Pets on Set: The Pack of Heart of the Beast

Stunt performer Jacqueline Geurts was part of the full-time stunt team on Heart of the Beast. Her role included playing Odin in the stunt pre-visualisation and doubling the dogs during filming when required. She gave us a glimpse into working alongside this rather special canine cast and why, despite the rather famous human names at the top of the film, this story was really about the dogs.

At the centre of the pack was Uber, the main acting dog from Heisenberg Kennels NZ. It was something of a family affair too: Seeker, Hondo and Ryker are all his sons.

The dogs came from regular family homes, and working with them sometimes meant being ready to adapt. Each dog also had their own trainer with them throughout the production. Out of respect for the dogs, their owners and trainers, crew kept their interactions with them to what was needed for the work.

Not that anyone minded having a few extra paws around.

Who doesn’t love a dog?

Jacqueline says.

And Uber’s status on set was apparently well understood. Jacqueline recalls Brad Pitt recognising him as #1 on the callsheet.

Different dogs, different jobs

While Uber was the main acting dog, different members of the pack stepped in depending on what a scene required.

Ryker worked on the wolf fight, with Jacqueline stepping in as his stunt double when needed, which explains the brilliant photo of the pair getting into character together.

Working with dogs also meant that things didn’t always go exactly according to plan.

On one occasion, a dog was meant to jump off a rock into freezing cold water but found a shortcut instead.

And really, can you blame them? Why jump into freezing water if you don’t have to?

Sometimes getting the shot took a little longer, and sometimes another dog would step in. For Jacqueline, that unpredictability was simply part of working with the canine cast.

Then there’s Seeker, another of Uber’s sons. Crew may have kept their interactions with the dogs to what was needed for the work, but judging by Jacqueline’s photo with Seeker, there was still a little affection to spare.

Enter puppy Odin

For the flashback scenes showing Odin as a puppy, Koda joined the cast. Koda is owned by Simone Clark and was bred by Nicki Oade of Gregorian Kennels in Auckland.

Jacqueline describes the puppies as “super energetic and ridiculously cute”  which seems like a pretty accurate assessment.

Behind all of these performances was the training team, led by Andrew Simpson of Instinct Animals for Film. Each trainer was with their dog throughout the job, and Jacqueline remembers how difficult it was for them to say goodbye when the production came to an end.

For Jacqueline, watching the dogs work was an experience in itself.

It was an honour to see them perform and to see what they could do,

she says.

And despite the rather famous human names on the callsheet, her summary of the experience is wonderfully simple:

“It was really about the dogs.”

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