Pedigree has been running a print campaign based on this idea for some time and wanted the imagery of the smiling dogs translated into a commercial. A total of 25 dogs were filmed and after a grueling casting process, four were chosen for a mouth makeover - Isabel, Ruby, Blue and Lexi.
Our CG crew lead by Steve Beck, created teeth and replacement bottom jaws for the dogs that were then tracked and composited into the footage.
Becky Porter, a lead compositor on the job, comments, "Most CG elements were hand tracked because of the amount of movement due to the dogs' panting. Our largest challenge with the rendering of the dentures was achieving the pearlescent qualities of teeth. After that it was about restoring the dogs' lip hair over the teeth with a mixture of keying and tracked patches of hair. Even during the really fiddly work we were smiling, you can't help but smile when you look at these dogs."
Agency: TBWA Chiat Day
Producer: Chris Spencer
Creative Directors: Chris Adams, Margaret Keene
Creatives: Eric Terchila, Denise Zurilgen
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Rocky Morton
Producer: Helen Hollien
Director of Photography: Kris Kachikis
Editing Company: Whitehouse
Editor: Dan Oberle
VFX & Design: The Mill
Executive Producer: Sue Troyan
VFX Producer: Arielle Davis
Shoot Supervisor: Robert Sethi
2D Lead Artist: Billy Higgins
3D Lead Artist: Steve Beck
2D Artist: Becky Porter
3D Artist: John Leonti