Every Frame Counts: Inside a Global VFX Studio at Work
AUGUST 11 2025
Some VFX sequences push the limits of what’s technically possible and creatively ambitious – and we love that. From photorealistic creatures to fully immersive digital environments, delivering high-end visual effects under real-world pressure is what we do best.
In one recent project, our Cause and FX team was tasked with creating a moody, forested world around a reflective pond – filmed entirely on an interior set. With international delivery deadlines and exacting creative requirements, it was a chance to bring the full weight of our global VFX studio’s skillset into play. Here’s how that project unfolded, from brief to final render.
Every project starts with a brief – a scene breakdown, reference imagery, and the story beats that drive it. In one recent case: build a moody, forested world around a reflective pond, filmed on an interior set with limited space. It was our job to extend the environment, elevate the mood, and deliver a result that felt expansive and grounded in reality.
Our environment artists analysed the camera data and lens information from set, then began digitally extending truncated trees and sculpting natural terrain. We’re not just filling in the blanks, we’re setting the visual tone for entire scenes.
We began layout work in Unreal Engine, using it to build and preview the forest geography across key shots. Lighting, timing, and camera movement were blocked early, helping the production team visualise intent. These layouts were then transitioned into Houdini via our internal pipeline, where we began developing more detailed natural elements – water, reeds, fog, and atmospheric layering. This balance between real-time tools and high-fidelity simulations lets us iterate fast while maintaining the quality standard our clients expect.
One of the most intricate challenges of this sequence involved crafting water and reeds with realistic interaction. Using Houdini, our 3D team simulated natural flow, surface disturbance, and reflection behaviour. The goal? A seamless blend between physical plate and digital addition.
It’s not just about environments. On another sequence, we were tasked with creating hyper-realistic insects that interact closely with a performer.
“I was really proud of way we had them breathe,” said Tim Capper, VFX Supervisor. “Their abdomens don’t simply pulse but have a telescopic expanding and contracting that we observed in hours of reference footage.”
These insects were modelled, rigged, and textured in-house, with attention paid to surface tracking and motion across skin and fabric. Subtle realism makes a big impact.
Compositing and FX teams collaborate closely to pull everything together. Frosty breath effects are another great example of subtle details that elevate a scene. Using a Houdini-based workflow, we controlled each breath’s life cycle – from visibility to dispersal – to reflect emotional intensity and scene pacing.
Client feedback loops remain tight throughout. Whether we’re reworking timing, colour grade, or geometry, each pass gets us closer to a polished result that not only looks great, but supports the story.
By delivery, we’re presenting data-rich renders for client approval. It’s not always linear. Some shots take days, others resolve in a few hours. But our goal is constant: deliver beautifully integrated VFX that elevate the production.
“From insects through to atmospheric builds, it’s the collaboration between our artists and the client that makes these projects shine,” said Chris Lyne, VFX Producer.
Every Frame Counts
This is what we do at Cause and FX. As a trusted partner to global visual effects studios and content creators, we bring world-class VFX to life under real-world constraints. From dense forest worlds to macro creature detail, we deliver visual FX that not only impress but immerse.
To see more of our work, explore our portfolio or get in touch to talk through your next project.
