VIDEO. How the bird man from the film “Animal Kingdom” was created

“We are going to integrate all the elements together to create an image that holds up, that is realistic, that does not ask questions.” From filming to post-production of a film, many hands are busy creating special effects. To create the bird man from the film “The Animal Kingdom”, by Thomas Cailley, several techniques had to be combined. The director specifies: “The film has a particularity: it is not simply digital effects placed on images, but we also have a lot of hybrid effects, that is to say actors who are themselves extended by prostheses, which are themselves extended by digital effects.”

“Give even more realism”

While prosthetics were used during filming, it was necessary to create “a digital double of the actor but with his 3D wings”, explains Boris Kaufmann, 3D special effects supervisor. Next comes the animation: “This is the step where we add all the animation of the wing, the feathers.” It’s necessary “have a physical logic of the movement of the feathers which accompanies the animation to give even more realism”. The most meticulous work. “I couldn’t tell you exactly how long.”concludes Boris Kauffman.

“The Animal Kingdom” can be seen in theaters from this Wednesday, October 4.