The magic behind How to Train Your Dragon with Framestore

We kicked off the term with another exciting edition of our ‘An Evening With…’ series, and what a way to start the year. On Wednesday 11^th February, our students headed to Cineworld at The O2 for an exclusive private screening and behind-the-scenes talk in collaboration with our industry partner, Framestore.  

The atmosphere at Cineworld was fantastic from the moment everyone arrived. Hundreds of students showed up and there was a real buzz in the air, with our students describing the evening as “exclusive, brilliant and vibrant.” Students enjoyed a screening of the live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon, but the real magic happened afterwards, when we went behind the scenes to discover how the dragons were brought to life. 

We were joined by Chris McGaw, Lead Animator at Framestore, who delivered an in-depth talk exploring the creative and technical processes behind the film’s creature animation. Chris shared insights into the studio’s workflow, from early concept development through to final shots, giving students a rare look at what it takes to create believable dragons for a live-action world.

Jake Lee, Student Community and Events Officer reflects:

"Chris gave one of the most in-depth behind the scenes presentations I've ever seen. There was so much footage from the early days of the production which is rare to see in these talks. It was amazing that Framestore worked on the project for so long and had many early tests to show us. Chris was so generous with his time and answered a lot of our student's questions ranging from animation, rigging, concept art and what to include in a portfolio."

One of the most fascinating takeaways was how grounded the creature designs were in reality. The team studied real life animals extensively, focusing on anatomy to make the creatures feel physically authentic. Bone structures, muscle systems, scales, skin textures and much more were all carefully considered so that every movement felt natural. Even the flight cycle took months to perfect, while the eyes, often the key to character and emotion, required up to a year of development to get just right! 

At the same time, the challenge was not to lose the charm and personality audiences already love. Characters like Toothless needed to feel expressive and familiar, striking the perfect balance between realism and the original animated appeal. Chris explained how constant experimentation was key, sometimes pushing ideas too far before knowing exactly where to pull them back. 

Students were also treated to behind-the-scenes insights into the practical tools used on set to help actors interact with creatures that didn’t yet exist. From puppets and physical “bucks” to stunt rigs, gimbals, digital doubles, and Previs, the team used a variety of techniques to make performances feel authentic.  

It was inspiring to hear how much craft, patience, and detail goes into the work, and even more exciting to learn that Framestore delivered 100% of the project’s animation work. Events like this are a brilliant example of the industry access and insights our students get throughout the year. If this is how we’re starting the year, we can’t wait to see what unforgettable experiences are yet to come.  

Thank you to Framestore and Chris for the insights!