Soho based VFX specialists, Finish, have completed work on a powerful new viral film for Amnesty International entitled DEFY THEM, which was conceived by WCRS and produced by Therapy Films.
The film, which aims to highlight the work of the world's most influential human rights organisation, sees a man tied to a bed surrounded by three men wielding glass jars containing liquids and bodily fluids that they intend to use to torture their prisoner with. As each of the torturers attempts to attack the terrified prisoner their hands and arms take on a life of their own and they are unable to continue. It appears that unseen forces are guiding the hands and arms of the captors into performing various acts against their will such as unshackling the prisoner and waving goodbye to him as he makes an escape, which was achieved using striking visual effects.
Finish producer Fi Kilroe adds, "Each of the actors was shot with rods attached to their wrists with puppeteers manipulating their movements so that they truly appeared not to be in control of their arms. In Flame the rods were removed which was tricky in places due to recreating the actors bodies and clothes."
In the dramatic conclusion to the film, which is enhanced further by clever effects, we see the shocked faces of the torturers gazing in disbelief at their hands in close up. As the camera pulls back to a long shot we see three figures wearing t-shirts bearing the classic Amnesty insignia emerging from behind the torturers. The three figures slowly step back to reveal that they are the arms and hands of the torturers. The film cuts to black and the message DEFY TORTURERS. TOGETHER IT'S IN OUR HANDS appears on screen.
The initiative is part of The Amnesty International DEFY THEM campaign and the film can be seen at htwww.amnesty.org.uk/defythem.
CreditsAgency: WCRSAgency Producer: Lesley WilliamsAgency Creatives: Oli Beale and Alex HolderVFX Co: FINISHVFX: Jason Watts, Steve Murgatroyd and Byron WooffindinVFX Producer: Fi KilroeGrading in FlameProduction Company: Therapy FilmsDirector: Christian BevilacquaProducer: Tess MitchellEditor: Al Sinclair at Swordfish
Vital StatisticsRunning Time: 01:40Production elements: VFX
