Austin Abrams Was Grabbed by Tentacles in a 35-Foot Whale Head for the Thriller ‘Whalefall’

In Brian Duffield's adaptation of Daniel Kraus' survival thriller, *Whalefall*, Jay Gardiner (played by Austin Abrams) finds himself swallowed by a sperm whale during a scuba diving expedition. To bring this thrilling concept to life, the production team meticulously crafted a 35-foot-long whale head and four distinct stomach sets that could be manipulated, climbed, and submerged in goopy substances to simulate digestive juices.

Production designer Ramsey Avery emphasized the importance of making Austin feel as though he were truly inside these environments, ensuring his body responded appropriately to the simulated conditions. The set design incorporated various rigging techniques, such as rocking motions, a washing machine-like cylinder, and a seesaw, to create realistic movements for the actor.

Special effects were employed to depict the giant squid that ensnares Jay, using both mechanical rigs and visual effects. The whale's throat was constructed with antibacterial foam to prevent mold growth, while oversized kiddie pools were utilized to prevent the stage from flooding. Filming was a challenging and claustrophobic process, with Abrams, cameras, sound equipment, and puppeteers confined to a six-by-eight-foot space.

The set was meticulously designed around accurate scientific measurements of an 80-foot sperm whale, guided by consultations with experts in marine mammalogy and marine biology. The team worked tirelessly, often sacrificing sleep to perfect the intricate details of the whale's anatomy, including the tongue and teeth. The movie's visual effects supervisor, Guillaume Rocheron, added extra tentacles using visual effects to ensure the scene fit within the six-by-eight-foot set.

The film's production took nine months, with Avery and his team facing numerous challenges, from preventing paint from coming off props to finding space for Abrams' intense physical movements within the whale's confines.