Every character was developed from scratch, with careful attention drawn to every aspect of their design. Form, material and texture went through numerous iterations to ensure that Roo and Louie felt distinct and tangible.

Fine details like fur length, seaming and synthetic sheen were particularly important. To the director, these characters were not just objects - but toys that you’d expect to see in a real gift store.

This vision also informed the photorealistic component of each character. For a film designed to showcase Australia’s beauty, it was important that both characters felt embedded within that world - complementing the landscape rather than drawing attention away from it.

This philosophy also applied to the animation; each movement had to feel idiosyncratic yet realistic - especially in the case of Roo, who had to function like a real Kangaroo yet interact with the world on a far smaller scale.