Locke & Key

You’ll never want to turn the lights off again after you’ve seen Netflix’s Locke & Key.  This 10-episode supernatural series, based on the comic book series of the same name, crept onto screens in February 2020.

When Rendell Locke is murdered at the hands of a former student, his wife and three children take residence in the Keyhouse, the Rendell family home.  The children discover a number of mysterious keys throughout the house, which can be used to unlock various doors in magical ways.  However, they also become aware of a demonic entity, the Dodge, that is searching for the keys for its own malevolent purposes.

Cinesite’s main body of work involved the creation of Dodge’s shadow demons, which creep around the house’s dark interiors, seeking out trouble and ambushing the inhabitants.  They shrink away from light, instantly retreating into the shadows or disappearing when overhead lights or torches are illuminated.

The demons are initially seen as formless flat shadows spreading across the internal walls and furniture before forming into full CG creatures, peering out from the darkness with bright, sinister eyes and attacking the Rendell children.

Our team, led by Cinesite VFX supervisor Holger Voss, contributed about 60 VFX shots to the series, most of which appear in the final, exciting episode.

Make sure you watch it with the lights on!

• Release date: February 7th, 2020
• Studio: Netflix
• Starring: Darby Stanchfield, Jackson Robert Scott, Bode Locke, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Laysla De Oliveira