How Long Did It Take to Make Isle of Dogs?
Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs is a marvel of stop-motion animation, and its creation was no small feat. The film took approximately two years to complete, a timeline that speaks to the painstaking effort and detailed craftsmanship involved in stop-motion filmmaking.
The Timeline Behind the Scenes
Work on Isle of Dogs began around 2015, with the movie premiering in early 2018. Stop-motion animation is one of the most labor-intensive forms of filmmaking, often requiring:
- Constructing miniature sets and models for every scene
- Designing and assembling detailed puppets for each character
- Animating frame by frame — typically 12 to 24 frames per second
This means animators might produce only a few seconds of usable footage per day, depending on complexity.
Animating Canines — Puppet Engineering
One of the biggest challenges was creating over 1,000 handcrafted puppets — most of them anthropomorphic dogs with expressive faces, movable limbs, and layers of fur that had to be styled and adjusted for continuity between shots. This work required a full-time team of designers and animators working in tandem.
Location and Production
The film was produced at 3 Mills Studios in East London, a location known for its facilities tailored to stop-motion projects. A dedicated crew of over 130 animators, set builders, painters, costume designers, and more collaborated in synchrony over the course of two years.
Post-Production and Voice Work
Though the animation itself took the bulk of the time, substantial energy was also devoted to:
- Editing the stop-motion footage
- Layering in visual effects
- Recording and syncing high-profile voice acting talent like Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, and Scarlett Johansson
- Perfecting the score by Alexandre Desplat
This side of the production helped bring Anderson's story-driven aesthetics to life, pushing the film toward its final completion.
Why It Took So Long — The Nature of Stop Motion
Isle of Dogs exemplifies the patience and perfectionism demanded of stop-motion. Unlike CGI or live-action, every movement, blink, and prop adjustment must be meticulously orchestrated. The reasons for the lengthy timeline include:
- Artistic complexity of each scene
- Intricacy in character movements
- Frequent trial and error to capture just the right expressions
- Manual editing and puppet repair as needed
What viewers see on screen — quick exchanges, fights, facial expressions — may take weeks to capture successfully.
Comparison With Other Stop-Motion Films
Similar to Fantastic Mr. Fox, another Wes Anderson stop-motion project, Isle of Dogs followed a multi-year gestation. In contrast to most live-action films that may wrap in six months, stop-motion features typically require several years of labor.
Conclusion: A Labor of Love
Creating Isle of Dogs was a two-year journey fueled by passion, creativity, and precise technical artistry. As viewers are immersed in the dystopian yet charming world of Trash Island, what they’re really witnessing is the outcome of thousands of hours of manual effort — a tribute to the timeless allure of stop-motion cinema.
