The Letter Breakdown



The Letter Breakdown

Design and development of a mobile app to help users track their health metrics and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The app was designed to be user-friendly, visually appealing, and packed with features to support users in their health and wellness journey.

Directed by

Directed by

Samuel Dore

Written by

Written by

Julian Peedle-Calloo

Produced by

Produced by

Justin Edgar & Theresa Larché

VFX Artist

VFX Artist

Joe Grayston

The Film

The Letter is a moving WW2 drama highlighting a lesser-known story of Germany’s deaf community. Produced by 104 Films and directed by Justin Edgar, the film continues the company’s legacy of making cinema more accessible while foregrounding deaf talent both in front of and behind the camera.

The project gained attention not only for its story but also for its authenticity and historical accuracy, blending emotional resonance with carefully crafted visual detail.

The VFX Work

My role was focused on crafting period-accurate visual effects that would immerse audiences in the 1940s setting without distracting from the performances. Key tasks included:

  • Adding Nazi flags and propaganda posters to historically match the period environment.

  • Creating muzzle flashes and weapon effects to enhance authenticity in action scenes.

  • Subtle atmospheric enhancements (dust, smoke, weather tweaks) to reinforce mood and realism.

The goal throughout was to keep the effects seamless and invisible, supporting the story without ever pulling the audience out of the moment.

Access

Access

Access

Breaking barriers in mainstream cinema.

Collab

Collab

Collab

Director Justin Edgar + 104 Films team.

Colour, sound, and VFX aligned to story.

Authentic

Authentic

Authentic

Working With 104 Films

My collaboration with 104 Films goes back several years, working closely with director Justin Edgar across a range of projects including Stalked, Poppy Day, Verisimilitude, The Letter, and more. Each project has demanded something unique, from editorial precision to ambitious VFX. But all have carried the same commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and telling stories that are rarely given the spotlight in mainstream cinema.

On The Letter, that history of collaboration meant there was already a deep trust and creative shorthand in place. I was brought in to execute VFX that could enhance the period setting without overshadowing the story. Working directly with Justin and the production team, I helped refine sequences where visual details needed to feel invisible yet essential, the kind of effects where success means the audience doesn’t notice them at all.

This partnership with 104 has been formative for me as an artist: it’s taught me how to balance technical craft with cultural sensitivity, and how to align post-production decisions with the wider social and creative vision of a film. The Letter represents not just another VFX assignment, but part of a long-running collaboration dedicated to making cinema both powerful and accessible.

For JGE, The Letter was a chance to contribute VFX that didn’t just “look good” but carried weight in a story about inclusion and representation. It showcased how post-production can be both technically polished and socially impactful, bringing authenticity to a story that mattered.

Joe Grayston

JGE