Cracking the Case for The Residence

NEXODUS brought their VFX expertise to Netflix’s gripping new murder mystery series, The Residence, produced by Shondaland and created by Paul William Davies. With a narrative set in the White House, the series follows Cordelia Cupp, a wildly eccentric detective, as she investigates a high-profile murder that unfolds during a state dinner. Partnering with FBI Special Agent Edwin Park, Cupp navigates a labyrinth of 157 suspects spread across the mansion’s 132 rooms, unraveling secrets and tensions in this thrilling whodunit.

Led by NEXODUS VFX Supervisor Ryan Urban and DFX Supervisor Anthony Kramer, the NEXODUS team completed 328 visual effects shots spanning all eight episodes. The work encompassed a diverse range of invisible VFX, including makeup enhancements, set extensions, matte paintings, editorial fixes, and more, all executed to maintain the seamless realism of the series.

One of the most intricate sequences tackled by NEXODUS involved Cordelia Cupp’s examination of the murder victim. The challenge was ensuring that the actor portraying the victim appeared truly lifeless. This required meticulous digital artistry to remove subtle signs of life, such as involuntary breathing, muscle twitches, and even the faint pulse visible in the neck and forehead veins. NEXODUS also added subtle facial scars for continuity and used a 3D scan of the actor’s head to ensure precise consistency across multiple angles.

Another standout sequence required transforming a California coastline into the lush, tropical environment of Tahiti. In this scene, Detective Cupp is birdwatching with her nephew, and the setting needed to be convincingly exotic. NEXODUS extended the coastline mountains and enriched the landscape with dense tropical forests using projected matte paintings seamlessly integrated onto 3D geometry.

Throughout the production, NEXODUS collaborated closely with The Residence’s VFX Producer, Tesa Kubicek, and VFX Supervisor, Seth Hill, ensuring that every shot enhanced the storytelling while remaining visually imperceptible. By integrating advanced digital techniques with traditional visual effects craftsmanship, NEXODUS contributed to the immersive realism and intricate atmosphere that define the series.

The Residence is now streaming on Netflix.