Raynault VFX has revealed how it built a fully computer-generated recreation of Washington, D.C. for Mayday, the Apple Original action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. The work includes an ambitious continuous camera move that travels from street level into the sky and eventually the upper atmosphere.
Montreal-based visual effects studio Raynault VFX created an expansive digital environment for the film, combining city-scale CG with supporting visual effects. The breakdown highlights how digital environments can turn a single cinematic shot into a sweeping visual journey.
A Camera Move That Expands Into the Sky
The centrepiece is a continuous camera move that begins near ground level, rises above a digitally recreated Washington, D.C., and continues into the upper atmosphere. Rather than relying on separate establishing views or a practical aerial plate, the sequence uses an extended CG environment to give the filmmakers control over the entire move.
Producing a shot of this scale requires coordination between environment modelling, layout, lighting, rendering and compositing. Buildings, streets and other urban elements must remain convincing as the camera changes altitude, perspective and distance. Scene detail and asset complexity also need to be managed so the city remains believable throughout the move.
Recreating Washington, D.C. in CG
Raynault built the city as a complete digital environment rather than simply adding a few buildings behind live-action footage. The studio also contributed CG crowds, vehicles and other digital elements to the film.
Creating a recognisable city involves more than modelling individual structures. The layout must communicate the city’s scale, street patterns and architectural identity, while lighting and atmosphere establish depth. The camera path is central to planning: every part of the environment that enters the frame must work from the changing point of view.
Bringing the 1980s Setting to Life
Mayday is set during the Cold War in 1987. Beyond Washington, D.C., Raynault VFX contributed to recreating the streets of Soviet-era Moscow and creating period-appropriate CG vehicles.
Digital vehicles and environment extensions help productions maintain historical consistency when suitable locations or vehicles are unavailable. The challenge is ensuring that CG additions match the film’s photography, including perspective, lighting, reflections and surface detail.
Why This Breakdown Matters for VFX Artists
Raynault VFX’s work on Mayday offers a useful case study in large-scale environment creation. The Washington sequence highlights the importance of designing digital locations around the camera movement rather than treating the environment as a static background.
The project also shows how environment work connects with other VFX disciplines, including vehicle creation, crowd work, set extensions and compositing. For artists working in 3D modelling, environment design, lighting and compositing, the breakdown demonstrates how a successful CG shot depends on the relationship between the digital world and the way the camera explores it.
Watch the Mayday VFX Breakdown
Sources: CG Channel and Raynault VFX.
