Turbulent Skies | VFX in progress (2020)
Planet X was first approached for Turbulent Skies in late 2017 by Topkapi Series. The concept was initially proposed by Jeroen Plesman, the great grandson of Albert Plesman (one of the founders of KLM in the early 1920’s). Suggested as a feature film, the concept was reformulated as a television series and a team at writers collective Winchester McFly, headed by Thomas van der Ree, set out to create an episodical format for a high end drama series. This resulted in 8 scripts for 50 minute episodes each.
Particular challenges for us as a visual effects studio is the historical setting of the series, set in the interbellum and encompassing two decades of changing landscapes both literally in surroundings (like architecture), but also technologically with the fast paced evolution of early aviation. Fokker was known to travel the world, so we get to see 20’s and 30’s Netherlands, Germany, New York, UK and Indonesia. Meanwhile, Schiphol airport, one of the most prominently featured locations throughout the production, evolves from a simple field in 1920 to a more sophisticated arena over the course of the series.