“The Home Office issued Paddington with his own passport”

As a long-time admirer of Paddington Bear and his enchanting adventures, I must say that my recent journey into the heart of the Formian rainforest feels eerily reminiscent of the intrepid explorer’s own escapades. The tantalizing brush with venomous creatures, the fleeting encounter with a vibrant macaw, and the palpable sense of danger lurking around every corner – it all seems to have been plucked straight from the pages of one of Michael Bond’s captivating tales.

Add Paddington in Peru to your watchlist

Upon stepping into the building, I’m taken aback by the sight before me. None other than Paddington Bear stands there, ready to welcome me. Draped in his signature blue duffel coat and red hat, it’s clear who it is. His warm brown eyes gaze at me, inviting me to run my fingers through his chocolatey fur. “Feel free to touch him if you wish,” I’m informed, jolting me back to reality as I realize Paddington Bear isn’t a real bear living in the real world, but still a delightful friend to interact with.

In this upcoming third Paddington movie, “Paddington in Peru,” a remarkably lifelike Paddington headpiece (essentially a beaver fur-made Paddington head on a stick) was created at a cost of £30,000. Rob Silva, co-producer, explains that this prop serves two purposes: it helps the actors with their eye-lines during filming, and it assists animators in depicting how light interacts with the fur when creating the computer-generated Paddington bear. Today, I’ll be getting a behind-the-scenes look at Framestore, the prestigious visual effects company that has brought Paddington to life on screen.

In a sense, Paddington may not exist beyond the pages of a book, but when it comes to crafting the movies, he appears so lifelike that you’d almost think he’s real, with his piercing gazes included. As for the key to this illusion, animation director Pablo Grillo emphasizes, “It’s all about making those eyes seem like they are locking onto you, reaching deep into your very essence.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d like to chime in on the making of our film. In one of the early snapshots, there was a concern that our leading character seemed a tad lifeless. Some even dubbed him ‘creepy Paddington’. Capturing his essence on still photos is tricky, but the magic truly happens when he comes to life through his expressive eyes and subtle facial movements.

In the upcoming movie “Paddington in Peru,” hitting UK cinemas on November 8th, our beloved character Paddington Bear, again voiced by Ben Whishaw, receives a British passport. This new document allows him to venture outside of Britain and finally visit Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in his native land.

Silva explains, “We contacted the Home Office to inquire about obtaining a duplicate, and surprisingly, they granted Paddington an authentic passport – it’s one-of-a-kind. You wouldn’t expect the Home Office to have a sense of humor, but upon closer examination, they’ve officially recorded him as ‘Bear.'” Silva then displays it, showing Paddington’s picture within.

With his passport clutched in his paw, Paddington is all set for the next chapter of his journey. Accompanied by Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville) and his wife Mary (Emily Mortimer, now portraying the character previously played by Sally Hawkins), along with their children Judy (Madeleine Harris) and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin), and housekeeper Mrs Bird (Julie Walters), they embark on a trip to Peru. However, upon their arrival, they find that Aunt Lucy is nowhere to be found.

Under official observations in his passport, the Home Office have listed him as Bear

She’s been residing at The Home for Retired Bears, managed by the cheerful, melodious Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman), but she has mysteriously vanished. This disappearance sparks Paddington and his friends to embark on a journey into the Amazon in search of her. They are accompanied by the captivating riverboat captain Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina, who is making her acting debut (Carla Tous).

Alison comments, ‘Initially, we questioned if a bear wandering London streets would be effective, but to our delight, we’ve discovered its enormous potential.’ When he returns to Peru, he transforms into a proper English gentleman.

For a span of two months, Paddington the plush toy, along with the cast and crew, filmed scenes at diverse locations in Peru, such as the renowned Incan strongholds of Sacsayhuamán and Machu Picchu, as well as in Colombia. Additionally, sets were constructed on the expansive Berrybushes Farm, situated close to Watford, for more filming.

In this new venture, Director Dougal Wilson assumed command, following in the footsteps of Paul King who had previously directed and co-written the preceding films but moved on to focus on the project “Wonka“. Despite leaving the helm, King continues to be part of the team, as he collaborated with Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton to conceive the storyline.

2019 found me being invited on board, and my response was one of immense trepidation. The brilliance of “Paddington 2” has left an indelible mark in the annals of cinema, making it a timeless masterpiece. I must admit, I was riddled with fear and apprehension. Following up such exceptional films is no easy feat, and the prospect of creating a third installment is always daunting. I can only hope that we do justice to the expectations of the fans.

To fully experience Paddington’s adventure, Wilson decided to explore deep into the Tambopata National Reserve within the Peruvian rainforest. He shared, “I narrowly avoided stepping on one of the Amazon’s second deadliest snakes, nearly brushed against a wandering spider carrying potent venom, and almost suffered a bite from a bullet ant. Yet, a vibrant rainbow macaw descended and nibbled on a slice of cake from our tea table… Some of that excitement might have found its way into the movie!

Though Paddington Bear himself wasn’t physically present during filming, with the use of a “stuffed head” stand-in, on-screen eye-line sticks, and a similarly colored teddy bear, it gives the impression that he’s truly there among us. An actor reads his lines off-camera, while Lauren Barrand, who shares Paddington’s height of 3ft 6in, takes his place on set, donning his duffel coat and hat for seamless integration later in post-production.

Paddington doesn’t smile well… or often

In London’s underground studio, Whishaw dons a head-worn camera setup while he speaks his lines, distinct from the main cast. Grillo clarifies, “The camera helps animators match mouth movements for lip-syncing. Ben’s expressive eyes and pensive brows offer an excellent starting point, serving as a great reference for us to initiate and refine Paddington’s performance.

Grillo explains: “Paddington is rather understated. We aim for a touch of dry wit in him. There’s a certain mystery in his expression. Despite his jovial demeanor, he doesn’t show much smiling. His smile isn’t very expressive. Sometimes, to appeal to marketing needs, they ask for a wide, radiant grin and we react with surprise. It’s challenging to find the perfect balance. Often, it’s just a subtle hint. He’s a thoughtful character who keeps his emotional state mostly hidden, revealing feelings more through actions than facial expressions.

Animation supervisor Arslan Elver likens himself and his team of 120 animators working on Paddington at Framestore to “digital puppeteers.” He explains, “It’s like traditional animation, but instead of using pen and paper, we utilize a mouse and keyboard. This gives our work a unique charm that sets it apart from big-budget movies that rely on motion-capture technology.

Here are around 100 “manipulators” that allow for smooth transitions in the movements of digital characters, ranging from a blink of an eye to the sway of an umbrella. I was given the chance to try it out and, with his guidance, I utilized the mouse and pressed some keys to make Aunt Lucy gently tilt her head. It took me around five minutes to generate that single movement, but transforming it into a cinematic-quality shot, filled with facial expressions and poses, takes significantly more time. A single second of completed footage demands 24 frames, and an animator might spend up to three days crafting them. As Elver puts it, “It’s a work of passion.

Creating everyone’s beloved character, the bear named Paddington, is not just a solo effort; it requires the collective contributions of many. The journey began, as you might expect, with Michael Bond’s books, beautifully illustrated by Peggy Fortnum. When we embarked on our initial film project, the kind and gracious Michael Bond expressed some apprehension about how it would turn out, yet he remained calm as well. He shared that Paddington had undergone numerous transformations over the years, but somehow, his essence and character managed to endure through each iteration. We all recognize Paddington.

As it turns out, he’s very real after all.

2024-10-22 18:35

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