Extraction

Wentworth oversaw the creative studio’s work in creating the ‘oner,’ a frenetic and intimate continuous shot that stays with Hemsworth and Rudhraksh Jaiswal, who plays the role of ‘Ovi’ as they are pursued first on foot and then by vehicle. He described, “Sam and Marko did a fantastic job planning and capturing the practical footage for the oner. It was shot in order and most of the editorial decisions were locked in, so we were able to really focus on hiding the shot transitions, using 3D elements where it made sense.”

Wentworth and his team helped link shots and augment moments with digital dust, debris and glass, maintaining continuity throughout the action, including for the oner’s culmination: a massive truck explosion, which is full CG. “Throughout the sequence, it was critical that the shot cuts be undetectable, especially when we transition to the final explosion,” Wentworth explained. “In some ways, the last 30 seconds were the toughest to create; the work had to be photoreal and match practical footage to keep viewers engaged in the chase until the very end. It was certainly a pleasure collaborating with Sam and Marko, and coming up with creative solutions to unexpected challenges.” 

Crafting the film’s third-act action scenes also required creative thinking. Shot on location, the scene’s foreground elements are practical, but the city of Dhaka in the background was created digitally. Bethell and his team built a detailed, photoreal cityscape, then integrated the expansive environment with the foreground actors and bridge. With sweeping, dynamic shots, the sequence was achieved through meticulous work by the artists, who also enhanced action with digital muzzle flashes, blood spatter and atmospherics. 

Additionally, the team was tasked with creating a dramatic helicopter crash. A real helicopter was shot on location which provided excellent reference and timings for the team. Building on this, the team created and animated a full-CG helicopter getting hit by an RPG, which then spins out of control, through varying stages of destruction, before it crashes into the bridge and ultimately sinks into the river below. “The biggest challenge for the helicopter crash was to make it work as a sequence of events; creating a complex series of shots that told the story in a clear and readable fashion, whilst maintaining a believable amount of chaos,” Bethell explained.

Extraction is available to stream on Netflix.