Hasta La Motion!

Engine Room makes a splash with Soul Surfer

In 2003, Hawaiian teen surfing star Bethany Hamilton lost her left arm to a shark attack. The story of her return to professional competition is now the subject of Soul Surfer, with actress AnnaSophia Robb playing Hamilton. To create scenes of Robb’s missing arm – around 500 shots – and other effects in the film, director Sean McNamara turned to LA-based visual effects house Engine Room. fxguide talks to the studio’s founder and the film’s vfx supe Dan Schmit.