how did they film the little mermaid

The Little Mermaid (2023) was filmed using a "dry-for-wet" approach where underwater scenes were shot on blue screen soundstages at Pinewood Studios in London. Actors were filmed on rigs with wires, seesaws, and tuning forks to simulate underwater movement while being harnessed and choreographed to move as if underwater. Only the actors' faces and hands were kept live-action; the rest of their bodies were digitally animated to appear as mermaids. Digital hair was added to simulate natural underwater movement. The lighting and production design were carefully crafted to evoke a believable underwater environment, and CGI was heavily used, including for Ariel’s sea creature friends and backgrounds. Terrestrial scenes were filmed in beautiful locations such as Sardinia, Italy.