PROFILE
TOP TO BOTTOM: One of the most rewarding aspects of working on Annihilation for Williams was being able to be part of the creative decisions early on in pre-production. (Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures) Williams served as Special Effects Supervisor on Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. (Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures) Williams assists her father, Joss Williams, in producing the special effects for Dark Shadows.
there will always be a harmony between practical and digital effects. In fact, I think it’s great now, as the dust has settled, as we all realized both areas are very much needed. We all have a role to play working in a symbiotic way, taking our live-action work and crossing over into digital. I’ve worked closely with visual effects supervisors over the last five years, and together we have come up with some great effects. You provide as much as you can safely and cost-effectively on set, and they can enhance it. You can work together and produce some beautiful-looking effects.” Advances in technology have made certain aspects of special effects faster. “Water cutting, laser cutting and 3D printing are essential to us meeting deadlines these days with time-scales and schedules getting busier with more demand,” notes Williams. “For example, where once we would be in the workshop cutting and building something for ourselves, instead now we have a full CAD team who will design our rigs with stress- testing factored in on computer and then send those files to fabricators and be back to us within days ready for assembly.” The Pacific was heaven for the special effects team, where Williams served as an administrator and technician for her father. “We went to Australia for 12 months to film HBO’s The Pacific,” recalls Williams. “We were so busy on that project, prepping and shooting countless bullet hits, large explosions, and constructing breakaway buildings that we then destroyed. It was early on in my career, and I was on set for most of the production. It was hard work, but we had a brilliant time, and I was proud to be a part of it as special effects then went onto win two Emmys as a result.” Hugo was a good lesson on the importance of atmospherics. “Smoke haze, steam vents and water drip rigs were all added
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PG 62-66 HAYLEY WILLIAMS.indd 64
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