Written by Daniel Kaluuya in his first screenwriting credit, and co-directed by Kaluuya with Kibwe Tavares, The Kitchen is a beautifully realised science fiction movie set in a dystopian near-future London, where gleaming new structures exist alongside a sprawling slum - the Kitchen of the title.
Premiering at the London Film Festival in 2023, this indie gem funded by Netflix explores the resilience of the human spirit against the backdrop of a world undergoing profound transformation. Axis Studios played a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life. Joining the project in post-production, Axis’ VFX division delivered over 250 shots across several sequences set in this detailed and well-connected world. The production design and effects work were both recognised with BIFA 2023 awards, and it is a testament to the invaluable contributions of the late VFX Supervisor Jonathan Gale, and to Richard Baker who took over the later part of the project, that the final film reflects such a coherent vision.
In their review, The Guardian wrote, “The Kitchen setting itself is tremendously fabricated on screen, with top-notch special effects work; it is a spectacularly rundown housing block surrounded on all sides by glitzy new apartment buildings for the heartless better off.”
Axis’ VFX Supervisor Gary Kelly and VFX Producer Albert Testani marshalled their team on a tight turnaround to add futuristic skyscrapers, views of The Kitchen, futuristic funeral rites and even a recognisably frustrating run-in with a cash machine.
“The real challenge of this project,” said Creative Supervisor Simon Carr, “was to be able to match the look already set for the film, and to blend the reality of the shooting locations with the imagined future London. Through CG, DMP and extensive compositing, our team was able to do that and to do so and still offer creative ideas and solutions where required. We’re very proud of our work, and to be associated with such a good-looking film”.
