Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538452
D ominic Watkins, the production designer, rang to say, do you want to do How to Train Your Dragon and in Northern Ireland? Firstly, one of my favourite animations with incredible lighting from Roger Deakins, it always felt like an animation with a film style, so it was very exciting to think we could be part of bringing it into a live-action version. The Property Department was heavily involved in shaping the look of the film with everything from the wings and saddles to staffs and toys. While children's toys were not something from the original animation, I thought it was an important addition to world-building this community of Vikings and how integrated fighting was to them at even a young age. I had been following an automation engineer for some time online and thought it would be lovely to create a small dragon for Hiccup. We also did a ship and whale, as well as tiny shields and swords for the kids watching the trials in the arena. It was those extra elements that helped add realism and depth to our world. Everyone put a little extra effort into everything because of Dean DeBlois. It was his first time directing, and you really wanted his dream to be a reality, and the experience to be something special.