Refuge played a pivotal role in the FX series Shōgun, bringing the show’s most violent and visceral moments to life and contributing to a 2024 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects. Collaborating with overall VFX supervisor Michael Cliett, Refuge helped craft a gritty portrayal of 16th-century Japanese culture through harrowing scenes of warfare, executions and seppuku, all rendered with meticulous realism.
Shōgun
Episode 4, “The Eightfold Fence”
The chain shot sequence in Episode 4, “The Eightfold Fence,” was our most complex work, requiring a deep understanding of historical weaponry and animation. This reimagined 16th-century naval weapon was studied in detail for its construction and function. We used advanced CGI to accurately simulate its weight and motion in battle, ensuring lifelike dynamics and chaotic impact. By integrating particle effects and dynamic simulations, we depicted the resulting debris and devastation. Collaboration among animators, compositors, and sound designers aimed to immerse viewers in the moment and enhance the narrative tension. The final result reflects our commitment to authenticity in visual storytelling
Chain Shot Cannonballs
Refuge’s VFX team meticulously developed a functioning CG chain shot, incorporating detailed digital doubles of on-set samurai stunt actors as targets. We employed extensive fluid simulations to depict the horrifying aftermath, including mud, blood, and viscera as the chain shot tore through the unsuspecting men.
Originally designed to destroy ship masts, it’s used with devastating effect against samurai, marking a critical moment in the story. The sequence begins with John Blackthorne, an English navigator, training Toranaga’s soldiers to use cannons from his wrecked ship and unknowingly shifting the balance of power in Japan’s Council of Regents. The scene turns shocking when Toranaga’s son orders the cannons fired at Council observers, resulting in a gruesome display of the chain shot’s destructive power.
The aftermath of the battle also required detailed CG solutions to show the dismemberment and execution of Jozen, a high-ranking samurai and messenger for the Council of Regents. This violent act escalates tensions between Toranaga and rival factions, pushing the story into full-blown war.
Boiled Alive!
Another especially gruesome example of Refuge’s work is the scene where a captive sailor from Blackthorne’s shipwrecked crew is boiled alive to send a chilling message to the remaining survivors about the consequences of defying or disrespecting a local daimyo. Refuge sculpted and animated a detailed, boiled human digi-double, married with detailed fluid simulations to depict the horrific act in graphic detail. We meticulously recreated the boiling process to convey the sheer brutality of the punishment and ensuring the visuals were both shocking and authentic.
Seppuku
Seppuku, the ritualistic suicide practiced by samurai, is another area where our expertise in organic sculpting and soft body dynamics were deployed. After closely matchmoving the movements of actors and their weapons, we created realistic stomach wounds complete with visible intestines and internal organs. Simulations of blood and organs spilling from the wounds were then layered in, resulting in shockingly candid and graphic depictions of seppuku. These scenes were further heightened by the emotional weight of the characters involved, often making their deaths even more impactful.
Our work also highlighted the role of the kaishakunin, the “second” tasked with decapitating the samurai mid-ritual to ensure a merciful end. Our work again utilized a transition from the real actor’s performance to a digi-double to depict the decapitation process, seamlessly blending CG with the practical effects. The result was a series of death scenes that were not only visually shocking but also deeply rooted in the cultural and historical context of the samurai code.
Through clever and tasteful use of CG digi-doubles and FX simulations, meticulously choreographed to align with actor performances, Refuge enhanced Shōgun’s striking visuals while finding a balance between historical authenticity and emotional depth. Our contributions brought a raw realism to the series, making its depictions of violence some of the most memorable and impactful moments in the show.
Emmy Winner - Best Supporting Visual Effects