Certified Animal Action Overview

From playful barking to energetic runs and even green screen magic, all scenes in The Conjuring: Last Rights were carefully rehearsed with professional trainers guiding the dog and the chickens with positive reinforcement and plenty of treats. American Humane Society’s onset CASR’S monitored every moment of animal action in this film to help ensure the best standards of care and safety. The dog and chickens were never exposed to real danger or distress, every interaction was calm, controlled and designed to reflect natural behaviors. Scenes that appeared intense were actually clever combinations of training, gentle cues and visual effects created in post-production. With AHS on set, audiences can rest assured that every furry and feathered friend was treated with kindness and respect throughout filming and No Animals Were Harmed™.

Detailed Animal Action Report

In the scene where the car pulls up to the house and the family walks inside with the dog following them, these scenes were filmed on a studio backlot, which was cut off from any traffic or the general public. Prior to filming the movie, the dog was introduced to the actors, so they would be well-acquainted with each other. Before filming the scene, the trainer brought the dog to the car, and placed him inside. After they exited the car, a trainer stood off-camera cued to the dog to run towards the house.

In the scene where the actress opens a gift in the living room and the dog barks at it, the trainer brought the dog to the set and placed him on his mark. Then the trainer stood off-camera and cued the dog to stand still. On action, the trainer cued him to snarl and bark. On cut, the dog was rewarded with treats. When the family lights a birthday cake and the dog barks, the trainers stood-off camera and cued the dog to bark like they did in the latter sequence.

In the scene where the girl stands on a chair, holds up a piece of bacon and the dog jumps up to eat it, the trainer rehearsed this action with the dog. Prior to filming the scene, the trainer brought the dog to his mark and stood off-camera cuing him to stay on his mark. On action, the actress stood on the chair and threw the bacon to the dog who naturally jumped and ate it.

In the scene where the actress walks through the party and passes a chicken on the ground, the trainer carried the chicken to the set in a carrier and placed him on the ground. The extras were made aware of the chicken and his location so they wouldn’t walk near him. After shooting the scene, the trainer placed the chicken back in its carrier and placed him in an air-conditioned trailer. In the same scene, the actress walks to the backyard and sees chickens in a large coop, prior to filming that day the trainers brought the chickens to the chicken run in their plastic carriers. The carriers were opened in the run and the chickens walked through the run with natural behaviors. Trainers made sure the water and food bowls were refilled throughout the day.

In the scene where we see the priest sitting with a dog in living room, trainers prepped the dog to lie on his side while the two actors talked. On action, the trainer stood off-camera and visually cued the dog to lay her head down and remain quiet.

In the scene where the dog barks at the ceiling as the kids try to hold him back, the dog was brought to the set and handed to the two actors who knew the dog well by this point. On action, the trainer cued the dog to bark as the actors behaved as if they were holding him back.

In the same sequence when the actor is possessed and walks towards the dog and the dog barks at her, the dog was placed on his mark, and all the actors were in their position. The dog was held by his collar by two actors as he faced another actor who acted possessed. On action, the dog was cued to bark by the trainer who stood in the hallway behind the camera.

In the scene where the possessed actor points to the dog who is lifted in the air and slammed against the wall, this was achieved through visual effects. In order to make the dog look real, trainers brought him to a green screen studio where they scanned him and took photos for VFX team. The VFX team used the dog’s visage to create the image of him being invisibly lifted in the air.

When the actors run out of the house and into the rain with the dog, all the scenes of the exterior of the house and neighborhood were filmed in a studio backlot, which was controlled by production. On action, the actors ran out of the house with the dog and stopped at their mark. The trainer stood off-camera the entire time cuing the dog to run towards him.