Smile 2: Rodeo FX on the Surrealist Visual Terror of a Horror Hit with Teeth

Following a public battle with substance abuse, and a tragic accident which killed her boyfriend, pop sensation Skye Riley is preparing for her comeback tour. But, after attempting to buy some vicodin to medicate her back pain, she accidentally witnesses the tragic suicide of a drug dealer. In doing so, she’s unwittingly inherited a curse that will destroy her career, her relationships and, ultimately, perhaps even herself. 

That’s the setup behind Smile 2, an ambitious, unsettling, and psychedelic sequel to the 2022 original. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the film plays out as a body horror-inspired take on fear and psychology, with a healthy sprinkling of gore. It’s a cocktail which relies on excellent visual effects to blend it seamlessly together - if anything feels out of place or at odds with the film’s tone, the immersion would be broken. For that reason, the Rodeo FX team were called upon to lend their expertise. 

To take LBB behind the scenes of Smile 2, VFX producer Heather Graham and VFX supervisors Robert Bock and Mathieu Dupuis spoke with Adam Bennett. 

“We were just wrapping up on a previous project when the call came to join the team on Smile 2”, recalls Mathieu. “It’s funny, because we had just been working on Damsel, which featured a very clean fantasy environment - princesses, beautiful landscapes, and wonderfully ornate castles. So the chance to work on a horror film gave us an opportunity to take on something totally different”. 

As the trio go on to explain, horror projects tend to emphasise close-up shots in small spaces, building a sense of claustrophobia and unease. That was a challenge they were prepared to rise to - especially after their first conversation with Parker Finn. 

“Something that quickly became obvious - and very affirming for us - was just how much of a horror buff Parker Finn really is”, continues Mathieu. “He was talking about how much he was inspired by horror films in the 80s in which there was a real focus on practical effects. We decided at that point we would be blending practical and CG elements together - and I’m really happy we decided to take that route, looking at how the film turned out”. 

“The original Smile was an amazing surprise success”, adds Robert. “It developed a very specific visual language that we creatively had to follow with the visual effects. One of these aspects was the sense that all was created ‘in-camera’. From the obscenely long single takes, to the horror of the practical on-set Smile monster (created by Alec Gillis). The visual effects had to be the creative silent partners to the prosthetic effects, the puppeteering and animatronics as well as the camera department. Parker wanted to keep this sense of ‘in camera’ realism that was so successful in the original Smile”.

And the team took their dedication to practical effects seriously, collaborating with Rodeo’s very own practical effects studio. In an increasing rarity in the industry, the company houses an entire shooting stage - and team - dedicated to practicals and making things in real life which live on after a project wraps, to be used as references. It’s a facet of Rodeo’s offering that was also used on projects like Fantastic Beasts and Stranger Things. 

“At one point we had to get a certificate from the ministry of agriculture fisheries and food to confirm that we weren’t going to misuse or mistreat animal remains”, recalls Heather. “Because we used real pig entrails”. 

By leaning into the practical, the film presented the Rodeo team with some unique challenges - perhaps none more so than one particular scene involving an eye. “I don’t want to give anything away in terms of what happens, but I can say that in order to create a realistic-looking eye we peeled a lychee and attached the fat from some prosciutto to represent the optic nerve and connective tissue”, explains Heather. “We had to think outside the box for certain effects - and the great thing is that we were simply allowed to do it. It ended up costing forty bucks, and we got to eat our own practical effects at the end of the shoot!” 

And, as Robert explains, the results add up to something valuable on-screen. “The serendipitous nature of practical effects, and the happy surprises that we get from them, make for a downright powerful viewer experience”, he tells LBB. “The audience senses the ‘life’ in the final comped shots”. 

"We're lucky to have such a talented live action team here at Rodeo”, says Heather. “I'd like to give a special shout out to Olivier, Jean-Francois, Antoine, and Philip for their creative builds, their constant enthusiasm, and their 'bloody' crazy ideas!"

“At some point, you just need to find a solution - whatever works best to tell the story”, adds Mathieu. “No matter how out-of-the-box it might be, if it works, it works”. 

Out-Of-Body Horror

Regardless of whether the effects were practical or visual, both Mathieu and Heather agree that the most important thing to keep in mind when working on a horror film is realism. 

“If a shot isn’t realistic, then it can quickly become goofy - and that’s when the audience starts laughing”, notes Mathieu. “And that’s the one thing you do not want! But sometimes, you’re working on a shot that’s so psychedelic that it can’t really be made to be ‘realistic’. In those instances, you have to ensure it’s as immersive as possible. That way, it can still feel ‘real’ in the context of the story you’re telling”. 

One example the team brings up to illustrate that point about ‘immersive realism’ is one scene involving a character’s mouth stretching out beyond breaking point. “That’s obviously not something I’ve ever seen in reality”, says Mathieu. “But, I wanted it to at least feel as shocking as it would be if you saw such a thing. I even consulted with my dentist on how a mouth might look in that situation…” 

“Ha, well after saying all this about practical in-camera effects… My biggest challenge was to convince Parker to go full CG for Skye's mouth stretching shot”, says Robert. “He was adamant in having a prosthetic at the head of a shot, a different one mid-shot and yet another prosthetic piece on the actress for the end. He wanted VFX to "dissolve" between the stages. I understood where he came from and, although Alec Gillis could have created these separate pieces, there was no way that VFX could fill the gaps to make it a continuous shot. It took a lot of convincing, but after showing him Rodeo FX's work, especially the Stranger Things' creature CG takeovers, he came along for the ride and we went full CG”. 

The result is a scene that stretches reality into surreality to leave a lasting impression on audiences. And ultimately, that’s what differentiates a film like Smile 2 and helps it to stand out from a packed crowd. 

“I think the audiences of today have seen it all; there is an awful lot of violence on the internet and there is a long history of horror films”, says Robert. “However, what will always trick the viewer is when the filmmakers follow a certain known path up to a resolution, only to then bring the horror to the next level once the audience has let down their guard”.

In addition to that, it helps to have a talented and fully-engaged director and crew. “You just know that Parker is a director who’s going to skyrocket”, says Mathieu. “I’m so proud of what the team was able to do on this film - and a big part of our success is because of the fact he trusted us to deliver”. 

“It was so cool and rewarding to see our people working together on the shots in our studio”, concludes Heather. “And I have to say - it’s always the loveliest and shiniest people who will surprise you by how gross they can make a scene look!”