Behind the VFX Magic in Interview with the Vampire Season 2

Horse statue from art department on Stage 5 at Barrandov studios, Prauge, Czechia

Setting the Stage: A Cinematic Reveal in Paris

For season 2 of Interview with the Vampire, the script called for an ambitious opening scene to episode 2, that was as much a character reveal as it was a city reveal. Our two leads, Louis and Claudia, were to be positioned atop a statue on Pont Alexander iii in the heart of Paris—a moment that was both a visual feast and a narrative pivot as it showed the now settled vampires in their new home, signalling the show's shift from the cold, sombre tones of Eastern Europe to the vibrant, haunting allure of 1940s Paris.

This scene needed to establish the city as a central character in the remaining episodes, and cement for the Audience that we were here to stay. Episode 1 had been rooted in the decaying grandeur of the former Soviet bloc, and now, the story was moving into the heart of France. The contrast was stark, and it was crucial that the opening moments of Episode 2 captured this shift both visually and thematically.

Script Breakdown: Vision Meets Execution

Script Excerpt

To bring this vision to life, the VFX team had early discussions with the showrunner, Rolin Jones, director Levan Akin, and Art Director Mara LePere-Schloop. These initial conversations were crucial for aligning on the scene's direction, identifying which practical components would be built, and determining the optimal camera angles to capture the grandeur of the moment.
It quickly became apparent that the scene’s complexity required a level of visualization beyond traditional storyboarding. We needed to ensure that the production could shoot this ambitious sequence efficiently and that in post-production, we could deliver the desired impact on a television budget. This led to the decision to invest in previsualization (previs) and technical visualization (techvis).

Budget: Balancing Creativity and Cost

The VFX Supervisor, Ted Rae, was confident that we could bring the creative vision from the script to life. However, as we delved deeper into the project, it became increasingly clear that aligning the budget with this ambitious vision was crucial. As a VFX producer, one of the most significant challenges I face is finding that delicate balance between creative aspirations and budgetary constraints. In this context, previs (pre-visualization) emerges as an indispensable, cost-effective tool that allows us to invest a relatively small amount upfront, ultimately saving a substantial amount during the production and post-production phases.

When developing early budget estimates, even before the scripts are fully completed, it is essential to include a line item specifically for visualization with the assumption that there will be scenes that creatively need work beyond the page.

With the advent of Unreal Engine as a previs tool, it has significantly lowered costs while simultaneously enhancing the quality of output. Most post houses now offer a pre-visualization service if not a fully-fledged department. This means we can now achieve more for less, making the overall process more efficient and financially viable.

Striking the right balance during previs is critical to ensuring that the animation work supports the production without exceeding budget limits. Here are the specific aspects I focus on to maintain this balance:

Grounding the Scene: The scene must be firmly rooted in the reality of your set and the overall scope of the project. This ensures that the previs is practical and achievable within the production constraints.
Lenses and Equipment: The lenses used in previs should accurately replicate the on-set equipment, ensuring that the transition from previs to actual shooting is seamless and avoids costly surprises.
Actor Stand-ins: The stand-in models used in previs should match the height and build of the actual actors. This accuracy is crucial for ensuring that the previs is a true reflection of how the final scenes will look.
Location Scaling: If your project involves real-world locations, it is vital that these are correctly scaled within the previs. Accurate scaling ensures that the previs can be directly translated into production, minimizing the need for costly adjustments later. If your art department uses 3d software for set design get FBX exports of these to give to the vendor.

While these steps may introduce some additional costs upfront (modelling/sourcing character models) , they provide a significant advantage: the ability to generate Techviz at a reduced price. Since everything is already to scale, the transition from previs to production becomes much smoother, more efficient, and ultimately more cost-effective. Doing this process early also allows for creative decisions to happen well in advance before spending money on set.

Previsualization: Crafting the Scene Before Shooting

The initial briefing document provided to our VFX vendor was carefully prepared, ensuring that our first in-person meeting would focus on reviewing the preliminary scene layout in Unreal Engine.
The document included:**Google Earth Map:** Identifying the exact real-world location for the scene.
**Historical Images:** Ensuring an accurate depiction of 1940s Paris.
**Camera Locations and Movements:**
An opening crane shot sweeping over Paris.
A dynamic shot moving across Louis’s back to reset the 180-degree rule.
Close-ups capturing the intense emotions of Claudia and Louis.
A wide shot framing the entire statue with Paris in the background.
A pullback wide shot revealing hidden vampires observing the city.
We considered and tested several additional angles but ultimately focused on those that best supported the narrative. The value of previs lies in its ability to let the creative team experiment with various ideas early on, avoiding the need for costly camera tests or location scouting. After three rounds of revisions, with particular attention to the opening crane shot, we finalized the framing and movement, and the selected shots were rendered for review.

Edit: Fine-Tuning the Scene

With the previs shots completed, the next step was integrating them into the episode's edit. These shots, featuring basic character movements, were provided to the episode editor. Using a temporary script read from the cast, the team cut the scene to achieve the desired timing and pacing.

This process was essential, allowing the director, showrunner, and editors to collaboratively set the sequence's rhythm and identify any necessary adjustments. For example, it became clear that an additional wide shot was needed, while one of the originally storyboarded angles didn’t suit the actual location and was removed.

This stage also allowed VFX Supervisor Ted Rae to establish the sequence’s "rules"—guidelines designed to maximize creative impact without requiring a full 360-degree CGI reconstruction of Paris.

Techviz: Bridging Previs and Production

Once the edit was locked, the process moved to techviz, translating the previs into actionable shooting requirements. By this point, the art department had decided to construct a full-size horse for the statue, providing a tangible reference for the actors.

Using the soundstage layout, our vendor reproduced the same camera angles, now adapted to the physical space. This guided decisions on the minimal green screen needed and the placement of blackouts behind the lead actors, ensuring consistency across all shots.

This also allowed initial lighting chats with the DP on the episode who could plan for not only lighting the characters but also factoring in green screens.

The Shoot: Bringing the Vision to Life

Like most of our major VFX scenes, for speed and efficiency the cameras was on a Techno for the duration, allowing for quick fine tuning, movement around the statue and quick resets. A four-hour window was allocated which was tight but achievable due in part to going into the shoot day with a clear shot plan covering approximately seven setups.

Thanks to the previs and Tech viz, everyone on set—from the director and DP to the actors—knew exactly what was needed, allowing for some creative flexibility within the planned framework on character movement, interplay, and of course pacing.

The production of this key scene in Interview with the Vampire showed how thorough planning and advanced visualization techniques can bring ambitious ideas to life on a TV budget. The result was a visually striking sequence that set the tone for the season, drawing viewers into the dark, atmospheric world of 1940s Paris.

Making a Scene: The argument for Previsulation