Welcome to the first annual Verge Hack Week. We're totally blowing up our site: we've given our reporters and editors the entire week to play with new tools and experiment with new storytelling ideas, while members of our amazing product team have gathered in New York to help build all sorts of interesting new things. Learn more.

Concept artists have a difficult job. Well before production on a game or movie begins, it's up to them to help define how it will look. They sketch out character designs, paint beautiful backdrops, and just generally try to nail the aesthetic. The final product rarely looks like these early designs; while concept artists have free reign, the actual production is limited by things like technology and a pesky budget. But sometimes you can see those early ideas if you look closely. Here's how some of the biggest movies and games compare to their initial concept art.