Caleb Deschanel, a veteran cinematographer known for his work on The Passion of the Christ and The Patriot, found the production process for Laika's Wildwood more demanding than he anticipated. Despite his extensive experience in Hollywood, including sequences in The Godfather and Titanic, and directing episodes of Twin Peaks, Deschanel was unprepared for the specific labor involved in stop-motion animation.
Deschanel served as the cinematographer for Wildwood, the latest release from the studio behind Coraline. While he understood that stop-motion is a long and involved process, he stated that the actual amount of work exceeded his expectations. Deschanel noted that his initial understanding of the project differed significantly from the reality he encountered once production began.