Five Nights At Freddy’s Director On The Importance Of Bringing Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy To Life

Emma Tammi discusses working with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to bring the animatronic characters to life and why they needed to physically be a part of Five Nights At Freddy’s. Based on the mega-popular video game of the same name, Five Nights At Freddy’s follows Mike Schmidt, who takes the night security job at the long-abandoned Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. However, he soon learns this job is more than he bargained for, with danger lurking around every corner, not just for Mike but for his younger sister as well.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Tammi discussed bringing the Five Nights At Freddy’s animatronic characters to life. She shared details about the experience of working with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. She also explains why using practical animatronics was so important to Five Nights At Freddy’s success. Check out Tammi’s full quote below:

The animatronic characters are the most iconic aspect of Five Nights At Freddy’s, from their look to their origins to their scare factor. If the movie wasn’t able to get this piece of the story right, there would be no chance of the movie succeeding. CG has taken over movies and television, making practical effects more rare. By making the animatronics practical, Five Nights At Freddy’s can take the movie to the next level.

Practical animatronic characters allow the other actors to not only authentically interact with them, but also react in a way that looks and feels more genuine. These characters are the heart of the franchise. By making them practical, it adds artistry to the movie and allows for real details to be included, as well as creative innovation.

The interactions between the animatronics and the human characters are the entire point of Five Nights At Freddy’s, as the revelation that the animatronics are alive is slowly teased before Mike learns the truth. This horror element is a huge part of what makes the game successful, and using practical effects allows the actors, director, and production crew to fully visualize it. Five Nights At Freddy’s is the perfect project for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to step in and continue their legacy of next-level practical effects.