SCENESTEALER

Say “Aaawww!” The adorable chipmunks created by Ross Bagdasarian first appeared in 1958 and have chirped through recordings and animated TV specials ever since. But they only recently entered the 3-D realm of computer graphics, thanks to the surprise Fox hit “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” When it came to updating the sweater-clad trio, the mandate from director Tim Hill was reality. “He wanted them to look like real chipmunks, and still maintain their cutie aspect,” says visual-effects supervisor Todd Shifflett (“Babe,” “Happy Feet”), who oversaw some 500 chipmunk shots by animated animal specialists Rhythm & Hues.