BEAR NECESSITIES
The beloved Paddington bear returns for a third live-action instalment. Erik Wilson BSC reveals the delicate artistry behind blending CGI magic with heartfelt storytelling.
A marmalade sandwich-loving creature is back and this time he returns to his land of birth to visit his aunt Lucy. Featuring a heavyweight cast including Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Hugh Bonneville, Antonio Banderas, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent and Olivia Colman, with a cameo from one Hugh Grant, it can only be Paddington in Peru.
The bear himself may be a CGI creation, but cinematographer Erik Wilson BSC says his approach to lighting and framing ensured the animal felt grounded in the live-action world. “In the vibrant settings of Peru, we had to be meticulous about light direction and intensity to make Paddington’s interactions with his environment believable,” he says. These choices added depth and authenticity to the character, making his presence feel integral to the scenes.
Wilson also shot a lot of footage during the tech scout, with crew members standing in, “so we would have a real-life reference for all the VFX compositors back in the UK who couldn’t visit the various locations”.
He selected the combination of the ARRI Alexa 35 paired with Master Primes on the main unit and says it was a natural fit. “These tools offered the clarity and dynamic range we needed to capture the richness of our varied locations,” he shares. Supplementing this setup, the plate unit employed RED Raptors and CP3 lenses, while aerial shots were achieved with DJI Inspire 2 and 3 drones. This diversified toolkit was key to meeting the visual demands of the project.
Lighting also played a pivotal role in marrying the South American landscapes with studio sets in the less exotic Borehamwood. Wilson utilised a diverse range of equipment, including HMI Arrimax, LEDs, and tungsten lights. “The choice often depended on the nature of the location or set,” he explains. “This adaptability was critical in achieving the film’s seamless visual transitions. Gaffer Andy Lowe was instrumental in making this all work.”
Lowe says that one would be forgiven for thinking lighting a CGI bear “is a nightmare” but the opposite is true.
“There’s a whole team involved in bringing Paddington to life on set,” he says. “They used a ‘stuffy’—a Paddington head—for placement and a stand-in named Lauren, who’s Paddington’s exact height, to help actors with eyelines. Sometimes, Lauren even wears Paddington’s coat for close-up shots. For action scenes, like running or jumping, they bring in a stunt performer to guide the camera’s movements. Additionally, there’s a voice actor on set reading lines with a similar intonation to Ben Whishaw’s, helping the cast and crew visualise Paddington’s presence. This helped to ensure Paddington feels alive in every scene.”
He says one of the biggest lighting challenges was replicating the natural vibrancy of the vast forests, mountains, and rivers of Colombia and Peru within the confines of an English studio. “It was all about positioning and orienting the sets in such a way that the sun’s position aligned with plates that were yet to be shot,” Wilson recalls, adding that this level of foresight ensured a cohesive aesthetic across the film.
“The team used 3D modelling programmes with sun path tools to overlay location plates onto studio builds and align them,” he adds.
Filming across multiple countries presented its own set of hurdles. For Wilson, the key challenge lay in coordinating the shoot across Colombia, Peru, and the UK to ensure visual coherence. “Planning was critical, especially when trying to match the strong South American light with the softer hues of the English countryside,” he explains. Polarisers became an indispensable tool in this endeavour, helping to balance the colour palettes and maintain consistency.
The terrain and climate of South America added another layer of complexity. While Wilson conducted technical scouts in Colombia, all of the plate and second-unit work was helmed by DP and director John Sorapure. This collaborative approach allowed the team to navigate the logistical and cultural challenges inherent to such a sprawling production.
Matching the visual styles of South America and England was another steep learning curve. “The strong, vibrant light of South America presented a stark contrast to the softer tones of the UK,” Wilson explains. Overcoming this involved a mix of technical tools, like polarisers, and creative ingenuity.
Post-production
For scenes requiring VFX integration, Wilson opted for blue screens. “Given the abundance of greens and foliage in our locations, blue screens were the obvious choice,” he notes. This decision was instrumental in achieving clean, unobtrusive composites during post-production.
Wilson’s involvement didn’t begin and end with principal photography. He remained engaged throughout the post-production process, working closely with VFX supervisor Alexis Weisbrot to fine-tune lighting integration and review edits. “Whenever possible, I visited the office to discuss progress and ensure the visual elements aligned with our original vision,” he shares, adding that this collaboration was essential in blending CGI elements with live-action footage seamlessly.
Up in the air
Wilson says the aerial sequences were “quite exciting” because the team had to stitch together footage shot in Colombia and Peru with scenes filmed in the UK. “Normally, when you do a moving shot, you need to replicate the camera movement exactly to make it appear as though the actor is in the same place,” he explains. “For instance, if we film an actor here against a blue screen and the camera moves, it needs to replicate what we shoot in Colombia – that exact movement so it looks like the actor is walking through the jungle.”
Wilson explains how DJI has developed a new system that records camera movements and allows them to be played back. “The drone can replicate the exact same movement,” Wilson adds. “I saw a demo video where someone filmed a drone shot, pushed repeat and filmed himself multiple times, creating a scene with three versions of himself in a moving shot as the drone flew through the air. This technology is groundbreaking and wasn’t possible before. I thought, why don’t we use that in Colombia? We could film a shot along a river there, then film an actor against a blue screen back in London, stitch the footage together, and make it look like the actor is in Colombia—achieving a shot that wouldn’t normally be possible.”
Wilson says the technology is in its infancy, but Helicopter Girls and Framestore worked together to make it happen and it’s not perfect yet, but I’m very excited about what will be possible in the future. Wilson also reserves praise for the aforementioned Helicopter Girls and fellow aerial specialist, Marzano Films. “We had extensive discussions in advance with them about our requirements,” he continues. “Since it was all plates, we knew the types of backgrounds we needed, so we planned everything: the timing, the cameras, the angles, and the overall shot composition. The plates were actually filmed before we filmed the actors, which is the reverse of the typical process. This level of pre-planning ensured that everything fit seamlessly together.”
A collaborative effort
Reflecting on the production, Wilson highlights the importance of planning and adaptability. “This shoot was a masterclass in coordination,” he says. Balancing the logistical complexities of filming across continents with the creative demands of the story required meticulous preparation and a willingness to adapt on the fly.
For Wilson, the success of the production was a testament to the collaboration between departments and the dedication of the crew. “Every challenge we faced was met with a collective effort to find solutions and push the boundaries of what we could achieve,” he reflects.
In bringing Paddington’s latest adventure to life, Wilson and his team not only crafted a visually stunning film but also set a new benchmark for storytelling that spans continents and mediums. This journey, marked by innovation and teamwork, underscores the magic of cinema and the enduring charm of a small bear with a big heart.
