video assist so I could see what was being shot in real time and could hear the discussions around the director’s monitor. I was on the phone to Rob, Jarin and the other onset crew whenever needed. I got to sit at home in the warmth and supervise remotely whilst the rest of the crew were in the freezing cold all night. So Covid wasn’t all bad!
Were there any memorable moments or scenes from the series that you found particularly rewarding or challenging to work on from a visual effects standpoint?
Angela // The shot of Orlok’s hand shadow travelling over Wisburg was one of the more challenging shots. It was one of the few shots in the film which used a more obviously non-practical camera move. The entire Wisburg town and its surrounding environment is seen in this shot.
David // As Angela says, one of the most memorable and challenging shots to work on was Orlok’s hand shadow travelling over Wisburg. The sheer scale of the shot was daunting, with an incredible amount of detail needed to make Wisburg feel alive and authentic. At 958 frames, the shot gave the audience plenty of time to take in every element, meaning we couldn’t cut corners—everything had to hold up to scrutiny. It also had to blend seamlessly with the real lighting and never feel CG. Achieving that level of realism while maintaining the eerie, unsettling atmosphere was a huge challenge, but ultimately one of the most rewarding aspects of the project.
Looking back on the project, what aspects of the visual effects are you most proud of?
Angela // Everyone has been talking about the beautiful production design, the incredible cinematography, the amazing locations, the thousands of real rats… there has been little to no mention of the CG. I find it the ultimate compliment. If the VFX work doesn’t stand out and everything is thought to be real, then we’ve done our job well.
David // Looking back on the project, I’m incredibly proud of all the work that went into Nosferatu. Every aspect of the visual effects was a true team effort, and everyone involved did an amazing job. From the large-scale CG environments to the intricate atmospheric details, every shot was crafted with such care and precision. It was an honor to be part of bringing Robert Eggers’ vision to life.
How long have you worked on this show?
Angela // I was involved for 2 years.
David // In post, about 12 months. And about 2-3 months in pre production.
What’s the VFX shot count?
Around 250 shots. Although due to the shot lengths being so long, that equated to at least 1hr 30min of the film.
What is your next project?
Angela // I’m currently working on The Thursday Murder Club with Chris Columbus. Hopefully I’ll be working with Rob again soon….
A big thanks for your time.
“I have nothing but praise for my collaboration with BlueBolt. Their trademarks are photorealism, naturalism, and subtlety – not maximalism. Their attention to detail is impeccable as well as the drive to never finish until the work is as close to perfection as possible. Above all, BlueBolt’s commitment is to telling great stories. I look forward to working with them again on the next one.” – Robert Eggers
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
BlueBolt: Dedicated page about Nosferatu on BlueBolt website.
© Vincent Frei – The Art of VFX – 2025
