Framestore - Bringing Cosmo to the forefront in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 presented a unique challenge for our artists. How do you create a 100% photoreal talking canine with superpowers without breaking the audience's belief?

In this breakdown, we pull back the curtain on the meticulous craftsmanship that brought Cosmo to life. Led by VFX Supervisor Stephane Nazé, our team painstakingly recreated our canine hero from the skeleton up. Using extensive reference footage, we obsessed over every detail, from the unique quirks in her fur pattern to the almost invisible scurf and dust that make her feel truly real.

But a perfect CG model is only half the story. The real magic lies in the performance. Our animation team embarked on a deep dive into canine expressions, finding real-world dog behaviors that could convey human emotions like joy, surprise, and curiosity. This allowed us creating a character that is both a believable dog and a beloved member of the Guardians team.