Exploring 'The Water Horse'

The legend of the Loch Ness monster has captivated global audiences for centuries, dating back to the first recorded sighting by St. Columba in A.D. 565. Despite the 1930s photos being exposed as a hoax, countless visitors continue to journey to Loch Ness, eager to catch a glimpse of the elusive creature affectionately known as Nessie.

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Scottish tourism may see a surge with the Christmas Day premiere of "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep." Inspired by Dick King-Smith's beloved children's book, the film follows Angus, a young boy who stumbles upon a mysterious egg by Loch Ness. Directed by Jay Russell ("Ladder 49," "My Dog Skip") and written by Robert Nelson Jacobs, the movie features Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin, and 13-year-old Alex Etel ("Millions") as Angus. The creation of "Crusoe," the titular water horse, presented a unique challenge for Weta Digital, the acclaimed New Zealand effects studio behind "Lord of the Rings" and "King Kong."

Director Jay Russell discovered "The Water Horse" almost seven years ago and was immediately captivated. "Having just completed 'My Dog Skip,' which also explored themes of animal companionship and childhood during World War II," he explains. With Dick King-Smith's approval, Russell shifted the story's perspective from a child's viewpoint to an elderly man reminiscing about his youth.

However, Russell temporarily shelved the project to direct "Tuck Everlasting" (2002) and "Ladder 49" (2004). "At the time, the required technology was too expensive, making production unfeasible," he recalls. "We needed advancements in technology to bring my vision to life without a $300 million budget."

Russell emphasizes that thorough planning was key to saving time and resources: "I had a clear vision, which prevented unnecessary expenses. Every dollar was invested directly into the film."

This article explores Crusoe's journey from concept to final portrayal, examines the logistical and technical hurdles faced by the production team, and features expert insights into the enduring myth of Loch Ness.

Creating Crusoe

With approximately 600 effects shots in "The Water Horse," the majority focus on Crusoe, presenting a unique challenge as the creature undergoes rapid growth from infancy to adulthood. "While we've handled large-scale creature effects before, we've never tackled a character that transforms so dramatically. We had to design multiple versions of Crusoe, ensuring they all felt connected," explains Richard Frances-Moore, Weta Digital's animation supervisor.

Before Weta Digital joined the project, director Jay Russell collaborated with artist Matt Codd to conceptualize each stage of Crusoe's development. "We aimed to blend features from various animals without directly replicating any single one," Russell notes. "For instance, the adult Crusoe's face combines elements of a horse, a dinosaur, and even a dog around the eye, with subtle hints of an eagle. The small antler-like structures were inspired by a giraffe. By integrating these diverse traits, Crusoe achieves a strange yet familiar appearance, unlike anything seen before."

The initial design of Crusoe, just after hatching, drew inspiration from a baby chick — bony, scrawny, and slimy, with an eerie rather than endearing quality. "The softness, translucency, and intricate details like wrinkles and folds were elements we wished to incorporate into Gollum [from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy], but the technology wasn't advanced enough at the time," Frances-Moore remarks.

Crusoe's second phase, nicknamed "the puppy," exudes a playful and curious demeanor, blending traits of a dog and a seal. This was followed by the "awkward teenager" stage, culminating in the fully mature adult version.

Weta crafted maquettes (3-D sculptures) inspired by Matt Codd's designs to bring Crusoe to life. "Early versions of both the infant and adult Crusoe appeared overly reptilian," Russell explains. "We softened the features by adding more flesh around the cheeks. The puppy stage initially resembled a lamb, appearing too cute, so we introduced sharper angles to make it believable as an aquatic creature."

The 3-D models were then scanned to create computer renderings, which served as blueprints for Crusoe's skeleton and muscle structure. This allowed animators to define the character's scale and movement constraints. Visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri recalls adjusting puppy Crusoe's size for a bathtub scene: "We realized he needed more space to move playfully, so we scaled him down slightly. At the original size, his movements wouldn't have been as lively."

To ensure Crusoe's movements felt authentic, the Weta team studied real animal behavior. "Even though Crusoe is a fantastical creature, we aimed to make him believable," says Frances-Moore. "We paid close attention to the underlying anatomy and how it evolved across his growth stages, particularly in relation to Angus. This approach maintained consistency in the character's development."

Animation Difficulties

Crusoe's physical appearance and movements needed a consistent personality to truly resonate. "We emphasized Crusoe's constant hunger as a driving force, which explained his mischievous behavior," explains visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri. However, the team avoided making the creature overly human-like to prevent audiences from judging him as they would a person.

-- otherwise, viewers might have judged Crusoe as if he were human.

This balance was carefully maintained, with adjustments continuing into postproduction. "We refined the muscles around his eyes and mouth to convey subtle expressions that hinted at his personality," says director Jay Russell. "These tweaks persisted until the final days of production."

Crusoe's vocalizations were a blend of real animal sounds curated by sound designer David Whitehead, who recorded at a zoo. "The infant sounds are based on a terrier dog, altered and sped up," Russell notes. "We tailored these sounds to match the emotional tone of each scene."

Pre-visualization animation, a modern alternative to traditional storyboarding, was crucial for planning action sequences and defining Crusoe's character. This was especially vital for scenes involving interactions with water, his bulldog rival Churchill, and young Angus. Beyond Crusoe's physical transformation, this was the most significant challenge. Actors worked with silicon puppets or even a tennis ball on a stick as stand-ins, while Alex Etel (Angus) and the bulldog had digital counterparts for certain scenes.

The numerous aquatic scenes proved challenging for Alex Etel, who underwent scuba training and spent much of the filming submerged in a massive 4-million-liter tank, 8 feet deep. Filming in this tank, partially enclosed by a 24-foot blue screen, introduced a host of new difficulties, starting with the creation of a stand-in for Crusoe.

"We initially used a cumbersome device," recalls Russell. "Imagine the mechanical bulls from 'Urban Cowboy,' but blue and shaped like Crusoe, placed on an underwater track. However, the water's resistance made it move so slowly that it resembled a sea turtle, rendering it unusable. It was a total failure."

Eventually, the team found a solution by attaching the bull's head to a blue-painted Jet Ski, operated by a driver in a blue wet suit. This setup provided the necessary motion and splashes, enabling Weta Digital to blend real water with digital enhancements seamlessly.

"Water presented a significant challenge … While we'd worked with water before, this was on a different level," explains Richard Frances-Moore of Weta. The team also dedicated considerable effort to crafting realistic digital moonlight for nighttime water sequences.

Filming Locations

Most of "The Water Horse" was filmed in New Zealand due to its proximity to Weta, robust film industry, and skilled crews. The landscapes also served as excellent stand-ins for 1940s Scotland. The team spent over five weeks near Queenstown, New Zealand, where the absence of modern structures made it perfect for a historical setting.

"When the clouds roll over the mountains, it feels just like Scotland," says animation supervisor Richard Frances-Moore. "The only difference is Scotland's abundance of ancient walls and buildings, so filming there helped capture the timeless essence of the landscape."

"I couldn't make a film about the Loch Ness monster without shooting at least some scenes in Scotland," Russell explains. During his first visit to Loch Ness for location scouting, he was amazed by the crowds of tourists gazing at and photographing the lake. He admits, "I found myself hoping the creature would emerge from the water. It's that universal hope for something extraordinary and unexplainable that drives us."

Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, famously featured in the "Lord of the Rings" films, served as New Zealand's stand-in for Loch Ness. "Despite having no shelter, we never halted filming due to weather," Russell remarks. "We were fortunate. While 70- to 80-mile-per-hour winds were common, the crew adapted seamlessly."

Russell, who stayed in New Zealand during postproduction to collaborate closely with Weta, expresses his eagerness to work on more visual effects-driven films, provided he can partner with Weta again. However, he has little interest in directing a sequel to "The Water Horse." "I feel I've accomplished what I set out to do," he states. "I've made the film I envisioned."

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