Mary Allen
Introduction: The use of a CGI dog in Call of the Wild
Call of the Wild is a 2020 adventure film that tells the story of a dog named Buck who is taken from his home in California to become a sled dog in the Yukon during the Gold Rush. The film, directed by Chris Sanders, features a CGI dog as the main character, which has raised questions about the decision to use computer-generated imagery instead of a real dog. The use of a CGI dog in Call of the Wild was a complex decision that involved a variety of factors, including cost, safety, and creative vision.
Cost and Safety: Major factors in the decision
One of the main reasons why a CGI dog was used in Call of the Wild was cost. The film’s budget was $109 million, and using a real dog would have required extensive training and care, which would have added significantly to the production costs. Additionally, using a real dog posed safety risks, as certain scenes in the film required the dog to perform dangerous stunts. By using a CGI dog, the filmmakers were able to control the dog’s movements and ensure that no harm came to any animals during the filming process.
CGI Technology: Benefits and drawbacks
The use of CGI technology in filmmaking has both benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, CGI allows filmmakers to create stunning visual effects and bring to life characters and creatures that would be impossible to film using live-action techniques alone. However, CGI can also be expensive and time-consuming, as it requires a team of skilled animators to create and render the digital images. In the case of Call of the Wild, the use of a CGI dog allowed for more control and flexibility in the filming process, but also required a significant investment of time and resources to create a convincing and realistic dog character.