Origami Phoenix: Streamlining the VFX Workflow for the Paramount+ Original Series 'Sexy Beast'

When it comes to gangster movies, Britain is a class of its own, and few films can match the cult classic 'Sexy Beast'. This character-driven drama set in Spain features two powerful performances, as Ray Winstone takes on the role of a retired bank robber and Ben Kingsley delivers a terrifying portrayal of a thug.

This new series from Paramount+ is the origin story of Gal Dove and Don Logan, taking us back to the 90s and exploring the events that led to the explosive conflict that unfolds in the original screenplay

The new series follows Gal Dove, a young man caught up in a world of crime and violence, as he finds himself drawn into the orbit of Teddy Bass, a charismatic and dangerous gangster. As Gal navigates the treacherous underworld of London, he must confront his own demons and make difficult choices that will shape his life forever.

An Ensemble Cast of Talented Actors

The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast, led by James McArdle as Gal. Emun Elliott stars as his best friend, Don, Sarah Greene is Deedee, Stephen Moyer is Teddy Bass and Tamsin Greig is Don’s formidable older sister, Cecilia.

The Challenge of Streamlining VFX Workflow for 'Sexy Beast'

Sexy Beast is a tent pole project for Paramount +, and the challenge lies not just with making a television show as cinematic as the film, but also adapting it to a modern audience. Whilst VFX isn’t a character in the film, in order to push the boundaries of what can be achieved in camera, VFX is frequently used throughout the show.

Even though budgets for high-end television are now far greater than they once were, ambition can still outweigh the resources. So with Sexy Beast the key was to make sure as much of that budget found its way on the screen as possible, meaning streamlining the process and minimising errors and wasted time was critical.

Origami Phoenix: A Game-Changer for VFX

Origami Phoenix is a revolutionary cloud tool that centralises all production assets, including reference videos and images, for a seamless and efficient workflow. Designed by industry experts, Origami Phoenix addresses the pain points of traditional manual-driven workflows, ensuring that all assets are easily accessible, organised, and viewable in one place.

How Origami Phoenix Helped 'Sexy Beast'

Sexy Beast faced several challenges that most productions do, which made traditional file management systems insufficient. Colour management was one of them. The show employed a variety of camera formats such as Sony’s Venice A7RIV, Alexa’s Mini LF, Mini, DJI X7, iPhones, Panasonic F10, GoPro, and Zcam, each of which has its own resolution and colour pipeline. This was also compounded by multiple vendors, each with their unique needs. The sheer complexity of these factors often creates plenty of opportunities for errors, delays, and inefficiencies - something most people in the industry are now unfortunately very familiar with.

Origami Phoenix addressed any potential concerns or issues. The platform eliminated the need for manual file transfers and searches by centralising all production assets. Editorial simply loaded the EDL into the platforms easy to navigate GUI, selected the vendor and the rest was automatic. This streamlined the workflow, reduced the risk of errors, and saved valuable time, converting a traditionally 48-business hour exercise to a done-in 15-minute, 24/7 process.

With post-production being carried out by Molinare, Origami automating the VFX delivery made sense, being the only product on the market that isn’t just territory agnostic but vendor agnostic as well.

“Origami Phoenix has been a valuable asset to our team. It has helped us to improve our efficiency, accuracy, and communication, which has been critical in bringing this show to life.”
James Levison, Producer

Overall, Origami Phoenix was a critical tool in the success of streamlining the VFX workflow on “Sexy Beast.” By reducing the need to over-communicate complex instruction and reducing errors, the platform helped to ensure that the show met its high production standards.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your VFX workflow, Origami Phoenix is a powerful and versatile solution with its centralised asset management, communication tools, user management, and simple, clean, elegant design. You can streamline your processes, reduce errors, and maximise efficiency.

If you’re ready to experience the power of Origami Phoenix, schedule a demo today.