An ongoing refrain with modern movies is “Why is all of this CG?”– sometimes, it seems like practical effects are simultaneously a dying art, while at the same time modern technology lets them rise to new hights. [Davis Dewitt] proves that second statement with his RC movie star “robot” for an upcoming feature film.
The video takes us through the design process, including what it’s like to work with studio concept artists. As for the robot, it’s controlled by an Arduino Nano, lots of servos, and a COTS airplane R/C controller, all powered by li-po batteries. This is inside an artfully weathered and painted 3D printed body. Apparently weathering is important to make the character look like a well-loved ‘good guy’. (Shiny is evil, who knew?) Hats off to [Davis] for replicating that weathering for an identical ‘stunt double’.
Check out the video below for all the deets, or you can watch to see if “The Lightning Code” is coming to a theater near you. If you’re into films, this isn’t the first hack [Davis] has made for the silver screen. If you prefer “real” hacks to props, his Soviet-Era Nixie clock would look great on any desk. Thanks to [Davis] for letting us know about this project via the tips line.
Very enligthning, “The Lightening Code”. It distracted me from the rather non-existing substance of the article.
“Lightening” means getting less dark. “Lightning” is a an electrical discharge in the atmosphere.
Good catch, thanks. Fixed.
“Why is all of this CG?”
Because a person with college degree in arts who is living in India or Pakistan will do all the required work for $2/h. To do it back home, in “practical” way would cost far more.
The behind the scenes shots are pretty interesting, particularly when the director forgets and gives reading directions to the robot…. Superb compliment to his work driving it, as well as to the build
“Why all these backward baseball caps?” Honestly looks really dumb. Especially indoors.
If you have longish hair, an impossible shooting schedule, zero sleep or time to do much, have to put your face under the hood to see the rushes, or ever bend over to, say, do something to a 1-foot tall robot it kinda makes sense.
Nice work, looks like a fun project that took the skills you have developed over the years of success and failure and turn it into something that will capture some childs imagination. You can’t ask for anything more out of a job.
This looks almost identical to the recently featured Disney BDX droids with their legs replaced with wheels.
I mean the cute antenna, the head bob, everything. It feels like the director and designer just said “make one of these, only cheaper and faster”.
Wow, that’s a fantastic project, and a super cute (RC) robot.
It would be a really fun project to build one of these with a bit of smarts added.
“COTS” = Common, off-the-shelf. Something easily found almost everywhere.