'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2' Featurette Shows Off The Impressive Motion-Capture Work

Whether or not you like the design of the most recent big screen iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you can't deny that the visual effects and motion capture technology used to bring them to life is extremely impressive. If you're curious as to how a movie like this is shot when the four main characters are created entire with visual effects and motion capture performances, a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 featurette reveals how it was done.

Here's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 featurette from the TMNT YouTube:

I'll never get tired of seeing footage from the film side-by-side with the footage shot on set. Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher and Jeremy Howard (Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello respectively) can be seen in these grey motion capture suits with shapes and colors all over them, along with some big stuffed shells and head gear.

Technology allows director Dave Green and the rest of the crew to see partially rendered versions of the turtles as they shoot a scene, making it easier to see how it will look in the editing room. Despite the totally unrealistic nature of the turtles, this makes their movement feel that much more natural, even in a film as outlandish and cartoonish as this.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is in theaters now, and while it's far from greatness, the sequel embraces the silliness of the source material and unfolds like a live-action version of the cartoon series. Sure, the story doesn't make any sense, but what else would you expect from Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes at this point?