 Unlike Pip , the Narissa dragon was allowed to be more of a fantasy character while still looking like a living character and a classic Disney villain . The CG dragon design was loosely based on a traditional Chinese dragon and Susan Sarandon 's live @-@ action witch . When filming the scene which sees the transformation of Narissa from a woman into a dragon , a long pole was used to direct the extras ' eyelines instead of a laser pointer . Set pieces were made to move back and forth in addition to having a computer @-@ controlled lighting setup and a repeatable head on the camera that were all synchronized together . In the film 's final sequence , in which Narissa climbs the Woolworth Building while clutching Robert in her claws , a greenscreen rig was built to hold Patrick Dempsey in order to film his face and movements . The rig was a " puppeteering " approach that involved a robotic arm being controlled by three different floor effects artists . 
