PFX Raises the Stakes with 750 Hyper-Real VFX Shots in ‘Locked’—a Game-Changer in Contained Cinematic Storytelling

PFX’s delivery of 750 seamless VFX shots for the high-concept thriller Locked redefines the threshold of digital production in vehicle-contained narratives, blending tech realism with cinematic precision.

PFX has delivered an ambitious 750 visual effects shots for the upcoming thriller Locked, a high-concept film starring Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins set entirely inside a high-tech SUV. While the premise may sound minimalistic, the VFX execution is anything but. The film showcases an industrial-grade fusion of digital doubles, FX-driven sequences, virtual environments, and intensive greenscreen compositing—all operating within the confined cockpit of a digitally-enhanced vehicle. Unlike conventional thrillers shot across multiple locations, Locked posed a unique production challenge: maintaining visual dynamism inside a fixed space while adhering to photorealistic standards. PFX approached this with a simulation pipeline tailored for micro-environment storytelling, blending high-fidelity rendering engines with agile compositing workflows. This not only reduced production risk but also enabled precise control over environmental continuity—essential in a film where lighting, reflections, and interior optics must remain consistent across dynamic tension arcs.

The project underscores a growing trend in industrial automation within VFX pipelines: the convergence of AI-assisted motion tracking, volumetric capture, and real-time environment rendering. For studios and production houses navigating tighter shooting windows and rising post-production costs, PFX’s model offers a compelling blueprint—lean, contained, yet visually explosive.

Executives in the gaming and VFX sectors should take note of how spatial limitations can now be overcome with automated pipeline enhancements that don't sacrifice cinematic quality. As virtual production matures, Locked demonstrates that innovation isn’t just about scale—it’s about precision in constraints. This level of controlled execution signals a future where VFX-led storytelling can redefine what it means to film “on location”—without ever leaving the studio. By delivering on complexity within limitation, PFX sets a new benchmark for immersive, scalable VFX in both film and interactive media landscapes.