A Wrinkle in Time VFX Breakdown

A Wrinkle in Time VFX Breakdown


  A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 American science fantasy adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Madeleine L'Engle. The film stars Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine, and follows a young girl who, with the help of three astral travelers, sets off on a quest to find her father, who went missing after discovering a new planet.


Thirteen-year-old Meg Murry struggles to adjust to school and home life ever since her father Alex, a well-renowned scientist, mysteriously disappeared while he was studying astrophysics. Both Meg and her mother Kate believe he solved the question of humanity's existence and theorize he was teleported to another world.



During the night, Meg's younger brother Charles Wallace welcomes a stranger in a large white dress named Mrs. Whatsit into the Murry family house. She mentions the tesseract, a type of space-travel Alex was working on, is real, and leaves soon after. The next day, one of Meg's classmates, Calvin O'Keefe, joins them to go to the house of Mrs. Who, another strange woman who only speaks in quotes and seems to know Charles Wallace.


When Calvin joins Meg and Charles Wallace in their backyard, Mrs. Whatsit appears with Mrs. Who and another woman, Mrs. Which, who is the oldest and appears as a giant. The three reveal themselves as astral travelers, and lead Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace through a tesseract taking them to a distant planet named Uriel.



Mrs. Whatsit transforms into a beautiful green creature, and takes the children up into the atmosphere, where they see a dark shadow known as The IT. Mrs. Which tells Meg her father's experiments resulted in his being captured by The IT, a malevolent entity plotting to take over the universe. Gaining the women's trust, Meg and the others tesser to another planet where a seer known as the Happy Medium resides.

The Happy Medium shows them Meg's father is trapped on a planet called Camazotz, The IT's homeworld. Mrs. Which also explains The IT represents all of the greed, anger, pride, selfishness, and low self-esteem in the world. Showing them examples of these characteristics, Meg learns that while Calvin is popular at school, he is neglected and bullied by his father and her school enemy Veronica Kiley is extremely self-conscious. The three Mrs. propose they travel back to Earth to regroup, but Meg's refusal messes with the tesseract, and they travel to Camazotz instead.


Upon arriving on Camazotz, Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who are unable to stay because Camazotz's evil is stronger than their light. Before they depart, they bestow gifts upon Meg; these include Mrs. Who's glasses, the knowledge of Meg's faults, and the command to never separate.

The trio treks through Camazotz's hazardous traps before reaching a crowded beach where they meet the IT's bodyguard, Red. He offers the starving children food and tells them Alex is safe and happy. He reveals to them there is nothing to worry about here, but Calvin and Meg realize something is wrong when Charles Wallace proclaims all of the food tastes like sand. When Red starts repeating the times tables, Charles Wallace is hypnotized by the rhythm, allowing the IT to take full control of his mind.


When Meg and Calvin pursue Charles Wallace, they find themselves in a seemingly empty room. Using Mrs. Who's glasses, Meg finds an invisible staircase leading to the room where her father is being kept prisoner. After bringing him out of captivity, the IT's power allows Charles Wallace to forcefully drag them to finally meet his master. As Calvin and Meg fall under the IT's power, Alex opens another tesser and prepares to leave with the children, abandoning Charles Wallace. Meg refuses and projects out of the tesser herself, leaving her alone. When she confronts Charles Wallace in corruption, she realizes the IT uses deception and hatred for power. Using her love for her brother and the knowledge she is imperfect, Meg frees Charles Wallace from the control of the IT and releases the control of Camazotz from the evil entity. The three Mrs. return and tell Meg her time is here to tesser for herself.



Returning home, Meg thanks the women for their help and for rescuing her father and they part ways, while Veronica became nice to her. The film ends with the Murry family celebrating a joyful reunion and Calvin going home to confront his father.

“A Wrinkle in Time” is Disney’s sci-fi adventure movie.  A Wrinkle in Time VFX done by MPC, Digital Domain, ILM, Luma Pictures, One of Us & Rodeo FX. MPC Delivered 350 VFX shots for the movie. VFX supervisor Pete Dionne at MPC lead his team for producing 350 shots.Chris Downs and Ryan Mintenko lead as CG supervisors. Most of the shots were took place in cave of the Happy Medium and the most complicated task was creating the forest monster that chases Meg Murry. and Calvin O’Keefe.