Westworld S1

Apart from creating steam trains, modern train stations and landscaping excavators, one of the most enjoyable yet challenging tasks was doing face replacements for Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins) to make him appear as his younger self. Our starting point was a scan of Anthony Hopkins in present day and the mission was to make him look about 40 years younger. We carefully studied lots of images of young Anthony Hopkins, and throughout the model and lookdev process, we did a bunch of test renders where we would line up our CG asset to match the angle and lighting from the old photos of Mr. Hopkins in order to review likeness and realism.

Another exciting sequence ILP contributed to involved the "Robot Boy" in episode 6. This effect showcased the boy’s face opening to reveal his robotic skull. To achieve this, we created a digital replica of the boy that was rigged to split open, revealing his mechanical inner parts. As the face opened, we transitioned from plate to a full CG render of the head, including hair simulation.

Continuing with the robot theme, we also contributed to the opening sequence in the final episode, showcasing the skeletal structure and inner components of Dolores. In addition to developing and animating her mechanical body, we extended the skin around her neck, which acted as the transition area between plate and CG.