“Hello, I’m Dean DeBlois, the writer, director, and an executive producer of “How to Train Your Dragon.” This scene is pivotal to our story. Young Mason Thames, who portrays Hiccup, ventures into the woods to find a dragon he shot down the previous night. To his surprise, he discovers it lying still and lifeless in a small gorge. As he approaches, feeling triumphant, he soon realizes the dragon is still breathing. Faced with this revelation, he must summon the courage to draw his dagger and act like a Viking to slay the dragon, in order to prove himself among the dragon-fighting warriors of his tribe. This moment closely mirrors a scene from the animated film, and I wanted to replicate it almost exactly. “I did it!” However, we found that much of the dialogue we originally assigned to Hiccup in the animated version wasn’t necessary. Mason Thames was able to convey much of the emotion through his expressions and subtle acting—the blossoming of his courage, the acknowledgment of his reluctance, and the compassion he feels—all came through without needing words. In this instance, John Powell’s music plays a significant role in storytelling. As Hiccup stands over Toothless, knife in hand, trying to mentally prepare himself to kill the dragon, we leaned on Powell’s score to emphasize Viking tradition and strength, highlighting Hiccup’s realization that he simply cannot bring himself to harm this creature. I remember discussing this moment with Mason before filming, reminding him that this was pivotal later in the movie when he looks into Toothless’s eyes and sees a reflection of himself. Although it seems like a moment of vulnerability, it actually reveals a hidden strength that allows Hiccup to become a visionary who can lead a peaceful era that takes everyone by surprise. This scene was shot in Tollymore Forest in Northern Ireland, where we found a perfect little bowl ideal for Toothless’s landing. We added a broken tree and dug a trench to illustrate how Toothless crashed and was left in that spot. This is one of the rare scenes filmed in a real location, which I believe adds a layer of authenticity to the story.
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