Today, we often think of digital visual effects in terms of iconic characters who have been brought to life with computer graphics tools. This has been a core element of the innovations pioneered at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) from the beginning, with characters like the stained-glass knight in Young Sherlock Holmes (1985), the pseudopod in The Abyss (1989), the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and of course, Jurassic Park’s (1993) dinosaurs.
In the wake of Jurassic Park, projects with digital visual effects surged within ILM, each requiring new breakthroughs in software and technique to achieve specific goals. When director Rob Cohen brought Dragonheart (1996) to the company, the ILM team knew it presented a distinct challenge, one that would prove to have a lasting impact. It was the first time a realistic-looking, non-cartoon CG character would have a starring role in a major motion picture, and the first to be voiced by a major Hollywood star.
A fantasy adventure about a down-and-out knight (played by Dennis Quaid) who forms an unlikely partnership with a cantankerous dragon named Draco (voiced by Sean Connery), Dragonheart required a fully-CG creature who could speak with the depth and emotion of a leading dramatic character. The necessary detail and nuance in Draco’s performance posed a distinct challenge…