UNIT Film & TV Brings The Bay: Series 5’s High-Impact Car Crash to Life

UNIT has collaborated with Tall Story Pictures to deliver VFX for a spectacular car crash sequence in the highly anticipated Series Five of popular British crime drama, The Bay, which returned to ITV1 on Sunday, 2nd March, 2025 at 9 pm.

Co-created by award-winning writer Daragh Carville and Richard Clark, The Bay is set in the coastal town of Morecambe on the picturesque Lancashire coast. Series 5 follows the work of the local police force as they tackle complex investigations, this time focusing on the murder of a 23-year-old university student. 

The Bay’s cast is led by Marsha Thomason who returns as DS Jenn Townsend, Morecambe MIU’s Family Liaison Officer, alongside cast regulars Daniel Ryan, Erin Shanagher and Andrew Dowbiggin, with supporting roles played by a talented ensemble cast. With the stakes of the investigation high, Townsend must navigate this new case while also confronting personal challenges that threaten to blur the lines between professional and private life. The Bay: Series 5 promises to bring more gripping mysteries and tense moments as Townsend’s investigation unfolds. 

Executive Produced by Catherine Oldfield for Tall Story Pictures, Series 5 is produced by Philip Leach with Shaun Evans Directing Episodes 1-3, Waris Islam Directing Episodes 4-6, and Martin Campbell Producing. Caroline Carver returned to the writing team and was joined by Evan Placey. 

Led by UNIT Producer Tania De Sousa, VFX Lead Fraser Cleland, and VFX Artist Rob Ellis, UNIT’s expert team worked closely with Tall Story Pictures to deliver a spectacular car crash sequence involving Daniel Ryan, who plays DI Anthony Manning, utilising a meticulous combination of live action and VFX. 

To achieve the sequence, VFX Lead Fraser Cleland attended the set in Morecambe, capturing a range of plates, including shots of Ryan in a rotating car rig, high-speed footage of the truck approaching the car, clean plates of the street, and the critical moment of impact. “The goal was to make the audience feel as if the character is still inside the car as it happens, rather than cutting away. We carefully combined these elements to create a fast-paced, hard-hitting sequence designed to shock the audience,” said Cleland. 

UNIT’s commitment to quality and innovation helped deliver the high standards of post-production expected from this popular crime drama series. The UNIT team also provided exceptional VFX work for The Bay: Series 4, effecting an on-going collaboration that underscores UNIT’s dedication to ensuring each episode is polished to the highest standards, maintaining the level of quality and atmosphere that fans of the show have come to expect.

The Bay returned to ITV1 at 9 PM, Sunday, 2nd March, 2025, with all six episodes available for streaming on ITVX from the same date. The Bay is distributed worldwide by ITV Studios Global Entertainment. 

Tania De Sousa, UNIT Producer, commented:

“Working on The Bay: Series 5 has been an incredibly rewarding experience for the entire UNIT team. The car crash sequence was a pivotal moment in the story, and our collaboration with Tall Story Pictures allowed us to push the boundaries of both live-action and VFX to deliver a sequence that truly immerses the audience. The team’s dedication to ensuring every detail was captured and integrated seamlessly reflects the high standards we strive for in every project. It’s been a pleasure working with such a talented group of people to help bring Director Waris Islam’s vision to life.”

Fraser Cleland, UNIT VFX Lead, added:

“We were tasked with creating a car crash sequence that keeps the audience in the car with the character, experiencing the full impact of the moment. By attending the set in Morecambe to capture multiple plates of the crash, we were able to craft a sequence that’s fast, intense, and emotionally gripping. It was a great experience working closely with such a dedicated team to help Director Waris and Producer Martin bring their vision to life.”

Rob Ellis, UNIT VFX Artist, noted:

“The collaboration with The Bay has been incredibly rewarding. Every visual effect was crafted with care, ensuring we complement the gripping drama on screen while supporting the show’s complex characters and intense mysteries.”