Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1518753
www.postmagazine.com 10 POST MAR/APR 2024 A pple TV+'s Masters of the Air is based on Donald L. Miller's book of the same name, and follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (a.k.a. "Bloody Hundredth") as they conduct dozens of bombing raids over Nazi Germany. The nine-episode series looks at the struggles the crews face at 25,000 feet, including freezing temperatures and lack of oxygen, along with the psychological and emotional tolls that wear on the young men as they help to destroy Hitler's Third Reich. The series was executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and was split up among a team of directors that includ- ed Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Dee Rees and Tim Van Patten. Austin Butler and Callum Turner star in the series, which also includes Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Barry Keoghan, Rafferty Law, Edward Ashley, Jonas Moore, Elliot Warren, Matt Gavan, Branden Cook, Josiah Cross and Ncuti Gatwa. Stephen Rosenbaum (www.stephenrosenbaum. net) served as the show's visual effects supervisor, coordinating work among a number of studios, in- cluding The Third Floor, Dneg, Whiskeytree, Rodeo FX and Weta Digital. Here, he reflects on the VFX needs of the show and its challenges. Hi Stephen! Tell us about your background. "I've been an independent supe for years. I will occasionally associate with a specific VFX ven- dor, but most of the time, I'm freelance, hired by the studios." How did you get involved in Masters of the Air? "I got a call from somebody who was working on the show. Early on, they were deciding what direc- tion to go — both creatively and technically. They were looking around and saw my credentials, and they called me up." Masters of the Air Assembling a VFX armada for Apple TV+'s nine-episode WWII series BY MARC LOFTUS