Digipost’s team worked closely with the 30 Days Of Night production team, including VFX supervisor Charlie McClellan, to deliver a range of effects, including extensive rig removal, set extension and gore shots. Specialised environmental enhancements were carefully designed to add to the intense mood of the film. The VFX team used the power and speed of Flame and Inferno for the demanding effects, with Fire, Shake and Combustion complimenting the workflow.

A key part of the work was producing a subtle yet disturbing digital phenomenon, coined ‘digital vampire effects’, designed to heighten the terrifying nature of the film’s murderous villains. “Some types of effects are created and meant to be appreciated as computer generated effects”, explains McClellan, “while others are more aimed at the effect on the audience on a subliminal level.”

Digipost provided editorial with Avid systems for cutting the feature, and managed high definition grading and transfer of 35mm dailies in the Spirit DataCine® suite. Dailies files were streamed to the USA utilising high speed broadband. HD previews of the film were conformed and graded at Digipost, prior to test screenings in the USA.

The 30 Days of Night production team were housed at Digipost’s Auckland facility for the post phase, allowing a close working relationship between the VFX supervisor and the Digipost team. Prior to the Cannes Film Festival, a hard-hitting Dolby® Digital Surround Sound mix was produced for the trailer in the Digipost Dolby® certified audio facilities.