Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Rats in Nosferatu

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In a chilling manner, Nosferatu stands out for its convincing human acting, but it’s undeniably the numerous rodent actors that send shivers down our spines. These furry creatures, symbolizing Count Orlok’s plague, scamper, cling to people, and feign consuming them alive. However, directing live rats is no easy task; to understand this process, we spoke with director Robert Eggers and lead animal trainers Jáchym and Ota Bareš from Fauna Film.

According to the Barešes’ email, here’s an interesting fact about rats: They are quite intelligent and sociable creatures. However, when you gather too many of them in one space, they seem to lose their intelligence amidst the crowd’s anonymity, making it challenging to coordinate and motivate them effectively.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I can’t help but share some behind-the-scenes insights about the furry stars of our latest production. The majority of these adorable rodents are brown rats, the most prevalent breed in the film industry. They resided at Fauna Film’s impressive facilities, where they were not only housed but also trained. The Barešes revealed that a special section of one of their halls was transformed into pools for the rats to live and learn. The skilled actors among them, who had mastered running on command, spent their training days in Fauna’s dedicated studio, perfecting their moves on our film set props.

The Barešes argue that using live rats in films creates a more authentic and engaging viewing experience because their behavior is unpredictable and can add a level of realism. While they may not always follow the script as intended, this spontaneity can sometimes be beneficial.

For our filming, we had quite an assortment of rodent cast members – approximately 2,000 real-life rats! In some scenes with a larger population, computer-generated models of active rats were used to add depth and authenticity to the backdrop.

More often than not, I’d train those rodents to come and go as requested. However, when there are literally thousands of them scurrying about, managing them becomes quite a challenge. You see, we have transparent enclosures to keep them safe, but even then, they tend to just be… well, rats, doing whatever it is that rats do.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=1kupP6KIQ1U

Scenes with rats are more manageable to shoot outdoors compared to indoors due to their tendency to leave urine marks and produce a lot of droppings everywhere they go.

The Barešes pointed out that you wouldn’t notice the scent from outside unless you were very near, but when it came to filming inside the crypt scenes, the set had to be heated because rats dislike cold conditions. This warm atmosphere along with the presence of rats made the room quite foul-smelling. The strong odor of ammonia was unmistakable.”

Or in a more colloquial style: “The Barešes noted that you couldn’t catch a whiff from afar, but inside the crypt set, things got smelly real quick due to the heat and rats. The room started reeking of ammonia, no denying it.

In an unexpected turn, none of the actors from the movie “Nosferatu” showed fear upon first meeting the rats. However, some actors like Emma Corrin, who plays Anna Harding, ended up sharing close quarters with these furry creatures for a scene. This involved filming while rats scampered across her bare chest! The trainers initially doubted that Corrin would be able to pull this off. To be frank, after the rats relieved themselves on them, I’m sure many actors wished they hadn’t. Nevertheless, Corrin persevered, resulting in one of the most nerve-wracking and chilling scenes in the entire movie.

As a fanatic admirer of animal intelligence, I can’t help but marvel at rats’ impressive ability to improvise, just like us humans crave attention. In the chilling adaptation of “IT,” Bill Skarsgård, our beloved Pennywise, found himself sharing the spotlight with around 30 rats! Each scene required him to be buried inside a coffin, nestled among these furry co-stars. The lid was too heavy for a single person to manage, necessitating several helpers to open it before every take.

One day, while trapped beneath the closed lid, Skarsgård started shouting in an attempt to communicate from his confined space. However, his words were lost amidst the chaos. Only when they managed to lift the lid off did we discover the hilarious sight of Skarsgård and a rat, his new best friend, sitting on his forehead, eager for its close-up!

It seems even more troubling; it appears that some rats were interested in examining Skarsgård’s teeth – an unsettling mental picture that is now indelibly etched in our memories.

To motivate 2,000 rats, you could provide incentives that encourage them to avoid being caught or perceived. Rewarding their efforts with treats such as nuts, seeds, and fruit usually works when dealing with one or a few rats. However, managing a large group like a mischief of rats can be challenging and competitive. Fortunately, rats share our love for exploration and enjoy running and hiding in dark places. Similar to the film Nosferatu, the Barešes trained their animal actors by letting them dart from one place to another, then offering them safe hideaways or “rat houses” where they could retreat comfortably.

The speed trials at the rat mansions demonstrated that certain rodents in the production were more driven than their peers. A team of 15 female rats, distinguished by a brighter hue, consistently outpaced the others and reached the houses first, making their fellow rodents appear leisurely. In specific instances, the trainers had to temporarily sideline these speedy females to ensure consistency in pace for the cameras. To identify each rat easily, they marked some of them under their tails.

Holding essential discussions about rat safety is vital for a safe work environment on the Nosferatu set.

During the planning phase, the trainers convened meetings to make sure all essential safety measures were considered. Robert’s meticulous preparations and clear vision proved invaluable, as he outlined each detail perfectly. The Barešes noted this helpfulness. To foster collaboration further, the director presented storyboards for the team’s guidance. This additional step simplified their tasks significantly. Prior to filming, scenes were rehearsed extensively, allowing trainers to visualize the setup accurately.

According to the Barešes, when dealing with rats on set, we ensured a small team was present. Only actors and those responsible for handling them were permitted access to the areas housing rats.

Each day, the trainers gathered their critters for work, always starting with a safety briefing to maintain a seamless operation. To prevent exhaustion, rest zones were strategically placed, and the rats enjoyed constant access to sustenance and refreshments. They traveled together in groups of ten in rodent carriers, ensuring ample room for comfort. The loading and unloading process could be arduous, partly due to the meticulous health checks performed on each rat before sending them to the set. During filming, these rats were kept under control using transparent plexiglass enclosures that remained hidden from the camera’s view, which is why none of them ever ventured to craft services.

Preparing the ship scene was quite a challenge for the team, as it took them six months to train all the rats to enter on command during this particular scene where they would exit the ship. As rats are accustomed to running along walls, they had to teach them to run in open spaces first. They utilized some set pieces from the production at their facility to help the rats become more familiar with their surroundings during filming. Additionally, they spent a week training the rats on the actual set at the backlot, giving them time to sniff around and mark their running paths. According to the Barešes, it’s crucial to allow the rats enough time to get used to the set before shooting begins.

In this situation, I found it quite challenging, mainly due to the fact that when more rats are involved, coordinating their movement becomes increasingly difficult. As the Barešes explained, a single rat will seldom lead the group, but it possesses an extraordinary power – it can halt an entire horde of rats without any apparent reason. The only remedy we could think of was to remove that particular rat and try again.

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2025-01-17 18:55