Written by new-contact on Oct 17, 2014. Posted in Production News

Dystopian movie Young Ones films South Africa with VFX work in Ireland

New dystopian movie Young Ones doubled South Africa for a dusty US state in a future where the planet is ravaged by chronic drought. Visual effects work was completed in Ireland by Windmill Lane VFX of Dublin, under a co-production deal with South Africa.

Filmmaker Jake Paltrow originally planned to shoot in Spain, but ultimately decided to film his future vision in South Africa.

Referring to location photos he was shown of South Africa, Paltrow told USA Today: “They looked exactly like what I had in my mind's eye. I always imagined the eastern plains of Colorado or Kansas or majestic wheat fields but more of an abandoned landscape.”

He added that the production team experienced “brutal” heat on location in Springbok, South Africa: “There's a part of that where, even if you're not a method actor, it's doing it for you almost. What you see in the movie is really what it's like - you feel the heat and the desolation of this film naturally.”

Shooting on film with Anamorphic lenses in one of the hottest, driest places on the planet was extremely challenging.

Ditch Doy, Windmill Lane VFX

Windmill Lane had a presence on set to get the visual effects references they needed to create the stories more futuristic technological elements. The main element was the ‘Simulit Shadow’, a robotic agricultural tool in the story that was partially computer-generated for the finished film.

Ditch Doy of Windmill Lane commented: “Shooting on film with Anamorphic lenses in one of the hottest, driest places on the planet was extremely challenging, but it all seems worthwhile when you see Giles Nuttgen’s breathtaking cinematography.”

South Africa is increasingly being used as a double for US locations, partly because of its generous filming incentive programme. Sci-fi drama series Dominion is a recent example, doubling Cape Town for a futuristic Las Vegas, while international brands like Dulux are also filming locally.

Cape Town Film Studios is currently hosting the pirate drama series Black Sails and wants to expand its facilities to better cater for demand from the US.