NSPCC

Shift Ctrl is an NSPCC campaign that makes the threats of online spaces physically intrude into teenagers’ everyday lives. Created by House of Oddities and directed by Ethan & Tom through Partizan, the film combines practical effects with visual effects by Framestore.

I worked on all ten shots involving generative AI. I co-developed the exterior vortex, separating the plate into independently controllable layers. Where generated foliage became difficult to clean up, a Houdini particle system provided a more controllable solution.

I took three mirror shots from initial experiments through to compositing-ready passes. Filmed actor performances drove the transformations, preserving expression and lip sync. For a head emerging from a mirror, I combined animated reference in Nuke with ControlNet and start/end images to guide the motion. Separate reflection and highlight passes kept final control with the compositing team.

I also restored an out-of-focus shot by reconstructing a sharp facial reference from real images and transferring the filmed performance onto it. Throughout the project, the aim was to use generative tools where they helped, and conventional VFX where they offered better control.