There are times when the mood of a scene is built by stripping away vibrancy and beauty and where impact comes from restraint, and times where you lean further into the atmosphere.
Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue demanded both approaches. As a slick, twisted yet cinematic whodunnit, the series, directed by Directed by Brian O’Malley and Viviane Andereggen, plays out in a similar way to Lost - but stranger, creepier, drenched in rich colour, with beautiful but unnerving visuals. Working alongside BAFTA-winning cinematographer James Mather (Velveteen Rabbit), we set out to create a look that was saturated with colour whilst heightening the dark mystery of the plot.
From the outset, the grade was designed to embrace the stylised finish that supports the
story’s complex mystery and its ensemble of characters, each harbouring their own secrets.
It’s a series with layers of deception and claustrophobia, and we wanted every frame to hold the audience in that strange liminal space between danger and allure.
James’s cinematography gave us incredible textures to work with. The sets, already rich in
detail, were extended seamlessly through Residence Pictures’ expanded VFX work, consisting of over 800 shots in total, enabling us to lean into a world that felt vast yet enclosed. In the grade, working on Baselight, our role was to marry that scale with the creation of a claustrophobic, gritty, visual identity. We pushed the saturation into unexpected places, through warm hues of campfires and the soft glare of the jungle sun.
Tonally, the series continually shifts from a whodunnit towards horror and dream-like scenarios.
Our work in post had to reflect that fluidity and sense of bordering on magical - realism. In tense scenes between characters, we restrained colour casts to build a looming atmosphere. In moments of heightened emotion, we added flares of colour and deeper shadows so that world felt more vivid. With nine leads, multiple timelines, and a complex
mystery unfolding across various locations, the grade had to unite those elements withineach scene. We worked closely with James utilising the Baselight’s toolset, to shape the lighting and enhance each environment - from expansive set-extended exteriors, to the dark and confined scenes, ensuring that colour always carried the story.
The final look is bold and atmospheric. Deep hues, colour contrasts, and a finish that mimics a cinematic experience for TV. The look also solidifies the complex personality of the series;
mysterious and stylish, yet simultaneously vibrant and unsettling. In this case, the look had to be as much of a character as any of the suspects: slippery, luring, and never giving the audience the full picture until the very end.
Find out more information about Residence Pictures
Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue demanded both approaches. As a slick, twisted yet cinematic whodunnit, the series, directed by Directed by Brian O’Malley and Viviane Andereggen, plays out in a similar way to Lost - but stranger, creepier, drenched in rich colour, with beautiful but unnerving visuals. Working alongside BAFTA-winning cinematographer James Mather (Velveteen Rabbit), we set out to create a look that was saturated with colour whilst heightening the dark mystery of the plot.
From the outset, the grade was designed to embrace the stylised finish that supports the
story’s complex mystery and its ensemble of characters, each harbouring their own secrets.
It’s a series with layers of deception and claustrophobia, and we wanted every frame to hold the audience in that strange liminal space between danger and allure.
James’s cinematography gave us incredible textures to work with. The sets, already rich in
detail, were extended seamlessly through Residence Pictures’ expanded VFX work, consisting of over 800 shots in total, enabling us to lean into a world that felt vast yet enclosed. In the grade, working on Baselight, our role was to marry that scale with the creation of a claustrophobic, gritty, visual identity. We pushed the saturation into unexpected places, through warm hues of campfires and the soft glare of the jungle sun.
Tonally, the series continually shifts from a whodunnit towards horror and dream-like scenarios.
Our work in post had to reflect that fluidity and sense of bordering on magical - realism. In tense scenes between characters, we restrained colour casts to build a looming atmosphere. In moments of heightened emotion, we added flares of colour and deeper shadows so that world felt more vivid. With nine leads, multiple timelines, and a complex
mystery unfolding across various locations, the grade had to unite those elements withineach scene. We worked closely with James utilising the Baselight’s toolset, to shape the lighting and enhance each environment - from expansive set-extended exteriors, to the dark and confined scenes, ensuring that colour always carried the story.
The final look is bold and atmospheric. Deep hues, colour contrasts, and a finish that mimics a cinematic experience for TV. The look also solidifies the complex personality of the series;
mysterious and stylish, yet simultaneously vibrant and unsettling. In this case, the look had to be as much of a character as any of the suspects: slippery, luring, and never giving the audience the full picture until the very end.
Find out more information about Residence Pictures
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