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"Fred Clause" First Look In Theaters November 9, 2007 Five "Fred Clause" Movie Posters Below 
Everybody has that one relative who can't help but cause problems over the holidays. Even Santa... Meet Santa's brother, Fred.
$6.60 Per Ticket Evening and Weekend Shows
"Every year around the holidays, Santa Claus is everywhere--in shopping malls, parades and on television. Santa really gets around. But what about his lesser-known brother Fred? I know that Santa's the more famous one, but let me tell you something: Fred's got a lot to offer," says Vince Vaughn of his role in the new holiday comedy "Fred Claus." "Fred is Santa's older brother who became completely overshadowed by Santa Claus's astounding career achievements. There have been many movies made about Santa, so we made 'Fred Claus' to shine a little overdue light on Fred," director David Dobkin smiles. The inspiration for the story of "Fred Claus" came from a simple question asked by the then eight-year-old daughter of writer-producer Jessie Nelson. "Molly asked me one day, 'Does Santa Claus have a family?'" explains Nelson. The question sparked the filmmaker's imagination and ignited a story idea that became "Fred Claus." Exploring what it would be like to grow up with, or rather in, the shadow of jolly old Saint Nicholas, Nelson says, "Santa must have been this perfect kid who was always generous and cherubic. But I was interested in telling a story about Santa's brother, Fred, a great kid who was misunderstood and ended up becoming the black sheep of the family." "Jessie's idea grabbed me immediately," recalls Dobkin. "The dynamic between Fred and Santa is unique and universal at the same time. As a first child, you are the whole world to your parents, but when the second kid comes along, your attention gets cut by 50 percent. Even if your parents spread the attention around evenly, you're still giving up half of their unconditional love to your younger sibling. Combine that with being Santa Claus's underachieving brother--it's a situation that's ripe for comedy." "I think that the premise of 'Fred Claus' is very funny and truly original," remarks producer Joel Silver. "While it's very common for two brothers to not get along, who would've thought that someone like Santa Claus would have to deal with sibling rivalry? I've always wanted to do a big family movie, and what a perfect opportunity this is to do a fresh take on a holiday comedy." In the film, Fred is the firstborn. When baby Nicholas arrives, Fred, far from being jealous, vows to be the best big brother in the world. However, as the years pass, Fred's promise seems harder and harder to keep as Nicholas can't help but outshine his older brother Fred with his tidings of comfort and joy. Initially, Nelson had different names for the character of Santa's underachieving brother. After toying with names like Bob and Joe, the writer-producer recounts, "One night when 'The Godfather' was on TV, I thought, 'Oh, that's perfect; he's Fredo.' That's when I decided to name the character Fred Claus; it's an homage to Fredo Corleone." Although Fred has issues, Nelson wanted to show that Santa doesn't have it easy either. "Being Santa must be equally hard," offers Nelson. "Imagine the stress of having to deliver Christmas presents to every kid in the world in one night and having to be jolly about it the whole time. That's a lot of pressure on one person...even if he is a saint! Also, I thought it would fun to play with the idea that Santa is chubby because he eats his stress away." Dobkin adds, "I love the fact that the story portrays Santa Claus as a regular guy with everyday problems, worries and stresses." To pen the screenplay for "Fred Claus," the filmmakers tapped the creativity of Dan Fogelman, who had previously written the animated comedy hit "Cars." Fogelman remarks that he was immediately attracted to the idea, "I think anyone who has a brother or sister can relate to a sibling rivalry story. There's something interesting about the black sheep, but I also was interested in the notion of the sibling who does the overshadowing." "Dan was the only writer I met who I felt understood Santa as much as he understood Fred," says Nelson. "Most of the writers just focused on Fred as the naughty, rebellious one. But Dan understood how hard it was for Santa to be Santa, and how Santa might long to reconnect with Fred." Claus at Odds: Fred vs. Santa "Fred Claus is a very unusual character. He's both the antagonist and the protagonist," states Dobkin. "You know he's something of a troublemaker, but somehow you still find a way to root for him because he's the one in the family who's been overlooked. He carries that pain, and, of course, there's comedy that comes from that pain." "Fred Claus" marks the third collaboration for Dobkin and Vaughn. The two previously worked together on the 1998 dark comedy "Clay Pigeons" and the hit 2005 comedy "Wedding Crashers." "The first thing that attracted me to this project was the chance to work with David again," says Vaughn. "We've already done two films together, and I really like his sensibilities. David's got the whole package. He's great with the camera; he's great with the actors; he's got a great sense of story; and he's got a tireless work ethic. He's also very in touch with a childlike imagination that drives his creativity." "I needed somebody who could provide an emotional performance and, at the same time, keep the comedy flowing. Vince is both a great actor and a great comedian; I knew he could do both," asserts Dobkin. "When we were developing the script, we always had Vince's voice in mind," Nelson says. "We knew that Vince could be a guy who could be naughty and say irreverent things and shake things up. But, he also needed to be someone you could still love. You love Fred for the part of him that isn't evolved and makes mistakes, but he's trying; he's got such a big heart. Vince can take a very flawed character, an anti-hero, and make him lovable." "Fred is trying to get some financial security in his life, but his goal is to make money and not have to work for it," states Vaughn. "When we first meet Fred, he hasn't seen his brother, Santa, in years. Still, to get out of a bind, Fred doesn't hesitate to hit Santa up. On some levels Santa wants to reconnect with his older brother, so Santa agrees to help but on the condition that Fred come to the North Pole and earn the money he needs by working in Santa's workshop." Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti was Dobkin's original vision for the role of Nick "Santa" Claus. The director notes, "I wanted our Santa Claus to be very real; he is everyman with real pain and real troubles." Acknowledging that Giamatti is perhaps better known for his dramatic roles, Dobkin says, "Paul is not someone you would immediately imagine as the big and jolly character that is Santa Claus. But Paul brought his wit, intelligence and warmth to the character, as well as an incredible sense of vulnerability that I really wanted Santa to have." "Casting Paul as Santa was one of David's strokes of brilliance," offers Nelson. "Paul completely humanized Santa; he brought such a sense of soulfulness and world-weariness to the character, which made the character so much more real and complex." Giamatti recalls, "When I read the script I thought it was very original, very funny and completely relatable. Santa Claus's family is a regular family who just happens to live in the North Pole among hundreds of elves. Besides that--and having a really stressful job--Santa is pretty much a regular guy." Vaughn's comedic sensibility and Giamatti's dramatic style mirrored the disparity between their characters. "Vince's character is a city slicker kind of guy, so I thought it'd be funny if I played my character as more downbeat--maybe not the brightest bulb on the tree, but a very nice guy," says Giamatti. "Santa would always be fumbling along trying to keep up with Fred, which I think is a nice, playful contrast." "Vince and Paul have incredible chemistry," says Dobkin. "We had very productive rehearsals where some incredible material came out. They developed such great rhythm and timing. From the funny moments to the more dramatic scenes, you feel their pain of separation and, at the same time, the rivalry between them. It's very real. One of the best parts of working on this film was seeing these two work with each other." Vaughn offers, "I've always been a fan of Paul's work, so it was a real treat to work with him. He's a great dramatic actor, but he's also very funny in a dry, deadpan kind of way." Working opposite Vaughn, Giamatti admired his rapid-fire improvisational style. "Comedy guys like Vince really amaze me," he says. "They have such confidence and conviction in what they're doing. It is truly impressive to watch and so much fun to work with." Prior to filming, Dobkin spent four weeks with the cast, allowing them to flesh out their roles and giving each other a chance to work off each other's acting styles. "We had a very intense rehearsal schedule right before filming started, and it really got everyone in sync with their roles and with one another," recalls Dobkin. Giamatti, working for the first time with Dobkin, notes, "David was on top of everything. He was incredibly well-prepared and laid back at the same time. You can tell that he passionately loves what he does and loves the process." Mother Always Liked You Best...
Perhaps the seed of sibling rivalry between Fred and Nicholas was planted by Mother Claus, played by Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates, who has nothing but praise for her co-stars, saying, "What a great cast. I had a ball." "Kathy is a true gift to the movie," Dobkin states. "She brought her enthusiasm and wealth of experience, which really enabled the character to have a certain presence necessary for the role. Mama Claus is the force of nature who inadvertently created the divide between Fred and Santa." As a mother with good intentions, Mama Claus, unfortunately, doesn't quite understand how her treatment of Santa could so profoundly impact Fred. "Mama Claus unintentionally sets Fred and Santa against each other. She can't help but favor Santa, which adds to the rivalry. It wasn't that she was ever mean to Fred. It's more that she just couldn't help herself from being delighted by Nicholas, who is naturally more generous and jolly," smiles Giamatti. A member of the Claus family who has every reason to favor Santa over Fred is Santa's loving but concerned wife, Annette Claus, played by two-time Academy Award nominee Miranda Richardson. Upon hearing the news that Fred is coming to the North Pole, Annette insists that Santa give Fred nothing but tough love. "Annette is well aware of Fred's tendencies and doesn't think very highly of him," says Richardson. "She wants to accept Fred because she loves Nick, but she knows that things always go wrong when Fred's around. It's natural for her to be very protective of Santa, whom she sees as a big softy." Maybe too soft. Unlike the rest of the world, Mrs. Claus doesn't appreciate Santa's belly looking like "a bowlful of jelly" and would like Santa to lose a few pounds for the sake of his health. "Annette watches out for Santa in so many ways," Giamatti offers. "She knows that he is more concerned about the well-being of other people than he is his own, and she keeps a watchful eye on what Santa eats because she knows that he's a stress eater. Miranda brought so much life to the character. She's like June Cleaver with an edge." "Paul and Miranda immediately clicked," says Dobkin. "When they first met, they were joking with each other right away, calling each other pet names and what not. Watching them, you feel as if they'd been married for twenty years." Fred's Friends and Neighbors Santa, Annette and Mama Claus are not the only ones who have been disappointed by Fred. Wanda, Fred's soon-to-be ex-girlfriend, played by Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz, is on the verge of calling their relationship quits after being stood up by Fred on her birthday--just one more example of Fred's irresponsibility. "Wanda's a very down-to-earth, no-nonsense kind of girl," states Weisz. "She knows that Fred, deep down, is really big-hearted, but he's like an adolescent trapped in a grown-up's body. He's a lot of fun to be with but also infuriating because he forgets birthdays and anniversaries. He's the ultimate in unreliable boyfriends." Vaughn admits, "Fred likes Wanda, but I don't think he feels secure enough with himself to fully commit to her. And I think she likes him, but she's getting a little burned out because she's been sitting around waiting for him to step up, and he keeps finding excuses not to." In contrast to the frustrations Wanda faces with Fred onscreen, Weisz says, "It was fun playing opposite Vince. He's completely committed to his character. He is also extremely fast in terms of improvisation. Before you finish improvising a line, he'd be back with another. It's like lightening speed; he's got a very creative mind." To Weisz's own credit, Dobkin offers, "Rachel's a definite 'sharpshooter.' She nailed scenes so quickly and had fantastic chemistry with Vince. It was a real pleasure to watch them develop the relationship and bring that connection to the screen." Fred even manages to disappoint his young neighbor, Slam, played by 11-year-old Bobb'e J. Thompson. "Slam is a pint-sized, mischievous young fellow who comes from an unfit home. He is pretty much a street kid who has all this free time to hang with Fred. He's always pestering Fred and meddling in his stuff. He's like an urban Dennis the Menace," Thompson jokes. At first, Fred doesn't realize how much influence he has over his impressionable young neighbor, who soaks up every word Fred says like a sponge. Dobkin remarks, "Early in the film, Fred doesn't rise to the challenge of being an adult and instead gives Slam bad advice and distorted information that come from Fred's own misconceptions of the world. Later on, he witnesses the impact of his influence on Slam, and this triggers a self-realization in Fred." Despite his young age, Thompson impressed the filmmakers with his ability to improvise with Vaughn. "Bobb'e just threw stuff out there. He knew his lines, he understood his character's intentions and he made his character real. And he was always game when Vince threw in new lines," notes Dobkin. Sizing Up Santa's Toy Shop Despite Santa's legendary reputation for fulfilling the wishes of well-behaved children everywhere, efficiency expert Clyde Northcutt, played by Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, has been sent to the North Pole this season to scrutinize Santa's toy-making operation and to determine if the shop can keep up with the rapidly growing demand for toys around the world. "Clyde Northcutt has a whole lot of baggage behind his desire to take Santa down," says Giamatti. "Santa is very concerned about proving to Clyde that everything at the North Pole is in tip-top shape. We raised the stakes of the story with the idea that Santa's operation is actually in jeopardy of being outsourced," says Dobkin. Notes Joel Silver, "In this age of internet shopping and overnight shipping, is Santa really necessary in our world anymore? Santa's Toy Shop is the mom-and-pop shop being threatened by big business." Dobkin considered having Spacey in the role of Clyde to be a casting coup. "Kevin is such an impressive actor and has an incredible understanding of the craft," the director states. "I wanted someone who exudes intelligence and had the comedic wit to compete with Vince, someone who could get the best of Fred and get inside his head. Kevin was so focused and so accommodating. He really delivered." Spacey offers, "David is a delightful director to work with, and created a wonderful and fun atmosphere on set. I also had a great experience with Vince and Paul." Welcoming the chance to reunite with Giamatti since they shared the stage on Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh," he adds, "Being able to pair up with Paul again was nothing short of hilarious." With Clyde breathing down Santa's neck, Santa's assistant Charlene, played by actress Elizabeth Banks, is responsible for ensuring that Santa's operations run smoothly. "Charlene is the chief of operations and Santa's right hand. She keeps track of everything so that Suzy in Ohio doesn't accidentally get something she doesn't want and Tommy in Texas doesn't get the hula hoop he didn't ask for," says Banks. As an attractive bean counter and Santa's helper, Charlene becomes the object of affection of Santa's Head Elf, Willie. "She is sexy, smart and classy," says Dobkin. "Willie falls in love with her, but he's too shy to do anything about it. Charlene's a very unassuming person so it doesn't even occur to her that Willie has a huge crush on her. It's a very endearing part of the film." Santa's Elves
For Higgins, "Fred Claus" represented a wonderful opportunity to be a part of a new holiday comedy. "Films about Christmas serve as a portal for all sorts of joy and reflection," he says. "It's the end of the year; it's your last shot to set things right for the year. While Fred and Santa are struggling to find a way to tune into each other for the first time, Willie is struggling to find his confidence." To create the illusion of the nearly six-foot-tall Higgins as one of Santa's elves, Dobkin relied on the expertise of visual effects supervisor Alex Bicknell, who mastered the technique called "digital head replacement." This process, which involves digitally placing an actor's head on the body another actor, required shooting every one of Willie's scenes twice. Higgins' body double was Spanish actor Jorge Rodero, a little person standing at just over four feet tall, who was filmed on the principal set while Higgins worked closely with him to establish Willie's movements. Dobkin later separately shot Higgins in front of a blue screen as Higgins meticulously matched Rodero's movements frame by frame. "When capturing the blue screen footage, the trick was to carefully match Michael's upper body and head movements to Jorge's on set performance," explains Bicknell. "Then we digitally removed the head and neck off of Michael and, utilizing a myriad of compositing techniques, married it back with Jorge's body with the end goal of creating a singular, seamless performance." "We spent a month shooting Michael in front of a blue screen," Dobkin notes. "The process required tremendous patience and Michael really came through for us. He is an astute, disciplined performer with great endurance. He was focused and incredibly patient the entire way." The North Pole's resident radio disc jockey, DJ Donnie, played by actor and hip hop recording artist Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, was also created with the "digital head replacement" technique. Unlike Higgins, who was on set to observe the filming of Rodero, Bridges had to work from footage of DJ Donnie's body double that was shot months in advance. Dobkin notes, "Chris had to do all of the blue screen work without the benefit of having other actors around. He always gave 100 percent. For him, it was all about body control, inflections and finding those rhythms to match his body double. It was amazing to watch him work because he was able to create the rhythms on the spot." Coincidentally, both Bridges and his body double, Ntobeko Mbhele from Durban, South Africa, have experience as DJs. "It's funny to be cast as a DJ in this film because I started my music career as a DJ at a radio station in Atlanta," says Bridges. "It's something that I've always loved doing, and I believe I still have the voice for it." Bringing his radio experience to the character, he adds, "DJ Donnie is here to motivate the elves. That's what being a DJ is all about. He plays music that gets everybody in the holiday spirit. Of course, this being the North Pole, the only song on his playlist is 'Here Comes Santa Claus,' which he plays over and over...and over." "Hearing 'Here Comes Santa Claus' again and again...and again eventually drives Fred up the wall. Besides the annoyance of hearing the same song played repeatedly like a broken record, the song is a constant reminder of Santa's popularity, which is obviously a sore subject for Fred," says Vaughn. In addition to bringing the characters of Willie and DJ Donnie to life, the filmmakers faced the task of creating a realistic North Pole experience complete with hundreds of Santa's elves. "Santa's Toy Shop is a really huge set and it was an interesting challenge because we wanted to see elves working in every corner of it without overusing CGI," notes Dobkin. "It was important to me that the elves be played by real people. It is a movie about the human spirit, so I didn't want to diminish that theme. I wanted each elf to be unique, but grounded in reality." With the help of UK-based Mad Dog Casting Agency, the filmmakers began a worldwide search for actors who could play Santa's elves. A turning point in the search happened when the filmmakers found a Russian circus troupe consisting of 32 little people who perfectly fit the bill. Having access to that many actors, the visual effects team then used motion capture technology to duplicate the actors and render a sufficient number of unique-looking elves to fill most scenes by digitally altering their appearance. "We couldn't believe it," says Nelson. "The members of the Russian troupe were an amazing group of professionals who had every skill we needed for the elves--from dancing to ice skating to juggling. And they could act!" "The Russians we found to play the elves are the most wonderful, happy, enthusiastic and talented group of people I've ever seen," Dobkin remarks. "They raised the energy on set to another level. I really aimed to showcase each of them in some way in the movie because they added such life to the scenes." The troupe consisted of members from all parts of Russia--Siberia to St. Petersburg, Minsk to Moscow. In addition to Russian performers, the filmmakers brought in a roster of talent from a variety of different countries. On set, it was not uncommon for Dobkin's direction to be interpreted into four or five languages, including Russian, French and Spanish. Dobkin was impressed by how easily the non-English speaking actors adapted to working with Vince Vaughn's comedic style. "They didn't understand any of the dialogue, especially when he improvised, but he was so in tune with them, and vice versa, that they completely connected with him in their scenes." "We found a way to communicate without language," says Vaughn. "We messed around and joked with each other on set quite a bit. I really enjoyed my time with them." Designing and Building the North Pole Achieving the vast size and scale of the North Pole depicted in "Fred Claus" took a combination of design and visual effects. Dobkin offers, "A big part of the moviegoing experience is that it offers audiences a chance to go somewhere they would actually never get to go." Dobkin emphasizes that his goal was "to create the North Pole in a way you've always imagined it, but also to create the sensation that you're seeing it for the first time. I wanted it to be classic and contemporary, evoking nostalgia and wonder. At the same time, I didn't want the North Pole to look like a cartoon; I wanted it to feel real and have age and history, cracks and imperfections--all those things that you find in the real world. It was important to me that we balanced fantasy with reality so kids watching will believe that this is really where all the toys in the world are made, and will be concerned when the shop is on the brink of being shut down. Rather than magical, I prefer to think of the North Pole as being on the edge of believability." To execute his vision, Dobkin reunited with award-winning production designer Allan Cameron and two-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Anna Sheppard. The trio had previously collaborated on the 2003 action comedy "Shanghai Knights." "Shooting a film of this scale takes a lot of time, effort and imagination, so you need a great team," says Dobkin. "Allan and Anna provided such wonderful results on 'Shanghai Knights' that I couldn't wait to bring them back." The set for Santa's Toy Shop was built at London's renowned Pinewood Studios, while the set for the exterior shots of the North Pole was constructed inside one of the Cardington Airship Hangars, which once housed a dirigible factory north of London. Built in the 1920s, it spans 223,300 square feet and is more than 180 feet tall. Cameron incorporated various influences in his design of the North Pole and Santa's village with each set requiring several months of design, planning and construction. "I looked at Hungarian and Middle Eastern designs," he says. "We based quite a few of our design patterns on pysanka, which are intricately crafted Ukrainian Easter eggs." "Allan is very well-versed in history and architecture," says Nelson. "He researched everything from Scandinavian snowflakes to wood carvings. In Allan's workshop there were volumes of research and plans on how it all would tie in architecturally to the sets. He was always connecting the dots. We were constantly throwing ridiculous deadlines at him, and he would figure out a way to get it done." Special effects supervisor Neil Corbould was brought in to help animate the enormous Toy Factory, inspired by the classic architecture of New York City's old Penn Station. "David wanted the set as big as possible," Corbould recalls. "He also wanted an industrial look--lots of steam, lots of sparks, lots of moving parts." With Dobkin's directive of "the more that is moving, the better," the art department put the movie set in motion. Corbould and his team snaked dozens of custom-made conveyors throughout the floor, and installed overhead tracks, a hydraulic lift that could carry 300 pounds and a giant seven-foot wide propeller. The Naughty/Nice Department was also a key set piece where a number of pivotal scenes take place. Designed as Santa's observation deck, the center of the room features an oversized snow globe that serves as a window into the lives of children around the world. Through the snow globe, Santa can view, "on-demand," a defining moment for any kid and determine if he or she has been naughty or nice. Originally, the snow globe was conceived as a practical set piece. But the difficulty in finding glass or clear plastic in such a large size prompted the filmmakers to turn to the visual effects department. Visual effects supervisor Alex Bicknell notes, "It didn't make sense to create a spherical piece of glass that size, so we created it digitally. This actually worked out better for controlling reflections and refractions around the room, and also allowed us to fully choreograph the digital snow effects and, ultimately, the images inside the globe." "It didn't make sense to create a spherical piece of glass that size, so we created it digitally. This actually worked out better for controlling reflections around the room, and allowed us also to control the snow flying inside and, ultimately, the images inside the globe." Cameron's favorite set was Frosty's Tavern, the North Pole watering hole where Fred and the elves gather after a hard day to toss back a few eggnogs. Striving for a cozy, intimate ambiance, Cameron decorated the interior with variations of native tribal art, including Scandinavian, Icelandic and South American motifs. One unique challenge the production designer faced was crafting sets for actors whose statures ranged from less than three feet to Vince Vaughn's six feet, five inches. Cameron and his team often had to construct two sets for one scene, neither of which was faithful in proportion to real world standards. Scenes shot without visual effects required scaled-down props for the actors who played elves to realistically use. Conversely, oversized props were needed in scenes where a taller actor would later be digitally scaled down. Cameron constructed all of his sets with a keen eye for detail to seamlessly match shots involving different scales. Perhaps the highest compliment that Cameron received for his attention to scale was from Jorge Rodero, the actor who provides the body of Willie. "When Jorge walked into Willie's room, he half-jokingly asked Allan if he could take the set home with him, because it was the first room that he had ever been in that was designed for his size," says Nelson. Upon wrapping principal photography, Nelson reveals that the filmmakers surprised Jorge by allowing him to keep the furniture used in Willie's room. "Allan built great sets," affirms Vaughn. "They felt very homey, warm and inviting. I think if I was a little kid--and in a lot of ways I am still a little kid--I'd spend endless hours playing with all those toys and gadgets in Santa's Toy Shop." "Allan is a true visionary. He finds incredible ways of bringing stylized, beautiful worlds full of color and intrigue to life," remarks Dobkin. "I was very demanding on him and his team, but they pulled it off and did an incredible job." The Claus Family Fashion Costume designer Anna Sheppard was responsible for fashioning North Pole couture; Dobkin notes, "When Fred first arrives at the North Pole we wanted it to be very clear that he was entering a world that's been frozen in time. For Santa and his family, we drew inspiration from wholesome 1950s- and '60s-era family sitcoms like 'My Three Sons' and 'The Donna Reed Show.' The Claus family, sans Fred, represents the unspoiled nuclear family from a more idyllic time." Oscar-winning visual effects artist Neal Scanlan was charged with the task of transforming Paul Giamatti into jolly old Saint Nick with prosthetics and makeup, giving Giamatti the robust appearance of Father Christmas. "Our overall approach for turning Paul into Santa was to fulfill David's vision of Santa while giving Paul the freedom to explore and express his character," states Scanlan. Scanlan constructed Santa's physique with a body suit that was tailored to Giamatti's ideas of how Santa would hold himself and move. Scanlan also created proportionally sized and fully functioning prosthetic hands. Santa's hair and beard were shaped to showcase Giamatti's features, "especially his eyes, which are phenomenally expressive," Scanlan offers. Hours were spent each day in applying the makeup, and Giamatti says, "It took me a little while to get used to the whole process. I'd heard from other actors about how hard it is, so I was mentally prepared. Once I got used to wearing the suit and the prosthetic hands, I really began to feel like Santa. The suit and makeup really completed the character." Dobkin recalls, "Paul would often spend time walking around set between takes wearing only his Santa hair and makeup, a black Lycra suit and a pair of large prosthetic hands. He seemed so comfortable and had such a great attitude about the whole experience." Though Giamatti endured wearing prosthetics and the body suit every day on set, he may have had the last laugh as scenes for the North Pole were shot during the chilly winter months in England. Time spent in the "North Pole" brought out the holiday spirit in Vince Vaughn. "Christmas is about spending time with people you love, not about punishing those who have been naughty," declares Vaughn. "This film shows that there are no naughty kids, just misunderstood kids. Even a mischievous man-child like Fred deserves a chance to do right, and every kid deserves a gift on Christmas." Like a family getting together to celebrate the holidays, the cast and filmmakers gathered around to achieve a common goal. "It is an extraordinary opportunity to work with all of the talented people who have contributed to the making of 'Fred Claus,'" says Dobkin. "From the outstanding cast to the amazing craftspeople, I couldn't have imagined a better way to tell such a fun story about family."
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