"Before building the set models and starting the computer animation, we had to figure out exactly how the Flying Machine was going to take off, turn, flap its wings, fly around things, bank, land and even crash," explains Pascal Colpron, character designer and storyboard artist. He studied the movements of birds and Leonardo de Vinci's flying machine drawings for inspiration.

Then, working from the final set model, senior animator Patrick Martel built a three-dimensional digital model of the Flying Machine on his computer starting with a wire frame, much like an architect would. He then used advanced software to animate it, enabling it to move its different body parts in any direction. And finally, he layered on texture, colours and lighting to make the Flying Machine look exactly like its life sized counterpart built for live action on the movie set. The metal Flying Machine takes four men or a small crane to move around whereas the 3D Flying Machine soars effortlessly to dizzying heights in the computer's virtual world.

Another challenge for Big Bang's 3D animation team was the Dark City, ruled by Xayide, the Dark Princess of Fantasia. This ominous city, surrounded by a deadly sea of lava, is made up of streets, bridges and buildings as well as the Princess's black, monolithic palace. The city was completely digitally constructed, much like an engineering structure, starting with architectural blue prints. From those plans, the city was modelled piece by piece, then textured and lit. Animator Olivier Goulet worked intensively for over two months to build this digital wonder. When the construction was completed, digital matte painter, Pascale Pratte, used a stylus and a graphic pad much like a painter would use brushes on canvas to paint the Dark City's sky and surroundings.

"The finished Dark City is like a movie set, ready to be used day or night, near or far, from different angles and for varying actions and story situations," says Rachiele.

But real, living people and creatures come in and out of this 3D city. How is that done? Not with tricks, smoke and mirrors but with precise planning, direction and top-of-the-line computer technology.