Robots are better than people.

Before developing a specific idea, I knew I wanted a destructive spectacle with a light-hearted tone that would serve as both entertainment and a technical showcase. I wanted it to be enjoyable not only for my fellow classmates but also for a wider audience, without relying solely on a “cool factor.” My aim was for the visual effects to impress viewers while also being an integral part of the storytelling, enhancing the setup and adding humour. Visual effects would be used as a tool to convey an unusual story that couldn’t be told without its inclusion.

I briefly considered incorporating actors interacting with CG elements and characters, but I couldn’t come up with a strong enough narrative justification for this approach. One idea that crossed my mind was a short film in a homemade video style, featuring a scientist conducting initial experiments with newly built advanced robots, with many of these experiments going awry. However, upon exploring various robot options for the short film, I found some of them to possess such distinctive character that the idea of focusing solely on CG characters throughout the film became particularly appealing. Additionally, the logistical challenge of capturing something that doesn’t exist in reality while still moving the camera in a visually compelling way intrigued me.

I toyed with the concept of a robot escaping from a facility, being pursued by another robot, which would create more of an action-packed sequence. However, I soon realized that I wanted to explore the dynamics between a small, advanced and “cuter” robot, with a mischievous nature, and a larger, more “traditionally robotic” one. This decision presented the challenge of integrating two separately designed robots and also paved the way for a character-driven story with inherent and interesting differences. Rather than focusing on an intense chase sequence, I opted for a narrative that emphasized dialogue and lower stakes. This idea was partly inspired by the short film “Three Robots” from “Love, Death, and Robots,” although it served as more of a subconscious influence rather than a direct source of inspiration.

Each of the robots I discovered possessed appealing designs, and I believed I could effectively render and composite them in live action. Furthermore, most of them could be used or easily adapted for MoCap data. However, the two robots I selected were the ones at the bottom. Although there were more intricate options available, these particular robots seemed to complement each other.

Despite their somewhat contrasting styles, I could envision the larger robot evolving into the smaller one in subsequent iterations. The larger robot had the right level of complexity without going overboard, while the smaller robot, although simple, felt plausible within the realm of possibilities.

I was also drawn to their designs because they each felt like they could have personalities that would work well together. Whilst my interpretation of each robot’s personality is an incredibly subjective thing, because it felt like the strongest to me, I felt like I would be better able to bring them to life if I have a strong idea on how those robots in particular would behave. It also made me focus in on what the narrative could be.