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Streamlining Visual Effects Review for Monster: The Ed Gein Story

BIND Studio powers collaboration on Monster: The Ed Gein Story, helping producers align with VFX from first upload to final delivery.

 

BIND Studio powers collaboration on Monster: The Ed Gein Story, helping producers align with VFX from first upload to final delivery.

The Challenges

For the third season of Monster, the challenge was clear: how to manage hundreds of shots from visual effects vendor Folks VFX while keeping communication fast and consistent across editorial and production.

Each episode of The Ed Gein Story included between 100 and 350 VFX shots, ranging from practical enhancements such as adding blood and gore to detailed digital cleanups. With materials moving daily between editorial, the vendor, and Netflix, the team needed a transparent and efficient way to manage shot review and approval. To meet that challenge, Welty and her team turned to BIND Hub.

“BIND Hub made it so much easier to review our VFX shots,” says Welty. “Instead of waiting for edit sessions, we could quickly access QuickTime files from anywhere. It saves time and really improves how we are utilizing Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid).”

Intro

Now in its third season, Netflix’s popular Monster anthology continues to reach global audiences. The latest chapter, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, focuses on Edward Gein, an infamous Wisconsin murderer, grave robber, and body snatcher. Created by Emmy Award–winning producers Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the series recently debuted at #2 on Netflix’s weekly Top 10 and continues to engross viewers with its blend of true crime and horror. Rae Welty is a veteran television producer who has worked on Ryan Murphy’s projects for years and has served as VFX Producer on all three Monster installments. “A big part of my job is keeping the creative and technical sides connected,” says Welty. “Every shot has its own puzzle to solve, and we are always trying to make it feel seamless to the audience. Ryan’s shows always have a distinct tone and level of precision, so it’s very rewarding to help shape that final image and make sure everything on screen lives up to the vision.”

Solution

Before adopting BIND Hub, the Monster post team relied on a slower, more manual process. Each new VFX version required an editor or assistant editor to cut the shots into the timeline before anyone could review them. This meant waiting for edit sessions, booking rooms, and coordinating schedules across departments, often just to see a single update. “Before this season, the only way we could view media was by having our VFX editor or an assistant run a session,” recalls Welty. “They would prep a timeline and we would watch the shots down together. It worked, but it slowed the process.” Working with the team from BIND Studio, the production implemented BIND Hub alongside Autodesk Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) and Sohonet’s FileRunner for a connected and automated workflow. When Folks VFX uploaded shot packages for review, BIND Hub automatically created playlists and sent notifications. Review links opened directly in the browser, giving Welty and her team instant access to new versions without waiting for editorial ingestion or scheduling formal review sessions. “When a package was uploaded, we would get an alert with a ready-to-watch playlist link,” says Welty. “It was seamless and reliable.” Welty and her team worked closely with BIND Studio throughout production, helping refine and improve the workflow for future projects. She also praised the team’s responsiveness and willingness to tailor the system as production evolved. “BIND was always quick to respond to our feature requests,” she says. “If there was something we wanted to tweak or improve in the process, we’d have an update within a week. It was great to work with a team that listened and adapted as our needs changed.”

Results

By consolidating tracking, communication, and media review in one platform, Welty and her technical collaborators streamlined the entire post-production process, giving the Monster team real-time visibility and more efficient collaboration with their VFX vendor.
  • Faster feedback loops between vendor and post
  • Improved visibility for studio reporting
  • Greater flexibility for remote and hybrid teams
“Over time you find better ways to stay organized and communicate,” says Welty. “Everyone’s moving fast, so tools and workflows that help us stay aligned make a huge difference. BIND Hub combines all our trackers, budgets, shots, and notes, and puts the media right there. You can’t beat that simplicity.”  

Watch Now

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is the third season in Netflix’s Monster anthology, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan and produced by 20th Television. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Vicky Krieps, Laurie Metcalf, and Tom Hollander, the 2025 season explores America’s cultural fascination with true-crime storytelling.