This version was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. To achieve the number of shadow effects he needed for the film, Coppola searched for a team of puppeteers and puppet designers to create the effects he was looking for. Don Lewis, mime/puppeteer, and Greg Bell, an illustrator, met with Coppola and his production staff to come up with some ideas. After some basic drawings and a couple of mock-up shadow puppets and shadow scenes, Coppola gave the go ahead for the effects needed.

Fred Spencer/Image Creators came on board at this time to create and build over four hundred shadow puppets. Many were made of metal and machined parts were produced for body movement. Some were constructed out of fiber board and wood. Many of the battle scenes in this film were created with shadow puppet effects. Not to forget our Shadow wolf and Image Creators even created the shadow of Gary Oldman’s Dracula, played by mime puppeteer Don Lewis.