CHIEF OF WAR
When audiences around the world sit down to watch Chief of War on Apple TV+, they’re stepping into a richly crafted world where every detail matters, from the terrain under a sled to the sky above the ocean. Behind the powerful storytelling and striking action lies an equally powerful creative force: the visual effects. And much of the standout Chief of War VFX was brought to life by New Zealand-based Cause and FX.
From initial previs and environment builds through to digital doubles, ocean extensions and dynamic FX, our team at Cause and FX was deeply involved during the New Zealand production phase. With the full stack of capabilities in play – on-set supervision, asset creation, FX simulation, camera tracking and post – our team helped realise some of the show’s most ambitious sequences.
CHIEF OF WAR
TRAILER
BUILDING A WORLD FROM THE GROUND UP
Working closely with episode director Brian Mendoza, our team collaborated with the production’s art department to design and construct the hero mountain, a crucial location for a pivotal sled sequence. Inspired by real-world geography but enhanced for cinematic effect, the environment was designed to build tension and rhythm. As the sleds descend, viewers travel through distinct environmental zones: steep volcanic slopes, open grasslands, and finally, dense coastal shrubs that burst into view before the riders hit the surf.
From the outset, our team ensured that this progression felt authentic and dynamic. The flora, terrain, and sky weren’t just digital window dressing, they were storytelling tools.
CAMERA DESIGN: SPEED, FLOW, AND VISION
Mendoza came to the project with a clear visual language in mind. Drawing inspiration from extreme sports films, he envisioned the Holua sled race being captured with a combination of slow motion, dynamic rigging, and real-world momentum.
Cause and FX’s Virtual Art Department recreated the entire mountain route digitally, allowing the team to chapterise the sequence and plan continuity throughout. This virtual pathway helped map camera movements, transitions, and angles, making sure that the sled race wasn’t just visually exciting but also narratively coherent.
FILMING AND TRACKING CHALLENGES
Live action elements were captured both on a steep Auckland hillside and at Kumeu Film Studios on a blue screen stage. Shooting over multiple days meant the sun’s position varied – a challenge for continuity. Our team resolved this in post by introducing animated cloud cover and adjusting exposure levels to maintain a consistent look.
The skydome became an essential tool. Built by our Art Department, it was based on spherical plates shot by drone on location and served as the only visible sky throughout the sled sequence.
To support object tracking, a range of methods were deployed. Drone footage acted as witness camera to aid in matching hero camera shots. Hundreds of fluorescent golf balls were placed around the hillside to help track fast-moving action within chaotic and debris-filled plates.
HERO ASSETS: REBUILDING THE SLEDS
The Holua sleds featured heavily in the action and needed to perform believably on-screen. The sled props used on set were built for practical movement but lacked the physics of true wooden sleds hurtling down rocky terrain.
We scanned the sleds in-house and rebuilt them digitally, allowing for realistic interaction with the environment. The FX team went through several iterations of rock spray and dust trail effects, ensuring the sleds felt grounded in the environment while enhancing the thrill of each movement.
DIGIDOUBLES AND IMPACT SHOTS
For wide and mid shots where live-action plates weren’t possible, especially when characters were thrown from sleds or engaged in high-impact action, our team turned to digital doubles. Scans captured during production (via local vendors like ScanMonster and StaplesVR) allowed the team to generate high-quality stand-ins for the hero riders.
These digital riders were then combined with dynamic destruction simulations, splintering wood, environmental debris, and blood FX, to heighten the realism and impact of key moments.
DEEP COMPOSITING: FLEXIBILITY AT SCALE
The client emphasised photorealism, accurate lensing features, and believable high-octane camera moves, all while maintaining visual continuity throughout the scenes. The sled race sequence showcases our team’s expertise across CG and compositing to handle large-scale, high-detail environments with precision.
Deep compositing and rendering provided the ideal solution, allowing flexible iteration of lighting, FX renders, elements, and compositing while maintaining uncompromising quality. The team could update new versions from CG in comp without worrying about mismatched mattes or incorrect FX holdouts. Everything was resolved seamlessly through the integration of deep workflows.
THE OCEAN AS A FINAL CHARACTER
The race ends in the ocean, but water in Chief of War is more than a backdrop. It appears throughout the sequence, offering tension and payoff alike.
Early race shots tease the ocean in the distance, while the final moments bring it violently into frame. We used a mix of digital water and surf footage captured on New Zealand’s coast, extending shots filmed in a blue screen ocean tank to create immersive, continuous environments. The sky and lighting were matched meticulously to preserve narrative flow and believability.
A SHOWCASE OF CAPABILITY
Chief of War drew on the full breadth of our team’s capability at Cause and FX across previs, asset development, FX, lighting, and compositing, demanding both precision and creativity to not only match the scale of the production, but elevate it.
This project also underscored the strength of New Zealand’s creative industry, with local crews, technologies, and artists contributing to a globally significant piece of storytelling.
Our contribution to Chief of War reflects the creative strength and technical depth that define Cause and FX’s approach to every project.
