The Academy Award winning visual effects studio, Rhythm & Hues opened its Los Angeles facility Monday for a Golden Compass presentation. The effects studio responsible for the 2005 film, The Chronicles of Narnia applied similar techniques in providing ‘Compass with nearly 600 digital effects shots.

The team; Bill Westenhoefer, Visual Effects Supervisor; Ray Chen, Co-Visual Effects Supervisor; Erik De Boer, Animation Director and Mike Meaker, Art Director spoke candidly on the creation and execution of The Golden Compass daemons.

Rhythm & Hues is in charge of all digital creatures in ‘Compass, save Iorek and the Panserbjorne (armored bears). Very few real animals were used in this film, only when non-daemons were required.

To take on these effects, the team was split between its studios in Los Angeles California and India. Chris Weitz worked directly with Art Directors, Visual Supervisors and Character Animators to create the look of the daemons and how they would interact with each other and their human counterparts.

Maquettes, or model busts of the daemons were provided by Neil Scanlan Studios. These models were scanned by a computer and reduced to workable frames that would be built upon to create the daemons in the film.

Since these creatures are not animals nor are they pets, the teams focus was on character development. The daemons performances exhibit knowledge of what their humans are thinking. The two share similar mannerisms and an unspoken dialogue with each other.

To create a greater connection visually, Rhythm & Hues gave the daemons the same eye color as their human counterparts.

The Golden Monkey, Mrs Coulter’s (Nicole Kidman) daemon, does not exist in the real world. The creature was designed from a combination of primates. His golden fur was of concern to the studio who wished to maintain the characters luminosity; plates and lighting were augmented to create the desired effect.

Director Chris Weitz wanted to make sure these creatures were not perceived as normal animals. The team created a way of distinguishing these creatures importance by infusing an aurora-like sheen in the daemons fur, suggesting an other-worldly quality.

Additional aesthetic modifications were made in the design of the daemons. Lord Asriel’s (Daniel Craig) daemon is Stelmaria, a snow leopard. To show off the characters regalness and strength- the animators gave Stelmaria less fur than a real snow lepoard- allowing her muscular frame to show through.

Lee Scoresby’s (Sam Elliott) hare daemon Hester, was given predatory characteristics by means of forward-facing eyes. These modifications suggest these creatures are not the animals of our own world, but the parallel world of The Golden Compass.

To effectively bring the daemons to life and appear seamless in their environment, it was not only the work of Rhythm & Hues but of the actors themselves. “Green Footballs” were provided on set in order for the actor to understand the weight, general shape and placement of the creature; these stuffed puppets were replaced by Rhythm & Hues visual effects.

Dakota Blue Richards, who owns several cats, was gifted in imagining these “footballs” as Lyra’s daemon Pantalaimon. Having actors that believed, made the outcome all the more effective.

A child’s daemon is ever-changing, shape-shifting at will. During adolescence the daemon finds its true form, reflective of the humans own behavioral characteristics. It was determined by Chris Weitz and the the team that these shape-shifts were natural occurrences, no additional “extraordinary” effects were required - just allow the transitions to be as fluid as possible.

For Pantalaimon, it was important to make him recognizable in his many forms. To solve this problem, character animators designed “Pan” with a bandit-like mask. The look is replicated in his many forms, whether it be over his eyes, on his forehead, or in some cases - on his wings.

Rhythm & Hues, began work on ‘Compass in Summer ‘06 and is currently finishing up its year and half long journey.

For further information on daemons in The Golden Compass, watch “Defining Daemons” featurette on Yahoo! Movies.