JMW Turner: On the Wing
Commissioned by Tate
We are incredibly proud to have played a role in "Dialogues with Turner: Evoking the Sublime," a career-defining, long-form, three-screen film about the life and work of the revered painter J.M.W. Turner. Commissioned by Tate to bring Turner's expressive, travel-inspired work to life, our contribution began at the vital conceptual stage, shaping how this complex film was going to work.
Including introducing our longtime partners at Racquet Studios, based at Panavision, for the virtual production elements, who acted as the virtual production specialists to help realise the project's ambitious technical scale.
The Artist-Tourist: Mapping Turner’s Journey
Our core contribution to this prestigious project was a bespoke, rotoscope-animated short film that forms the visual backbone to the narrative. The film focuses on Turner's evolution as an artist-tourist, exploring the sweeping landscapes across Britain and Europe that shaped his masterpieces.
The narrative charts the artist's path through locations ranging from the Welsh mountains and the Swiss Alps to the English seaside at Margate, helping to bring his world to life through our distinct, handcrafted visual style.
Deep Dive: The Creative Technique
The animated film breaks away from standard collage animation techniques, relying on a heavy rotoscope style mixed with rich, handcrafted textures. This specific artistic approach is meant to directly mirror the expressive, sweeping brushwork that Turner is famous for.
Harmonising Colour and Texture
Our aim was to create a visual experience that felt instantly familiar, using the subtle inflections of parchments, paper, and ink washes to give the animations a grounded, tactile quality. By combining traditional textures with the fluidity of rotoscoping, the figures felt authentic rather than digitally perfect.
The colour palette for the line work was kept intentionally minimal to let the intricate details shine, while the body washes were meticulously layered to paint with light and shadow rather than solid hues.
To ensure absolute harmony with the film's striking, postcard-like colour grade, we avoided stark black and white, infusing the subjects with muted blues and browns that danced like dappled sunlight. This required constant refinement as footage returned from the grading team, particularly when adapting our tones to sit perfectly within the unique, cool turquoise environments of the snow scenes.
International Tour & Venues
Following its successful runs, JMW Turner: On the Wing continues to connect with global audiences as part of Tate’s international touring program:
Shanghai, China: The film served as the visual accompaniment to Landscapes of the Mind: Masterpieces from Tate Britain, which became the most heavily attended exhibition in Tate's history.
London, UK: It was featured on loop for a major exhibition at Tate Britain, charting his life through his abiding love of travel and the challenges of 19th-century journeying.
Taipei, Taiwan: The documentary expanded its East Asian presence when it opened at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
Como, Italy: As part of the exhibition "Turner: The Enchantment of Lake Como and the Italian Landscape" at the Palazzo del Broletto and Pinacoteca Civica, the film acts as an immersive complement to Turner's watercolours documenting his Italian journeys.
From Sketch to Touring Exhibition
What began as a collection of loose historical sketches and early conceptual discussions alongside the team at Tate evolved into a piece of cinema connecting with audiences worldwide.
Navigating the journey from traditional, handcrafted textures on a desktop screen to a sweeping, multi-screen virtual production required constant adaptation, collaboration, and meticulous technical precision. Seeing our distinct, rotoscope-animated style move from the quiet of the studio out into historic exhibition spaces from London to Taipei is a wonderful reminder of the enduring power of collaborative storytelling.