Role: Dufflepud (Green Screen VFX Test Shots Only)
Type: Film (Feature)
Production: Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Director: Angus Bickerton
Company: Purple Sail Ltd.
Venue: Twickenham Studios
Like Gollum, though Andy Serkis’ costume was white and it was on a location mostly, or any of Robert Zemekis’ motion capture CG projects (Polar Express, A Christmas Carol), Ravitz was likely dressed in a green-screen suit for testing. This would help the computer program to understand the movements that the Dufflepuds would likely make. They’ll probably wind up entirely computer generated.
But this doesn’t rule out that they’ll use the actor from the waist up, much like when they brought Mr. Tumnus to life on the screen, as well as many of the other creatures that inhabited Narnia, that were half-man type.
“Director” Angus Bickerton is the Visual Effects Supervisor on Dawn Treader, making him the Director of visual effects, at least for that shoot, if not more. Twickenham Studios is located in London, and is actually a rugby stadium.
The name “Purple Sail Ltd.” likely comes from the concept art for the ship, The Dawn Treader, in which it has a purple sail. It’s gotta be the production company’s name for the film, as productions that shoot in countries other than where the studio is located have to, for tax purposes, form an actual temporary company that lasts as long as the film is in production. For example: Prince Caspian used the name “Wimbleweather Ltd.” for it’s production company.
For more information about Lee Ravitz, check out his resume.