Pennyworth S2 - SFX Warner Horizon Television

Our client, Warner Horizon Television, asked us to provide floor effects, special props and pyrotechnics for the second series of alternate-history spy drama, Pennyworth. The origin story of Alfred Pennyworth, who later in the DC universe becomes Batman’s butler, plays out against backdrop of a 1960s London overrun by the fascist Raven Union – a scenario offering plenty of scope for stylised atmospherics and stunning set piece effects.

Artem provided a standby floor effects team for all episodes of Season 2, bringing in additional support for ‘SFX heavy’ days and set piece work. The drama makes much use of pyrotechnics, particularly in its explosive finale, and required rain, wind, atmospherics, custom makes and rigs.

Highlights included:

Hall of Mirrors effect – For a scene in a traditional fairground attraction Artem created and tested a scenic structure, built from panels of breakaway mirror glass supported on a steel frame, which the protagonists crash through while fighting.

Wheelchair Prop – Artem adapted an existing vintage wheelchair supplied by the art department, making it electrically driven, and adding dressing and an air powered dummy ventilator system.

Pyro Set Pieces – Artem effects during Season 2 included an exploding car, bullet hits against a coffin, pub explosion, a high building explosion and street mortars.

Branch Rig – Our makers moulded and cast a realistic tree branch and designed a spring rig for a forest scene.

Atmospherics – Church interior, forest, airfield, general exterior scenes, street scenes during and post the finale battle, and wide-shot rain scenes - using building-mounted rain rigs.

Artem MD and project supervisor, Toby Stewart, said, ‘Working on a production like Pennyworth is enormously rewarding for an SFX company. Our technicians get to work across such a wide variety of effects, many of which are designed and tested in our West London workshops.’

Pennyworth 2 was produced by Warner Horizon Television and was shot at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden and various UK locations.

Season 2 premiered on Epix (US) in December 2020 and was released in the UK on Starzplay (via Amazon Prime) in 2021. All episodes now available. View the trailer here.

Industry

• TV
• CAD CAM

Discipline

• Atmospherics
• Electronic Design
• Mechanical Rigs
• Props
• Pyrotechnics & Fire
• Wind, Water and Steam
• Floor Effects
• GRP & Composite processes

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