Paddington in Peru VFX team completes Reddit's 'Ask Me Anything'
Production VFX Supervisor Alexis Wajsbrot and Production Animation Director Pablo Grillo ventured onto Reddit to answer the film community's burning questions on Paddington in Peru.
Here are some of our highlights, covering everything from technological advancements, easter eggs, and character design.
Q: Given the 8-year evolution in animation and VFX technology since Paddington 2, what were the most significant technical and creative challenges in reinventing Paddington’s design for Paddington in Peru, Especially when introducing his tribe and the llamas? How did you approach integrating these new elements while ensuring the heart and charm of the character remained intact for long-time fans?
A: Paddington is a very subtle character to tweak, to keep all his emotion, his look it's a lot of detail to be very careful. On Paddington in Peru, we updated Paddington to 4K, and we had to be very careful, we doubled the density of his fur, made the fur a lot thinner, re worked all the transition between skin and fur and a lot of time we broke it and had to do it again ! we hope he is as lovely as before and even better! - Alexis W.
Q: How did you design and build a cast of Paddington-esque bears? Did the designs exist somewhere already or were they adapted from Aunt Lucy?
A: We had to get to the bottom of what a "Paddingtonian" bear is. our first line of attack was to design average masculine, feminine and infant bears in order to have a recipe that we could build the others from. From here we needed a cost-effective approach. We generated 10 additional body types - a complement of contrasting shapes and sizes that we could use to create more individuals without noticing the duplicates. We then relied on different poses, attitudes, costumes and props to make them feel like unique individuals of the tribe. The tribe bears where then adapted with caricatures old posturing and props as well as some grey shaggy hair to make them into the bears of the home for retired bears. Dougal the director had a lot of fun giving them all individual comical roles to play in the home for retired bears. - Pablo G.
Q: What is your favourite little detail that you have put in the Paddington films? Every time I watch the first film, I always think how incredible the bit where the leaves fly off the tree on the wall is.
A: I would say not any detail in particular, it's the accumulation of lots and lots of little detail that makes Paddington special : the meniscus under the eye, the simulation of the duffle coat, the subtle animation , the fur onto the coat and hat etc - Alexis W.
I love all those magical details that embody Paddington's emotional state and psyche. They are so poetic. I love the scene where he walks though the projection of the explorer's movie as he sees his home again. It's such a wonderfully sensory moment how he sniffs the air and feels himself to be in Peru again with his aunt and uncle - Pablo G.
Q: What's something you think a lot of people might've missed in the animation details for Paddington, in any of the films? Any super-easy-to-miss easter eggs?
A: Interesting. I'm not sure - I think that when you watch Paddington in detail there is never a moment that he is not doing anything. We are always making sure that he is doing something or using the space enjoyably. I think the scene where the prison transforms and turns into a big colourful tearoom is full of fun details. I like it in 3 where the Browns are walking through the docks in Peru and Paddington Kicks a ball back to some kids in the street - then he spots a dog and crouches down to stroke it - he's always present in the space - Pablo G.
Read the full Q&A here.
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