Emmys 2025: Q&A with The Penguin's VFX Editor

HBO's The Penguin is the second-most Emmy Award-nominated show of the season, racking up 24 nominations across major Primetime and Creative Arts Emmys categories. The limited series took home eight Emmys during the Creative Arts ceremony, including Outstanding Special Visual Effects in A Single Episode.

We quickly chatted with VFX Editor Erin Sullivan, one of the nine-member VFX gang of artists (the inspiring, creative kind!), recognized for work on "Bliss" (episode 3). 

Congrats on your first Emmy Award! VFX editors are often unsung heroes, rarely nominated individually. How does it feel to be recognized with this distinguished honor?

Thank you! The whole experience was wonderful. So many people worked incredibly hard on the show, so I’m grateful to be included. I also had the opportunity to work beyond the typical scope of a VFX Editor on this project, which made it an especially meaningful experience for me. It was fun to reunite with the team and celebrate all the incredible work that went into making the show.

The Emmy Award-winning VFX team behind The Penguin: Top row (L-R) — Johnny Han (Overall VFX Supervisor); Emanuel Fuchs (Vendor VFX Supervisor); Alexandre Prod’homme (On-Set VFX Supervisor); Adrien Saint Girons (Vendor VFX Supervisor); Bottom row (L-R) — Michelle Rose (Overall VFX Producer); Ed Bruce (Vendor VFX Supervisor); Nathaniel Larouche (Vendor VFX Supervisor); Erin Sullivan (VFX Editor) (Not pictured: Goran Pavles, Vendor VFX Supervisor)

What does your role of VFX editor on The Penguin entail? 

My role on this job was multifaceted. We were a tight-knit team, and everyone stepped in to do whatever was needed to get the job done. During pre-production, I traveled to the Bronx stages to help the VFX crew organize footage from their scouts. We collaborated with the Directors and Locations team to scout Manhattan exteriors, finding the perfect backdrops for what would become Gotham. 

On set, I assisted with video playback, whether for dance screens in Apex Night Club or driving plates in our immersive environment studios.

In Post, I collaborated closely with Editorial on early VFX concepts and translated those ideas and timelines to our VFX team and artists around the world. Since the story evolves daily, the VFX editor tracks every change to ensure the visual effects align with the cut. It’s a complex, collaborative process, and I love working when everyone is fully invested in the small details.

The Penguin: Erin Sullivan filming on set of the virtual environment stages

What type of tasks did you handle on “Bliss”? 

For this episode, one special project was a dream come true for me: I helped produce and design some of the dance playback content for Victor’s nightmare sequence. The Apex Nightclub featured an elaborate video wall grid, and we wanted dynamic visuals for the scene. We built a lightbox at the Bronx stages and hired movement dancers to generate a range of material. In the episode, as Victor experiences his PTSD episode, the dancers break through the screens, creating a nightmarish flashback of the flood. 

It was a small detail of the scene, but I loved that it was essentially a set playback element that was conceived artistically and made its way through nearly every department, eventually to the hands of the episode’s editor, Andy Kier, who brought the original content full frame into the sequence. It’s neat when things take a life of their own like that.

The Penguin: Apex Nightclub for Episode Bliss

What role did Boris FX products play in your work on the episode?

I used Mocha AE to set tracking data points in After Effects for early temp concepts and VFX mock-ups. Our VFX Supervisor, Johnny Han, often constructed early blueprints for our artists to analyze and stress-test shots, and Mocha streamlined that process, producing cleaner, more elegant results. One particularly complex car crash shot combined five different stunt and actor plates filmed across multiple shoot days. It was a challenging puzzle to show how all the pieces fit together, but having the right tools is crucial for creativity. 

The Penguin: Victor composite shot

Why is it important for you to have access to Boris FX products as a VFX Editor?

Access to Boris FX products is essential for me as a VFX Editor because they enhance both creativity and efficiency. Many effects and workflows that would otherwise be extremely time-consuming… or even impossible to achieve manually,  can be handled seamlessly with their tools. This allows me to produce higher-quality results faster, giving directors and producers a polished, professional representation of their creative vision.

The Penguin: Victor flashback flood shot 

Any advice you have to offer to other people looking to become VFX editors? 

Collaboration is key. You are the link between the Director, the Editors, and VFX, and when you establish good communication and positive energy between everyone — it’s a more collaborative space. While technical skills are obviously necessary for the job, it’s also important to be well-versed in the story of the show so you can help lead a room during spotting sessions.