The Crown, Season 5

Rumble’s Emmy-nominated team have returned to The Crown, completing 120 shots across 8 episodes of the 5th season.

We were delighted to contribute to the opening of Episode 1, as we go back to 1953 with the launch of the royal yacht Britannia, and original cast member Claire Foy!

A partial set was built on the Elstree Studios backlot of the Clydebank shipyard in Scotland, and Rumble filled in the rest. Digital matte paintings of the surrounding streets and buildings were populated with flag-waving green screen crowds. An archive treatment was then applied, so the shots would seamlessly intercut with the genuine newsreel footage, complete with filmic scratches, pops and flicker.

In one shot, the original newsreel footage was used as the background, and Rumble were tasked with a full head replacement for the Queen.

Fast-forward and 90’s Piccadilly Circus was brought back to life with Rumble’s intricate 3D recreation of the old advertising hoardings. Digital matte paintings of the original architecture were projected onto architectural geometry and a period trivision poster promoting the release of Andrew Morton’s Diana biography were seamlessly composited onto the live action footage.

Rumble’s Windsor Castle asset was once again deployed across multiple episodes, transforming the live action location of Burghley House into the royal residence in a variety of lighting conditions.

Windsor is seen from some new angles in this season, including an aerial drone shot encompassing the entire footprint of the castle complex. Our 3D set extension model was augmented to include the rooftop areas, Round Tower and St George’s Chapel, with a digital matte painting used for the distant Windsor town, river Thames and surrounding countryside.

In episode 8 while the famous Diana Panorama interview is being broadcast, the Queen is attending the Royal Variety Performance. Rumble filled out all the empty seats of the Dominion Theatre, using specially shot green-screen audience members, tracked into the swooping camera moves, to give the impression of a full-house.

One memorable episode 3 sequence features Mohamed Al-Fayed overseeing the renovation of the former house of the abdicated Edward VIII and his wife, Wallis Simpson.

Lidar scans were taken of the location standing in for ‘Villa Windsor’ by the production-side VFX team, and it was Rumble’s job to make the house look dilapidated, dressing the 3d model with weathering, mould and overgrown foliage.

Digital matte paintings were also used to add a twinkling city lights backdrop as Diana and Dr Hasnat Khan get to know each other in episode 7.

Full head replacements for the Prince Phillip and Penny Knatchbull characters were also needed for a number of shots during carriage driving sequences in episode 2.

In this case, 3D heads were constructed by Rumble using photogrammetry taken of actors Jonathan Pryce and Natascha McElhone by the production-side VFX team.

As Charles and Diana set sail on holiday in episode 1, digital matte paintings of Neapolitan seascapes and 3d models of yachts of the correct period were added.

CG pheasants were used across multiple episodes, dressed into the background of various shooting scenes, and a fully animated CG goshawk featured in a number of episode 2 shots.