Filmmaker Brian Duffield took on one of the most unusual physical production setups in recent cinema history for his survival feature "Whalefall." Released by 20th Century Studios, the film tracks Jay, a scuba diver played by Austin Abrams, who finds himself swallowed alive by a whale and facing a ticking clock as his remaining oxygen depletes. Rather than relying entirely on computer-generated imagery to simulate the protagonist's impossible dilemma, Duffield opted for an intricate, practical rig designed to put his lead actor directly into the belly of the beast.
Constructing a Moving, Water-Filled Nightmare Set
Bringing the claustrophobic setting to life required fitting all the typical machinery of a Hollywood movie set into a radically constricted physical container. Duffield described the practical rig as a fully enclosed, 360-degree environment mounted to a mechanical gimbal that tossed and rolled during production. Water was pumped inside, internal lighting coils were installed along the walls, and camera crews were left with only a few small portals through which lenses could peek.
Because the internal set was made of heavy rubber, outside communication proved to be an ongoing challenge. Abrams wore an authentic oxygen tank while acting in the flooded space, but the material was so dense that he was unable to hear direction shouted by crew members clustered around the narrow exterior doorway. Precision was mandatory, as Duffield noted that being off by even an inch would ruin the shot.
Safety Inspections and Physical Stunts Stun Visiting Directors
Simulating the physical motions of an enormous mammal chewing and swallowing presented its own set of bizarre, analog filming techniques. Crew members, described by the director as burly men, physically climbed atop the exterior of the flexible set and jumped onto it to press down on Abrams while he performed screams of panic inside.
From the exterior, the setup looked bizarre enough that visiting studio representatives and safety inspectors voiced serious skepticism. Duffield recalled that Disney safety representatives showed up in person to observe the rig, openly questioning whether the mechanical setup was safe. The director also shared photos with peer filmmakers who expressed total bewilderment at the methods. Despite the appearance of chaos, Duffield maintained that rigorous measures were taken to ensure Abrams stayed safe amid the simulated drowning and screaming.
A Grounded Father-Son Dynamic Beneath the Survival Spectacle
The project originated when Duffield discovered Daniel Kraus's then-unpublished 2023 novel on social media. Duffield reached out to Kraus, read an early copy, and subsequently collaborated directly with the author to adapt the book into a screenplay. While the hook of a person swallowed by marine wildlife initially offered an irresistible genre challenge, Duffield found that the emotional core of the narrative was what truly anchored the film.
At the center of the story is Jay's fraught bond with his estranged father, Mitt, portrayed by Josh Brolin. Jay only embarks on the fateful diving expedition in hopes of locating Mitt's body after his father dies by suicide. Duffield, who is a parent, leaned heavily into the unresolved grief between the two men. Flashback sequences feature Abrams and Brolin exploring their fractured history, ensuring that the spectacle of digestive acid and deep-sea terror remains grounded by human tragedy.
With "Whalefall" now playing in theaters via 20th Century Studios, the release marks another unconventional high-concept narrative for Duffield following his previous genre films "Spontaneous" and "No One Will Save You."
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Source: Variety
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