Hunter Killer

Territory Studio created on-set screen graphics with a high level of realism for this contemporary submarine action thriller. Coming on board in pre-production, Territory worked closely with director Donovan Marsh, production designer Jon Henson, and consulting Submarine Commanders to craft UI that tied into story beats and maintained accuracy and plausibility consistent with the plot.

The UI was designed as its own character — utilitarian and detached from the unfolding thriller, accentuating the human drama at its heart. Screens were created for a range of vessels, from a state-of-the-art nuclear submarine to a dated Russian destroyer, with distinct visual languages distinguishing each.

The USS Arkansas control room was the most ambitious set — a Virginia-class nuclear submarine with over 40 live screens in a gimbal-mounted control room. Every screen reflected the position and status of the sub in real time, giving the director full flexibility to frame shots freely. Territory also created the War Room interfaces (adapable OS for visualising multiple intelligence streams) and the Russian Command Centre interfaces (deliberately dated and utilitarian, contrasting sharply with the Arkansas).

For classified systems, a real-life Submarine Commander advised on verisimilitude, and Territory made imaginative leaps where specifics were not permitted.

Client: Millennium Films