The Mill teamed up with Goodby Silverstein & Partners and Martin de Thurah of EPOCH Films to create StubHub’s ‘Machines’. VFX artists utilized CG technology to develop the wild, futuristic devices that drive humanity to brink of extinction in this apocalyptic spot.
Phones, toasters, cake batters and ceiling fans all transform into lethal weapons as they gain technological power over humanity throughout the ad. The “infection” spreads from one device to another which enables their complete control--to the point where a washer/dryer unit surges into the sky and crashes into a building.
Artists at The Mill created a simulation process in Houdini to illustrate the crystalline growth animate that spreads over the surface of the infected devices. 3D artists brought the rogue washer/dryer sequence to life by modeling a building from a plate and using the unit to crash into the model. The team then utilized Houdini to intensify the demolishment of the building, adding particles and dust to further enhance the apocalyptic conditions. 3D Lead Artist Chris Bayol says, “Creating the appliances in CG added scale to the visuals and gave us freedom to generate the crucial pandemonium that drives the narrative.”
The team completed the piece with a massive SUV that hovers dangerously over the hero before collapsing on top of him. To develop this harrowing scene, an old Buick was shot on set and later replaced by an SUV made entirely in CG. Chris comments, “Because the SUV was CG, we had the freedom to bring it to life, moreso than the vehicle that was shot on set. We added the front of the SUV crumpling under its weight and the door swinging open.”
The visual details of ‘Machines’, specifically the design of futuristic phones, required preparation before the shoot. However, most of the creative elements, including the washer/dryer sequence and the multiple explosions, were established on the spot. 2D Lead Artist John Shirley comments, “By allowing the core creative to remain open, Martin’s directive style enabled the shots to be organic and authentic.”