PRODUCTION DESIGNER: 65 was really a dream job for me. I collected plastic dinosaurs as a kid, and Star Wars was the reason for my career choice. For 65 I wanted to look beyond current science fiction trends. I was taken back by the amazing artwork being created by sci-fi enthusiast across the web as well as in game design. I feel we are a bit behind these artists. In my pitch I stated if science fiction to this point was deemed IBM, I wanted to do MAC. On Tron we amassed a team that consisted of film artist bolstered by European graphic novel artists as well as the state of the art automotive designers. This was an attempt to bring a new perspective. I wanted to stick to his model.
An Alien Landscape, yet familiar at this point of the movie. It’s purpose is create confusion/intrigue, as you believe Adam is an earthling. My inkling was to use a location that involved water as I felt humanoid life would depend on it. I also wanted to avoid flora and fauna, which can limit your belief this maybe alien.
I used the 2001 space shuttle as my inspiration. Its iconic form is timeless. I also felt it conveyed the proper narrative. A science vessel whose primary function was as a personnel carrier.
When gathering reference I looked beyond NASA. I wanted to be inspired by purely functional design. Formula 1 chassis, Architectural trends, latest materials … I wanted to look outside the box yet the layout of the ship still grounded in believable science.
Here are our first examples of the craft. Jacob Lippold, our concept artist, was prolific. He created over 20 designs over a weekend.
The windscreen was changed to reduce the amount of VFX shots through the window. The option on the left was the final the one on the right the previous version.