VFX house produced roughly 200 shots for Alex Garland film
Cinesite delivered approximately 200 VFX shots for Warfare, which plunges audiences into the heart of the Iraq War in 2006. The film follows a platoon of American Navy SEALs stationed in the home of an Iraqi family, tasked with monitoring US troop movements through hostile territory.
Shot in a gripping, documentary style at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire, Warfare places viewers alongside the soldiers, providing an immersive and visceral experience of modern combat told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it.
VFX production supervisor Simon Stanley-Clamp along with Cinesite VFX producer Martina Silharova oversaw the creation of invisible visual effects that seamlessly blend with the film’s raw and realistic aesthetic.
“Working with Ray and Alex on ‘Warfare’ was a privilege” says Stanley-Clamp. “They had a clear vision for portraying the visceral nature of combat, and we collaborated closely to ensure the VFX enhanced their storytelling without ever drawing attention to themselves. It was about subtlety and authenticity.”
A key aspect of Cinesite’s work involved digitally replicating the expansive set constructed at Bovingdon Airfield. This digital double allowed for environment extensions, the addition of realistic explosion damage, and the generation of CG reconnaissance footage.
One of the most dramatic sequences features F-18 fighter jets roaring through the street in a show of force. Cinesite artists meticulously crafted these CG planes and their authentic slipstream effects, creating swirling vortices of dust that interact with the environment.
“The artists challenge on Warfare was to create spectacular effects, like the F-18 flybys, while maintaining the film’s gritty, grounded aesthetic” adds Silharova. “ We had to be meticulous in our approach, ensuring every detail, from the dust simulations to the explosion augmentations, felt absolutely real.”
In addition, Cinesite collaborated closely with the special effects team to enhance explosions, smoke, and the distinctive plumes of white smoke produced by “phosphers” grenades. The team also added a distant cityscape to the horizon, further immersing viewers in the war-torn setting.
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