MillTv help create ‘Dirty War’ for BBC Films

‘Dirty War’ is the dreaded story of every Londoner’s nightmare: a dirty bomb goes off in central London with devastating consequences.
MillTv created effects of devastation using both 2D & 3D. “It’s a great experience to help a film director like Daniel achieve his vision,” said Dave Throssell, head of MillTv. “The film tackles serious issues. It’s not effects-heavy, but our contributions helped communicate the potential horror of such an event. It’s an increasingly common trend – visual effects in TV are no longer just seen as a way to create the fantastical, they are used to complement the real.”
The team was responsible for creating the smoke plumes that signify the initial explosion. The form of the plumes was based on research supplied by Britain’s top security services. They were then designed using fluid simulations in Maya and composited into the cityscape vista.
Ground zero was in fact Finsbury Square, shot on 16mm, in the heart of the city at 2am. Dave Throssell supervised the shoot. The city was transformed into a bleak landscape by increasing flames, smoke, dust and embers in post. Elements were shot for real and then matted, expanded, re-positioned and re-composited in Flame. Additional considerations, like light-reflections in the emergency services protective helmets, had to be amended accordingly. MillTv were also asked to create exploding vans and to expand a crowd of 300 extras until it filled London’s streets.
Due to the nature of the location, it was not possible to include all necessary ‘set dressing’ in-camera. Hence, MillTv composited many items such as hazard warning signs.
(GB)