For BBC One's new mystery-thriller Paradox, Space Digital VFX artists were tasked with creating the Northern Lights for the series' enigmatic opening sequence.

With virtually no chance of filming a genuine Aurora Borealis over the Manchester locations, production company Clerkenwell Films approached Space Digital for a creative solution. With stock footage ruled out for quality and licensing reasons, the effect was created entirely digitally, using layers of 'fluid dynamics' simulations to create the complex, softly undulating phenomenon.

Keen to avoid the common pitfalls in such an effect producer Marcus Wilson, and first block director Simon Cellan Jones pushed for subtlety and absolute realism. 'It's very easy to over-develop an effect like this,' said Matt Wood, VFX supervisor at Space Digital, 'so we had to always keep it believable, not flashy.'

Artists at Space contributed to several other scenes in the opening episode with greenscreen composites, electrical arc effects, computer generated fire, and multiple explosion enhancements. With almost thirty VFX shots in Episode 1, the total for the 5-part series was over eighty shots ranging from highly visible, to entirely invisible.

The first episode airs at 9pm on 24th November 2009 on BBC One and BBC HD.