From a performance POV, we searched for all the ferry penguin reference we could find. We worked with the Director to find amongst all of that reference, moments that somewhat matched what our penguin needed to do in any given shot. The aim being we wanted her to remain true to a Ferry Penguin and avoid anthropomorphising her. Our animators still had to bring her to life, it’s never as straight forward as just “copying” the performance. Our fat/skin jiggling simulation that helps sell the illusion of a blubbery penguin, built for the cold water. We used an In house tool for grooming feathers in Houdini - Individual feathers are curve based right down to the barbs and shaft, so no texture maps so no resolution limitations. Curve based feathers light more realistically giving a much more realistic final result.