Cold Storage
Sector
Film & SeriesType
VFX
When a mutating, highly contagious fungus escapes a sealed facility, two young employees - joined by a grizzled bioterror operative - must survive the wildest night shift ever to save humanity from extinction.
For the feature film COLD STORAGE, the film & series teams at The Mill, formerly MPC Paris, was entrusted with the full visual pipeline, from visual effects through image post-production. Directed by Jonny Campbell and produced by STUDIOCANAL, Pariah and David Koepp, who also authored the original novel, the project places The Mill at the core of the film’s technical and creative craftsmanship.
A Large-Scale International Collaboration
COLD STORAGE brought together 431 artists to deliver 541 VFX shots over an 18-month production period, driven by MPC/THE MILL teams worldwide. The technical scope was extensive, ranging from set extensions and fully CG environments to creatures, macroscopic sequences, explosions and large-scale destruction, alongside highly detailed digital enhancement of SFX makeup. This diversity engaged every department within the studio and led to the creation of numerous bespoke assets and tailor-made technical solutions.
“Cold Storage was a true challenge, as it required us to cover the entire VFX spectrum, from invisible clean-ups to the complete destruction of environments, including creatures and digital set extensions,”
Nikolas D’Andrade, Co-VFX Supervisor.
VFX supervision was led jointly by Bastien Chauvet and Nikolas D’Andrade, supported by a production team headed by Cyprien Andronikof, Fanny Bilani and Alice Neichols.
The Fungus: A Character in Its Own Right
At the heart of the story, the “Fungus” stands as the film’s central visual element. Conceived as a true character, it required extensive organic research to feel both credible and threatening, without ever adopting identifiable features. The identity of this menace relies on highly precise work on textures, color and animation, ensuring clear visual readability at both microscopic scale and during large-scale contamination sequences.
The identity of this threat is conveyed through precise work on textures, color and animation, ensuring clear visual readability at every scale, from microscopic detail to large-scale contamination sequences.
“The Fungus is the real star of the film. Everything relied on animation and visuals to give it a distinct personality, without ever becoming too over-the-top”
Bastien Chauvet, Co-VFX Supervisor
Global Expertise: From Lab to Final Delivery
Beyond visual effects, MPC Paris handled the full image post-production, overseeing a substantial volume of conforms and multiple grading sessions through to final theatrical and video deliveries, including Dolby Vision masters.
By offering an integrated Lab and VFX workflow, MPC Paris streamlined exchanges between editorial and color management, ensuring visual consistency and an efficient pipeline for all creative teams.
Throughout production, the collaboration with STUDIOCANAL and the entire creative team was built on a foundation of trust and constant communication.
MPC would like to warmly thank STUDIOCANAL, Gavin Polone (Pariah), and David Koepp for their confidence, as well as all the artistic and technical teams whose talent brought this ambitious project to life.