

What kind of creature would allow us to see the full scope of their monster hunting methods, and of how the Inevitable works?įor example, having tentacles that move around gives us an opportunity to see how characters interact with threats coming from different directions. After all, this sequence is our introduction to how the hunters operate. However, it isn't just a scary monster for the sake of having a scary monster - although Williams did say he wanted the monster to feel "prototypically scary." This monster was designed specifically with this fight in mind. The Brickleback is exactly that: a massive leviathan with tentacles, a hard exoskeleton, and a fearsome set of jaws. Credit: NetflixĪnother key element of this action sequence is having a formidable foe to square off against. "I can't stress enough how collaborative of an endeavor it is."Īttack of the Brickleback. "A director doesn't make an action scene by themselves," said Williams.
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Williams credits The Sea Beast's head of story Owen Chietsu Sullivan with coming up with that section, saying there was a hole in the middle of the sequence that they didn't know quite how to piece together until toward the end of the production. It's an efficient and engaging way to see just how much Jacob cares about his crew mates. He slashes tentacles, sends buoys into the ocean to keep overboard crew members afloat, and catches people falling through the air. In one section of this fight scene, he sees that several people are in danger and quickly goes about helping them. Meanwhile, the focus on Jacob was not only to show that he's an exceptional hunter, but also that he's ready to put other people's lives ahead of his own. Then, when Jacob goes overboard, Captain Crow stops in his tracks and readies the ship to get him back. You can see him watching out for Jacob throughout the fight, even when he's fighting off a Brickleback tentacle.

With Captain Crow, Williams wanted to show his authoritativeness and command of the ship, as well as the more father-son feeling he has with Jacob. Everyone's doing their part and everyone's excellent at what they do, and they can trust each other with their lives," explained Williams. "Their very lives depend on the idea that this is a cohesive team. Key to character development in this sequence was the idea of establishing trust and camaraderie between every crew member on the Inevitable. pushing character dynamics and relationships over the course of the action scene so that we understand the character more deeply at the end."Ī great action scene should also reveal character. "You should be engaged with the characters and feeling the peril for the characters and. "There's a truth to the idea that a great action scene should also reveal character," said Williams. As it does, we get swashbuckling action intertwined with key character development. The Brickleback fight most certainly turns every stone, taking us across the Inevitable's deck, up into its rigging, and even down into the depths of the ocean. How can be bigger, how can it be more exciting, more unexpected? Can we introduce more peril, can we introduce more fun? Have we turned every stone?" "It's just that simple question of, 'can we go further?'. He explained that it's important not to settle for "good enough" when it comes to all aspects of animation and storytelling, including action. Throughout his animation career, which includes credits as director of Big Hero 6 and co-director of Moana, Williams has similarly pushed for bigger and better action set pieces. " The Road Warrior left a mark on me, and I always appreciated just how far pushed his action scenes beyond anyone's expectations," Williams told Mashable in a phone interview.

When it comes to action inspirations, Williams describes himself as "a child of George Miller." Stirling Duguid, to learn how they brought this massive scene to life. Mashable spoke with The Sea Beast's director Chris Williams, as well as editor Joyce Arrastia and VFX supervisor R. On top of all that, it's a technically impressive set piece featuring breathtaking animation and a ton of moving parts. It introduces us to The Sea Beast's world of sea monsters and the hunters who seek to kill them, as well as characters like famed hunter Jacob Holland (voiced by Karl Urban) and the Inevitable's legendary Captain Crow (voiced by Jared Harris). Here, it serves as a pulse-pounding indication of things to come. The sequence, which lasts about eight minutes, is the kind of showdown you'd expect to see in a film's climactic final moments. There are harpoons, there are heroic deeds, and there are many, many tentacles. The crew of the monster hunting ship the Inevitable takes on a sea beast known as the Brickleback. Less than 10 minutes into Netflix's The Sea Beast, we're treated to a battle of absolutely epic proportions.
