Creating Neel, the Elephantine Protagonist of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Combining Digital and Practical Character Work
In keeping with the grand tradition of Star Wars visual effects production work over nearly fifty years, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew combines digital and practical character and creature work. It’s meant one breakout star in particular – Neel – has connected with audiences.
Traditional Puppetry and CG Animation
For Chris McLaughlin, Visual Effects Supervisor at DNEG, creating Neel with a blend of traditional puppetry and CG animation felt like a return to the film series roots. "For the puppets and the very traditional style of animation that we were producing, we always had pretty good reference," says Chris McLaughlin. "The two main animated characters that we worked on were Neel and the security droids. In a lot of cases, the security droids shot on set were completely practical, being performed as a full-sized puppet. For our CG versions of the security droids, we used that reference for the walking cycle and animation style."
Head Replacements and Animation
A standout protagonist in Skeleton Crew is the elephantine character Neel, who is one of the four young heroes. DNEG had a significant level of creative input in finessing Neel’s character’s expressivity. Chris recalls that, "We did quite a few head replacements for Neel. Not because showrunners were unhappy with the animatronic head, which was key and the heart of the performance, but because in some cases Kacie Borrowman (playing Neel on set) couldn’t see completely clearly through that head. And so, in situations where he has to run down the ramp of a spaceship, or where his vision is impeded and his safety could be at risk, we’d take the head off and replace it with animation."
Refining Neel’s Expressivity
"We made sure that our animation rig and our asset exactly matched the capabilities of the animatronic head. We didn’t want it to look overworked and we did a little bit of simulation on the ears and on the trunk to give it that natural kind of gravity. Neel has a complex coloring to his skin, too: it’s a combination of pink and blue. I’m pleased with the shots where we replaced Neel’s head. They were a challenge!"
Further refinements that DNEG worked on for Neel allowed Chris and his team to bring more personality to the character. "[We could] do a lot with Neel’s brows and with his soft, gentle blinking. He’s quite a worrisome character so you can do a lot with the movement around his eyes and brow," reflects Chris, adding: "You can read a lot of that there."
Conclusion
DNEG’s work on creating Neel showcases the importance of combining traditional puppetry and CG animation to bring a beloved character to life. By using a blend of practical and digital techniques, the team was able to create a character that has captured the hearts of audiences everywhere.
FAQs
Q: What was the approach taken to create Neel, the elephantine protagonist of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew?
A: DNEG combined traditional puppetry and CG animation to create Neel.
Q: How did DNEG approach the creation of the security droids in the show?
A: DNEG used a combination of practical and CG techniques, using reference from the walk cycle and animation style of the puppets.
Q: What were some of the challenges faced in creating Neel’s character?
A: The team had to overcome challenges such as replacing Neel’s head with animation, ensuring the animation rig and asset matched the capabilities of the animatronic head, and refining Neel’s expressivity.
