Formation Effects created a groundbreaking shark for Australian film Beast of War using both practical effects and VFX for Melbourne International Film Festival
“This project was an absolute dream for a creature maker, The digital effects then pushed the creature beyond the physical to deliver full-scale, heart-pounding attack sequences.”
BRISBANE , AUSTRALIA, August 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The latest Australian creature feature to make waves at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), Beast of War (Bronte Pictures) owes much of its raw power to the team at Formation Effects, who designed, created, and brought to life the film’s menacing shark through a groundbreaking blend of practical effects and VFX.— Steve Boyle
A standout of this year’s MIFF genre lineup, Beast of War pushes the boundaries of Australian screencraft with its bold, visceral approach to creature horror. Formation Effects led the creative execution across practical and digital domains to realise the film’s iconic shark, in close collaboration with Bronte Pictures and director Kiah Roache-Turner. The shark, an epic scale that hasn’t been done in Australia before, was a multidisciplinary approach across prosthetics, animatronics, puppeteering and CG animation, all led by the Formation team
“This project was an absolute dream for a creature maker,” said Steve Boyle, Creative Director at Formation Effects. “The shark couldn’t just be a visual effect; it had to feel like a living, breathing presence. We built it to perform in real water with the actors, ensuring every scene felt authentic. The digital effects then pushed the creature beyond the physical to deliver full-scale, heart-pounding attack sequences.”
At the heart of the shark's creation was a custom-engineered, half-tonne animatronic powered by a unique compressed-air propulsion system, enabling it to move through the water with tremendous weight and presence. Covered in meticulously crafted silicon skin, the animatronic featured fully articulated mechanics controlled by puppeteers, who ensured its jaw and body motion felt organic in every shot. This allowed the team to deliver a camera-ready apex predator capable of enduring the rigorous demands of on-set production.
Formation’s VFX team then took the creature’s physical performance to the next level, blending high-fidelity CG animation to seamlessly augment its movement, including water simulations, diving, and dramatic attack sequences. The result: a perfect marriage of practical and digital techniques, allowing the shark to interact with its environment in a way that would have been impossible using animatronics alone.
“This is the kind of project that speaks to everything we love,” said Ally Muller CEO of Formation Effects. “Beast of War is a bold, brilliantly executed film. Homegrown in spirit but undeniably international in scope and ambition. It’s a powerful reminder that Australia filmmakers and crews have the creative depth and technical precision to deliver genre cinema at the highest level.”
Shot and post-produced entirely in Australia, Beast of War exemplifies the extraordinary power of homegrown teams working at the highest level. The film’s stunning mix of practical grit and digital finesse is already generating buzz as one of the breakout hits of the festival.
Beast of War will premiere at MIFF 2025 on 15th August.
Formation Effects is a multi-award-winning, globally recognized studio specializing in practical and digital effects for film and television. Based in Australia, Formation Effects has built a reputation for creating exceptional creature work, prosthetics, character effects, and integrated VFX solutions that elevate genre filmmaking to cinematic excellence.
With an end-to-end pipeline that blends world-class practical effects with cutting-edge VFX, Formation collaborates with visionary filmmakers to deliver unforgettable moments on screen. From international co-productions to high-end television and independent cinema, their work has featured in critically acclaimed films, festival standouts, and globally streamed hits.
Led by Creative Director Steve Boyle and CEO Ally Muller, the Formation Effects team is known for bold creative thinking, technical precision, and a relentless commitment to story-driven artistry. Whether creating an apex predator, fantasy creature, or environmental VFX, Formation Effects brings innovative, narrative-driven artistry to every frame.
Allison Muller
Formation Effects
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