Extended Media served as VFX Supervisor and visual researcher for animated feature North, an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, overseeing a complex international production.
The animated feature film North, produced by PictoryLand Studios AS, is a visually stunning adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, enriched by the works of Selma Lagerlöf and Zacharius Topelius. Set in the Victorian era across locations in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, the film’s production required a complex, international pipeline. The film follows young Gerda’s journey to rescue her friend Kai from the Snow Queen’s icy palace in Finnmark, Norway, a narrative that emphasizes the power of love, courage, and persistence. As VFX Supervisor, Extended Media orchestrated this global effort, helping to coordinate teams in Norway, the US, Hungary, Georgia and India, and employing cutting-edge technologies.
Extended Media’s contributions included character development in 2024 and concept production development in 2022. The technical pipeline incorporated a range of software and techniques, including Ftrack for project management and tracking, Autodesk Maya for 3D modeling and animation, Unreal Engine for real-time rendering and virtual production, markless Motion Capture for efficient and natural character animation, MetaHuman technology for creating realistic digital humans, and Octane Renderer for high-quality, physically-based rendering.
The visual development of some characters involved a careful study of historical figures. Taking inspiration from portraits and available historical documentation (represented by the image of Hans Christian Andersen on the left), the design team created initial 2D concept art (Severin character). These concepts were then sculpted into 3D models (center image), retaining key recognizable features while adapting the likeness to the animation’s stylized aesthetic. The final character design (right image) reflects this balance between historical inspiration and the needs of the animated medium.
The animal characters in “North” presented a unique design challenge: creating believable animals that could also convey a wide range of emotions and interact convincingly with the human characters. The design process, exemplified by the cat or the horse, involved a careful balance between stylized aesthetics and anatomical accuracy. This required a departure from pure realism, focusing instead on key features that would enhance expressiveness and support the film’s narrative needs.
The asset pipeline for characters and props followed a consistent workflow. The process initiated with high-resolution sculpting in ZBrush to define the form and detail. This sculpt was then retopologized, creating a lower-polygon, animation-ready mesh with clean topology. UV mapping unwrapped the 3D model’s surface, providing a 2D canvas for texturing. After texturing, the asset was optimized for animation, including adjustments to polygon count and joint placement to ensure efficient performance.
The initial phase of character development involved creating character sketches and clothing concepts. These materials were used to produce more detailed concept art. When Extended Media joined the project in 2021, some characters were already at the preliminary design stage. Leveraging the existing materials, Extended Media took on the task of developing and expanding these designs, contributing our expertise to the creative process.
The visuals were meticulously designed within Andersen’s universe to be authentic to the Victorian style of the late 19th century, a critical element in conveying the story’s setting and atmosphere. All characters were initially designed in 2D, and they were then translated into 3D, ensuring the final look and, for human characters, the accuracy of their period costumes.
Extended Media’s technical expertise and pipeline management were integral to the successful realization of the film’s presentation at the American Film Market and subsequently at the Cannes Market.
As of 2025, the film remains in active production, with a planned release date in late 2025. More information about the film can be found at: https://www.animationmagazine.net/2023/05/studio-100-film-teases-new-pic-north-for-cannes-market/ .