
Marmaduke
A suburban family moves to a new neighborhood with their large yet lovable Great Dane MARMADUKE, who has a tendency to wreak havoc.
Making MARMADUKE talk presented us with a unique set of challenges –the eponymous canine’s jowly features meant the VFX team had to pull out all the lighting and compositing stops to keep everything in line whatever scrapes – and awkward positions – he got into.
Getting this right was even more tricky than a full CG head replacement – the work had to blend seamlessly with the rest of the dog’s movements, right down to the texture of the fur. Cinesite created its own proprietary software and custom-building tools. These were used to transpose actor Owen Wilson’s facial tics and idiosyncrasies onto Marmaduke’s face – creating a synergy between the voice talent and animated character.
The project, which saw Cinesite complete 650 shots in 11 months, was its third canine-themed production, following Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Underdog.
- Release date: 04.06.2010
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Director: Tom Dey