Natalie Portman’s Oscar-Winning Thriller With 85% RT Score Gets Glowing Review From VFX Artists 14 Years Later

The 2010 thriller Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman, gets detailed praise for its clever use of computer-generated effects. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the film about ballerina Nina Sayers losing her grip on reality amid the pressure to compete for the dual roles of the White and Black Swans in Swan Lake was a hit with both critics and audiences upon release. The imagery used to convey Nina’s unraveling leaves a lasting impression, and the VFX that made it happen has impressed professionals 14 years later.

In their most recent entry into their VFX reaction series, Corridor Crew members Sam Gorski, Wren Weichman, and Jordan Allen discuss a scene in which Portman’s Nina is looking at a reflection of herself while standing between two mirrors. Rather than the infinite reflections one would normally see, one of Nina’s reflections scratches its shoulder, and then turns to look back at her. After some back-and-forth guessing how it was done, Allen went on to break down the shot and what made it extra challenging:

They’re filming from behind a reciprocal mirror, and then for the element of her in the reflection, that is shot on green [screen]. They’re matching the light. Same camera move, but interestingly enough, it’s just a guesstimated camera move… Since it’s not motion control, meaning both camera motions are identical, the compositor has to stabilize one shot and then track it into the original shot. They blend in just the right shoulder of her arm after the interaction is complete with the woman, which is a great subtle way of introducing it, and then they use the wipe of the head to transition away… Super well done.

What The VFX Meant To Black Swan

The Film’s Subtle Approach Meant Better Immersion

Black Swan was nominated for nearly 200 awards when it was released, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Visual Effects. The visual effects were handled by Look Effects, Inc. and were headed up by Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Schrecker. Schrecker, who went to film school with Aronofsky, helped elevate the film and further enhanced the psychological thriller.

While some of the movie’s 250 VFX shots, such as Nina’s transformation into an actual black swan on stage in Black Swan‘s ending, are very prominent, many are subtle, if noticeable at all. This groundedness is crucial to overall effect of the film, as the audience experiences Nina’s break with reality from her perspective, and her hallucinations have to play out as if they’re real. The approach to VFX allowed the audience to truly believe in the world that was being presented, even when the imagery became impossible.

Our Take On The Visual Effects In Black Swan

A Key Part Of A Darren Aronofsky Masterpiece

Black Swan was yet another feather in the cap of director Darren Aronofsky. The Academy Award-nominated filmmaker has made a career out of creating surreal and often disturbing films, but each has an element of relatability that draws in the audience. In the case of Black Swan, he used visual effects to help further illustrate Nina’s descent into madness, and the mirror scene highlighted here is a great example of how successful that strategy was.

Source: Corridor Crew

In Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan, talented ballet dancer Nina Sayers struggles with her mental health while preparing for her performance in a production of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Natalie Portman earned a Best Actress Oscar in the lead role, and the cast made up of Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder received high praise from critics and audiences.

Director

Darren Aronofsky

Release Date

December 3, 2010

Studio(s)

Searchlight Pictures

Distributor(s)

Searchlight Pictures

Writers

John J. McLaughlin , Andres Heinz , Mark Heyman

Runtime

108 minutes

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