Creating Paddington’s Citadel
In the film Paddington in Peru, the beloved marmalade-loving bear is chased around ‘The Citadel’, an ancient city ruin high in the Andes that serves as the gateway to El Dorado, Paddington’s home. So, how was it made?
Overseeing the Creation of The Citadel
Mark Curtis, VFX Supervisor at Framestore Montreal, notes that there were technical and creative challenges in creating The Citadel. "We had to base the build of this citadel on two realities," he explains. "There was plate photography from the real Machu Picchu and there was the on-set build inspired by the site, but that took some creative license. We had to make it work in both settings."
The Process of Creating The Citadel
Creating The Citadel was a complex process. Mark explains, "We didn’t build a huge city. We had so many little bespoke, one-off sequences that we ended up crafting mini sections of The Citadel around each little set-build. Therefore, when we had specific camera angles and specific directions, we could really art direct, saying, ‘Okay, we want a little building here, we want to see a silhouette of ‘X’ here’."
The Use of Previz and Photogrammetry
Mark notes that previz was used to redefine the chaotic chase sequence through and around The Citadel. "We used previz as inspiration rather than a concrete case of ‘reproduce this,’" he says. "The fun part, and the tricky part, is navigating an environment that’s recognisably Peruvian while, at the same time, very much not actually equaling Machu Picchu – anything that veered too much in that direction had to go."
The Pressure of Making a Paddington Movie
Mark concludes by emphasizing that one of the best things about the project was how the spirit of collaboration spread across all of the post-production and it was really a wonderful experience working with Dougal and Rosie Alison (Producer) and Pablo Grillo (Animation Director) and Alexis Wajsbrot (Production VFX Supervisor).
Conclusion
Paddington in Peru was Mark’s first Paddington film, and he says it comes with a huge amount of responsibility. The lovable bear has become an iconic, much-loved character, particularly in the UK but also globally. "For me, it’s very exciting to be involved and take that legacy and expand it," he notes. "Before, we’ve been very used to seeing Paddington in London and experiencing what it is to be British, and so it was really exciting to take him out of his comfort zone and expand his universe."
FAQs
Q: What was the process of creating The Citadel like?
A: The process of creating The Citadel was complex and involved using plate photography from real Machu Picchu and on-set builds inspired by the site, taking some creative license to make it work in both settings.
Q: How was previz used in the creation of The Citadel?
A: Previz was used to redefine the chaotic chase sequence through and around The Citadel, serving as inspiration rather than a concrete case of ‘reproduce this’.
Q: What was the experience of working on Paddington in Peru like?
A: Mark Curtis, VFX Supervisor at Framestore Montreal, notes that it was a wonderful experience working with the team, with a strong focus on collaboration and bringing the beloved character to life.
