Netflix dropped a new video about the groundbreaking animation techniques used to create the marvellous The Mitchells vs.The Machines. The video features visual effects supervisor Michael Lasker, character designer Lindsey Olivares, director Mike Rianda and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
The Mitchell vs. The Machines is one of the best-animated features that entertained kids to the fullest with its candy-coloured visuals, emojis, memes, and retro-comic book graphics. It was quite interesting to watch what went behind the scenes in the making of this film.
In the short video, Lasker spoke about the movie’s major theme of how our humanity is connected to our flaws, something that led to the entire art philosophy of the movie. The team decided to design every frame of the movie with an animation style inspired by hand-drawn illustrations, with organic shapes and watercolour textures.
Lasker said, “After supervising the look development on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, I was extremely excited to see how stylized The Mitchell’s first machine was. This project allowed us to dive back in and face new and difficult creative challenges.”
The VFX supervisor said that he experienced more challenges in The Mitchells vs. The Machines than Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse because this time the team didn’t have any previous material refer to or use as inspiration like comic books. They had to create an entirely new style that reflects the movie’s theme.
The video further showcased how tools are built to create new textures, outlines, and the VFX involved in the movie. The tools used in Spider-Verse were also involved in this movie but everything had to be bent to deviate from the comic book style.
Olivares shared the character designing of Katie. To show the creative world of Katie, the 2D drawings added over the 3D showed the messy world inside Katie’s head, showcasing her unique way of seeing the world around her.
On making this film, Miller said, “We are always trying to make sure each of our films is pushing the boundaries of what animation can do.”
The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a story about a young Katie Mitchell who embarks on a road trip with her proud parents, younger brother, and beloved dog to start her first year at film school. But their plans to bond as a family soon get interrupted when the world’s electronic devices come to life to stage an uprising. With help from two friendly robots, the Mitchells must now come together to save one another and the planet from the new.
Mitchells vs.The Machines is streaming worldwide on Netflix.