Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor Eric Barba is no stranger to ambitious projects. From his Oscar-winning work on “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” to visually striking films like “Tron: Legacy” and “Oblivion,” Barba has consistently demonstrated a talent for blending artistry with technical precision. For “Alien Romulus,” Barba collaborated with renowned VFX studios Legacy Effects and ILM to deliver a fresh yet faithful addition to the iconic “Alien” franchise, focusing on practical effects and modern techniques to recapture the series’ signature terror.

Set between the events of Ridley Scott’s 1979 “Alien” and James Cameron’s “Aliens,” “Alien Romulus” introduces a new chapter in the iconic saga. Directed by Fede Alvarez (“Don’t Breathe”), the film follows a group of young, unassuming characters who encounter some of the franchise’s iconic monsters—facehuggers and xenomorphs—during a naive attempt to loot an abandoned vessel floating in space. 

The cast is led by Cailee Spaeny, who gives a standout performance as Rain Carradine, a resourceful miner driven to escape her isolated existence. David Jonsson provides emotional depth as Andy Carradine, Rain’s malfunctioning android companion, whose struggle with evolving directives adds complexity to the story. The ensemble cast is rounded out by Archie Renaux as Tyler Harrison, Rain’s estranged ex; Isabela Merced as Kay Harrison, Tyler’s pregnant younger sister; Spike Fearn as Bjorn, the sarcastic cousin; and Aileen Wu as Navarro, Bjorn’s adoptive sister.

“Alien Romulus” is not only a technical achievement but also a testament to the power of artistry in visual effects. Barba’s leadership on hybrid effects sequences—such as the chestburster scene set in a confined cockpit—showcases the seamless integration of practical animatronics and digital enhancements. The film’s painterly space visuals, created under Barba’s guidance, elevate the cinematic experience and provide the audience with awe-inspiring “holy shit” moments, as Barba describes them.

Reflecting on the project, Barba shared: “When you get a chance to work on one of these franchises, you just have to give it your all. It’s a responsibility, and we didn’t take that lightly.” Working alongside director Fede Alvarez, Barba embraced the challenges of honoring the franchise’s visual legacy while introducing modern techniques that seamlessly merged practical and digital elements. “Fede told me he wanted every space shot to look like a painting,” Barba explained, highlighting the attention to detail that defined their approach.

In an interview with Awards Focus, Barba discussed the challenges of blending analog and digital techniques, the legacy of practical effects in the “Alien” franchise, and the remarkable effort it took to balance artistry and technical precision. With “Alien Romulus” earning critical acclaim and making the Oscar shortlist, Barba reflected on the collaborative spirit behind the film’s success and what the future may hold for the franchise.

Isabela Merced as Kay in 20th Century Studios’ ALIEN: ROMULUS. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Awards Focus: Congratulations on “Alien Romulus” making the Oscar shortlist for Visual Effects. How does it feel to see your work celebrated within such a beloved legacy?

Eric Barba: I think that’s why you see how much passion and love we all put into it—because we all grew up with those incredible films. When you get a chance to work on one of these franchises, you just have to give it your all. It’s a responsibility, and we didn’t take that lightly.

AF: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you come onto the project, and what were your initial emotions about joining something as iconic as the “Alien” franchise? Did you feel more excitement or pressure, knowing how high the expectations are?

Barba: Like most freelancers, I got a call from my agent saying, “Hey, they’re making a new ‘Alien’ film. Are you interested?” I said, “Of course!” Then they mentioned it would probably go direct to Hulu, but I thought, “It’s ‘Alien’! Why wouldn’t I be super excited about it?”

They sent me the script, and I found out Fede Alvarez was directing. The script was fantastic, and that’s always the first thing I look for. In visual effects, I’m usually on a project for about two years. It’s a big commitment, so I have to love the material because I know I’ll be living and breathing it every day. This script really hooked me.

AF: What about Fede Alvarez’s vision gave you confidence in taking on the project?

Barba: I’d seen Fede’s “Don’t Breathe,” and he did an amazing job with that young cast and building tension. That’s what “Alien” is all about—tension and horror. He really gets it, and that impressed me.

When we met, we hit it off, and shortly after, I was offered the job. But like you said, it’s a double-edged sword. It’s a dream come true, but suddenly you’re faced with this monumental task. You’ve got to make something that’s every bit as great as those first two “Alien” films. The first movie gave me nightmares, and the second is probably one of the best action films ever made. That’s a high bar to reach.

AF: How did you navigate the balance between practical effects and digital tools, especially for a franchise that’s known for its iconic visuals?

Barba: That was a big challenge. Fede wanted to shoot as much as possible practically, which was the right approach for “Alien.” But there were some real-world limitations. For example, with the zero-gravity scenes involving Xenomorphs, you can’t just put someone in a suit on wires—the weight of the head alone makes it impossible. Animatronics are great but often too heavy and restrictive for what we needed.

So, we had to rely more on digital tools while making sure everything was grounded in practical, analog principles. Fede talked about “getting the band back together,” and he did exactly that. He brought in Shane Mahan and Alec Gillis, who had worked on “Aliens” and are just incredible. Collaborating with them and Legacy Effects was amazing. It felt like we were standing on the shoulders of giants, which inspired us to make sure the digital work lived up to that legacy.

AF: The combination of practical effects and visual effects in “Alien Romulus” has received significant recognition, particularly for how seamlessly the two were integrated. Can you talk about what it means to be part of that conversation and the effort it took to achieve such a balance? Perhaps you can highlight one or two sequences where this integration was especially challenging or rewarding.

Barba: Well, I think being in the conversation for best visual effects is incredibly flattering. Like I mentioned earlier, every movie has amazingly talented visual effects people working on it—that’s just the nature of the industry. But because we were able to get people like Shane (Mahan), Alec (Gillis), Ian (Hunter), and even (Phil) Tippett’s team involved, their expertise really elevated this film.

The chestburster puppet, for example, was a huge technical achievement. Shane’s shop had about 100 people working on it—sculptors, painters, engineers. The amount of artistry and CAD work involved in building the animatronic was incredible. These technologies didn’t exist when the earlier “Alien” films were made, so we had a stronger foundation to build on.

What’s great is how much of this was shot in-camera. Sure, we’d embellish certain things—remove a cable, add a tail—but we kept most of what we shot. Fede was adamant about shooting practically to get genuine reactions from the actors. It’s something many directors aim for, but he truly committed to making it work.

The chestburster sequence was shot in a cockpit built on a gimbal in an incredibly tight space. At one point, Alec joked there were 11 people crammed in there, like a clown car. It was old-school puppeteering—someone offscreen pulling cables, squirting liquid. All those years of expertise came together to make that scene work.

I’d say the chestburster sequence is probably the least-touched by visual effects. A few shots are completely in-camera, with only minor enhancements—like adding a bit more goo to help with the edit. Watching it come together was amazing.

AF: The film is meant to feel like it belongs between the original “Alien” and “Aliens.” But since the techniques and technology have evolved, was it challenging to maintain that retro-futuristic aesthetic?

Barba: It definitely was, but I embraced it. I told my visual effects teams, “We’re going to hold hands and go back to the analog future.” That meant using techniques like miniatures.

I was fortunate early in my career to work on films like “The Fifth Element” and “Supernova,” where I learned how to shoot miniatures—what worked, what didn’t, and how to hold depth of field. Ian Hunter came on board to build our models, and ILM took those into the digital realm.

To maintain that analog feel, I asked them to avoid deep depth of field. Traditionally, with miniatures, you flood them with light to make them look large. But if you don’t hit them with enough light, you lose depth, and they can look small. That imperfection, though, is part of the charm of older films.

We applied those same ideas digitally—matching the lensing, stops, and lighting used by our DP. We even mimicked techniques like spraying models with a matte finish or adding a sheen to catch the light. Those analog touches really brought it all together.

AF: Some of the exterior space shots in “Alien Romulus” are absolutely stunning. While they may not stand out to fans on first viewing, they’re some of the most beautiful visuals in the film. Can you talk about the process behind creating those shots?

Barba: Thank you. Those space shots were some of the most challenging. Digital artists—including myself—tend to over-light things or add too much detail, which can result in flat, uninspired images.

Fede told me he wanted every space shot to look like a painting. That resonated with me because my background is in art and design—I used to paint and sculpt. I love making things beautiful on screen.

We pushed our teams to embrace a painterly look, focusing on creating those “holy shit” moments—like seeing the rings of a planet or the ship lifting off. Those are the moments that make a theater experience unforgettable, and we worked hard to achieve that reaction.

AF: Do you have a favorite scene where the VFX work really elevated the storytelling?

Barba: I’m proud of a lot of the work we did, but the puppet work stands out. When we have to overlay digital likenesses on top of animatronics, it’s incredibly challenging—especially on our budget and timeline.

At screenings, when audiences tell me how much they loved the film, that’s the ultimate reward. When you’re this close to the project, you’re constantly critiquing every shot, sending things back, and making adjustments. It’s worth it when the audience feels immersed and doesn’t notice the effects.

AF: At the end of the day, which creature gave you the biggest nightmares, for lack of a better word? Was it the Xenomorph, the facehugger, the chestburster, or the hybrid alien (“offspring”) at the end of the film?

Barba: (The “offspring” played by) Robert Bobroczkyi. Even on set, he gave me the “Oh, Jesus” reaction. His proportions are so unfamiliar, and when he was in full costume, acting in that role, and you were standing next to him, he was genuinely frightening.

We captured a lot of shots with him in-camera that didn’t even need embellishing. Once we added goo and the tail digitally, it just took things to the next level. But the foundation of his performance and the physical costume was already so strong.

Watching the chestburster sequence come together was also amazing. I told Alec my jaw hurt from smiling so much that day. The puppet and all its little nuances—like the way the ink flows into its helmet—were just incredible.

Even Fede looked at the hybrid alien one day and said, “That looks CG.” And I thought, “This is going to be such a great starting point for the digital teams.”

AF: There’s been talk online about a sequel to “Alien Romulus.” Do you know if that’s happening, and would you be involved?

Barba: If there were another film, obviously, I’d love to work with him again. He was a joy for me to work with. Directors who allow us heads of department to do our jobs, have a clear vision, but are also open and collaborative, are what we all hope for.

And Fede has just got the best demeanor. He’s genuinely a nice human being to work with. He never, ever lost his cool or said a harsh word to anybody, even when things weren’t going so well. I mean, with production, there are always problems when you’re shooting. Even in moments where he could have been “that guy,” he wasn’t.

Working with someone like him just makes you want to get up every morning and work a little harder because he appreciates you and appreciates the rest of the crew. He loved the actors, and it was just a great experience overall.