Firehouse Dog (2007) - Humane Hollywood

Four Irish terriers were alternated in the role of Rex in this film. Special effects were used to create Rex's free fall from a plane into a truck full of ... CloseMenu Home About CertifiedProductions Guidelines WorkingwithUs FeeSheet RegisterProduction FirehouseDog(2007) AfterRex,Hollywood'smostfamouscaninestar,goesmissingfollowingafaultymoviestunt,thepamperedpoochfindsoutwhatlifeisreallylikefornormaldogs.FireChiefConnorFahey(BruceGreenwood)andhis12-year-oldsonShane(JoshHutcherson)rescueandunofficiallyadoptRex,whosespunkypersonalitybreathesnewlifeintotheirdown-on-its-luckfirehouse. FullCertification  AnimalAction FirehouseDog ReleaseDate:April4,2007 Certification:FullCertification FourIrishterrierswerealternatedintheroleofRexinthisfilm.SpecialeffectswereusedtocreateRex’sfreefallfromaplaneintoatruckfulloftomatoes.Therealdogwasthenfilmedpoppingupfromthepileoftomatoes,coveredinsauce.Thetruckbedhadbeenmodifiedwithplatformsalongbothsidesandaplywood-coveredtunneldownthroughthemiddlewithatwo-footsquareholeatoneendforthedogtopopthrough.Theentireplatform,exceptforthehole,wascoveredwith600poundsofromatomatoes. Onthetrainer’scue,theIrishterriertrottedupthetunnelandpoppedhisheadup.Tomakethetruckappearasifitwerebeingdriven,unseencrewmembersjumpedupanddownonthefrontbumperandsideboardstoshakethetruck.TheremnantsoftomatoinRex’sfurwerecreatedbymixingtomatopasteandanontoxicmake-upproductcalledActionMudintoaVaselinebase. FieryRescue Rexgetstrappedontheroofofaburningbuildinginonescene.ChiefFahey(BruceGreenwood)standsonanextensionladderandmanagestocatchthedogwhenhejumpsofftheroof.Momentslater,Rexdropsintoalifenetheldupbyfirefightersbelow.Realfirefighterswereonsetduringthisentiresequenceasasafetyprecaution,andallsmokewaswater-basedandawayfromthedog. ThissequencewasfilmedinmultiplecutsandwithabluescreenforshotsofRexbarkingontheburningroof.Productionbuilta25-footlong,15-footwide,10-foothighrooftopsetonthestudiolotwithstuntpadsplacedaroundthebasetocushionanyunscriptedlandings.OnetrainerremainedoffscreenonatablebeneaththedogwhileanotherhandlerworkedonthesettopwithRex.BoththedogandthestuntmanwhocatchesRexpreparedextensivelyforthisjump.AccordingtotheSafetyRepresentativemonitoringtheshot,theIrishterrierwasjumpingtohisfoodbowlonthetablebelow,butthestuntmankeptcatchinghimbeforehegotthere! WhileitlookslikeRexhangsoffConnor’sarmsevenstoriesabovethelifenet,inrealitythisshotwasfilmedapproximatelyonefootofftheground.Thedogwasreleasedbyonetrainerandencouragedtobiteandhangontothepaddedsleeveofacostumedhandlerforamaximumofeightseconds. Thejumptothelifenetinvolvedbothvisualeffectsandliveanimalaction.TherealRexstoodonafive-foot-highplatformandatrainercuedhimtojumpintothemiddleofthelifenet.Actorsheldthissafetytarpthreefeetabovetheground,whichthenrequiredonlyatwo-footverticaljumpfromthedog.Rexstoodinplaceonthelifenetforaninsertshot,andthentheactorsloweredthenetquicklytosimulatetheforceofthedog’slanding. Rex’sNewLife OnceShaneandConnorbringRexhome,thereischaos.Inonescene,RexrunsdownthehallawayfromShane’sbedroom,slidesintothewall,getscoveredwithdustbunnies,andwindsupinthebathtubexpectantlyholdingabottleofshampooinhismouthasheturnsonthefaucet.TrainerssprinkledtalcumpowderunderneaththehallrugtoreduceRex’stractionashecamearoundthecorner.Thefalsewallthathebrushedagainstslightlywasflexibleandthedogwasnotbotheredbythiscontactatall.Tocreatedog-friendlydustbunnies,abitofnontoxicmaterialusedtopadfurniturecushionswasgroundupinacoffeegrinderandthrownintotheairasRexranintothebathroom.TheIrishterriersatonanappleboxinthebathtubandwascuedbyatrainertopushdownonthefaucet;ashedidso,acrewmemberoffcameraturnedonthewater. Inanotherscene,Rexjumpsontoacounterinthepantryandreachesuptoahighshelfforabagofbeefjerky,knockingoveranoffscreenwinerack.Thewinerackwaswiredtothewalltoallowlimitedhorizontalmovementwithoutfalling.Anunseentrainermovedtheracktomakeitlooklikethedog’sfeetwerepushingitover.Thedog’spathtothecounterwasclear,andthreetrainersworkedonthisshot:oneabovegivingcommandsandtwooffcameraatgroundleveltowatchoutforthedog. Onesequencefeaturesacanineagilitycourse.Safetyprotocolsinplaceforthissequenceincludedhavingthebackgroundcrowdmimetheircheeringandclapping;checkingallagilityequipmentforsturdinessandpropersetup;securingalllightobstacles;walkingthegroundstocheckfordebrisandholes;andhavingalldogshandledbytheirowners.TheringoffirestageofthecourseappearstocauseRexgreatdistress,thoughinrealitythedogwaswell-preparedtoworkwithfire.Trainersplacedtheringfivefeetinfrontoftheplatformtodiscouragethedogfromjumpingthrough,andraisedithighenoughabovethegroundsothattheterriercouldgounderneathifnecessary.Theringoffirewaspropane-fedandcrewstoodbytoturnoffthefuelshouldRexattempttoleapthroughit.ThesceneendsbeforeRexdecideswhethertojumpornot. Rexlaterskateboardsinaparkinglot,jumpsoveracarpullingoutofaspace,andthenlandsontheskateboardagain.Thisanimalactionwasfilmedinfrontofabluescreen;nocarwaseverinthescenewiththedog.AtrainerguidedRex’sskateboardviaawireattachedtotheboard.Thedogrodethecabledskateboarduptoatable,whichhejumpedontopofwhiletheboardcontinueditstrajectoryunderneath.Whentheslow-movingskateboardemergedfromunderthetable,thetrainercuedRextojumpdownonit.Anon-slipmaterialcoveredthetabletoprovidetractionfortheterrier. RexSavestheDay Theenginecompanyfirescenerequiredcarefulchoreographyfortheanimal,firefightersonsiteatalltimes,andamultitudeofprecautionssurroundingthecontrolledflamesandwater-basedsmoke.Flamebarsandfirepastewereusedinthebackgroundofallshots,butthedognevercamecloserthanfivefeettothesedevices.Firepaste,asubstancefrequentlyusedforstartingcampfires,fireplacesandbarbeques,allowsproductionstocreatenatural-looking,controlledspotsofflameswithoutflare-upsorsplashing. Productionmadesureallpathwaysthedogwouldtravelweresweptclearofdebris.Rexwasnotbroughttothesetuntilthecontrolledfireswereburning,andtrainersverballyandphysicallypreventedthedogfromwalkingnearanyfiresource.Threehiddentrainersonsetcuedtheterrierandactedassafetyguardsduringfilming. TheshotofRexslidingdownthepoletorescueShanecombinedvisualeffectsmixedwithfootageoftherealdogjumpingandlandingonaplatformtothesideofthepolehole.RexwasnotintheroomduringtheshotsofShanethrowingkitchenutensilstothefloororbreakingthedoorhingestoescape.TheglassthatShaneandtheterrierrunoverastheyexitwasharmlesscandyglass. ShareonFacebook ShareonTwitter ShareviaEmail MoreCertifiedProductions WhereTheCrawdadsSing (2022) Thor:LoveandThunder (2022) TopGun:Maverick (2022) DoctorStrangeintheMultiverseofMadness (2022)