Chicago Connection Fuels Visually Stunning Thriller ‘Catalyst’
A movie nine years in the making has arrived. Catalyst is a psychological thriller that recently premiered on AppleTV and is now available on Amazon Prime Video. The visually stunning film boasts an impressive cast and crew, and at the heart of the project is a strong Chicago connection and friendship. Director and Windy City native Chris Folkens teamed up with Chicago-based VFX guru and longtime collaborator Ryan Urban of Turncoat Pictures for this feature film. SCREEN chatted with Folkens, Urban and their team about bringing Catalyst to the big screen.
Before we dive in, let’s take a look at the trailer for Catalyst…
In Catalyst, seven men are abducted and held by a mysterious secret society known only as ‘The Collective.’ Pitted against each other in a fight for their lives, the men soon find out they have every reason to hate each other based on their dark pasts. As the mystery behind their captivity unfolds they must decide their path: choose one of them to die, or take the leap of faith that there may be another way out to save them all.
Catalyst boasts powerful performances from veteran actors Noel Gugliemi (Fast and Furious), Patrick Kilpatrick (Minority Report) David Bianchi (Queen of The South) and Melanie Liburd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die).
A Long Road but a Good Road
Nine years in the making, director Christopher Folkens concocted this film in a unique, almost experimental manner. Principal photography began in 2017, where the core of the film was shot 100% improvised, across multiple cameras. The film was then designed around the magic that was created on that first night of shooting. The production would independently fundraise and be shot over the next five years in a total of eight production days.
“The nine-year approach to Catalyst was an intense labor of love that began with improvised dialogue – performance theater if you will – captured in a gritty, yet cinematic way,” producer and starring actor David Bianchi emphasized to SCREEN.
Folkens explained to SCREEN, “I knew this would be a completely crazy way to make a first feature film. We were working with many elements from the actor’s backstories in real life so there was something magical on that first night that we all knew was worth crafting a film around. We pulled it off! It definitely takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster!”
Chicagoans Urban and Folkens Collaborate on Stunning VFX
Christopher and his team captured a hyper-cinematic world in-camera, with each frame being filled with a surrealistic grit. Many scenes and elements needed to be revisited in post with visual effects to help bring them to life. Chris turned to trusted collaborator Ryan Urban to help pull off the visual effects.
“Ryan has been my ‘go-to’ resource for all things VFX on every project I’ve done for a reason,” Folkens declared to SCREEN. “He has an incredible eye, a wealth of experience, resources and relationships that span the globe, and his work ethic is incomparable. The quality of a heavy visual effects driven film as a whole relies on the quality of the VFX at every level. As filmmakers, our job is to create a context for the audience to completely surrender to the story and go on the ride. Ryan and the team at Turncoat Pictures literally made that possible. I cannot thank him enough for his passion and dedication as a filmmaker to create phenomenal VFX that truly immerse the viewer in this story!”
VFX Supervisor and Co-Producer Ryan Urban – whose resume includes visual effects work on the newly released Mickey 17 and Wachowskis blockbusters The Matrix Resurrections and Cloud Atlas – shared what drew him to Catalyst. “In terms of VFX, this project has it all. What really excited me about working on Catalyst was the diverse set of creative needs. We really needed to lean into VFX to help bring a lot of moments to life, especially the sci-fi tech throughout the film.”
Enjoy some behind-the-scenes photos from Catalyst, courtesy of Folkens and his team…
Bianchi mentioned, “Ryan and his team elevated an already visceral world with VFX that are organic and cohesive to the story. The visual aesthetic of Catalyst offers a surrealistic grit that is hyper-cinematic in every way.”
All of the film’s visual effect shots passed through Turncoat Pictures. They not only served as the lead vendor on the project but also served as the project’s creative partner, orchestrating all things VFX through post. “We had a lot of work to get through, and we needed some support with other vendors too,” Urban shared with SCREEN.
Here is a set of production stills showcasing the visuals of Catalyst…
Visual Effects for Catalyst were made by Turncoat Pictures, Opsis, Orka and Anibrain. The film’s main animated title design was created by Daniel Del Purgotorio, key art poster by Dan Pedersen, based on concepts by Vin Hill. Color by Ryan Stemple at Quicksilver Color.
“Projects like this are a fun challenge,” Urban shared with SCREEN. “To get to kick off my teams and artists on similar needs to what other big tentpole films have – like holograms, futuristic shock collars, weaponry and energy walls – is an exciting part of the job. You can see people light up with excitement to take on the work.”
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