Digital Transformation Consulting

The client, HBO, faced the challenge of creating highly realistic and atmospheric visual effects to bring Gotham City to life in the miniseries ‘The Penguin,’ a dark and moody underworld setting inspired by ‘The Batman’ universe. They needed to seamlessly blend neo-gothic architectural styles with a New York City-inspired skyline, ensuring every environmental detail—from rain-drenched streets to dynamic fire and water effects—contributed to the series’ foreboding and noir aesthetic. Additionally, capturing complex scenes such as a pivotal fire sequence from seven different angles and constructing detailed digital environments for key moments, like the finale’s hotel scene, required meticulous craftsmanship.

The tailored solution involved assembling a team of 60 technical and creative experts at Accenture Song, utilizing cutting-edge software tools to produce 110 shots over a 10-month period. They focused on matching the visual tone of ‘The Batman,’ with particular attention to realism and atmospheric effects such as rain, fog, fire, and water. The team also built digitally detailed environments, combining live-action footage with computer-generated imagery and hand-painted elements, notably creating the opening Gotham skyline shot and the hotel scene with the Bat signal in the sky. Rigorous quality control and close collaboration with HBO ensured each shot met the highest standards.

Quantifiable results of this collaboration include the award-winning impact of the visual effects, evidenced by an Accenture Song artist winning a 2025 Creative Emmy for the episode “Bliss,” and another nomination for work on “After Hours” by the Visual Effects Society. The series’ opening and closing sequences—crafted to vividly depict Gotham as a living, breathing city—exemplify the transformative power of these tailored visual effects. This project not only pushed the creative and technical boundaries for HBO but also reinforced Accenture Song’s reputation for producing visually compelling, highly realistic effects that serve the storytelling at a cinematic quality level within the streaming television industry.