Ender's Game

Maurice Mitchell: Thanks for doing this interview Robert. First, what was your first assignment on Ender's Game?

Ender’s Game

The Thing

Ender’s Game

Ender’s Game

MM: Those are some fast turn-around times Rob. Good to know you're keeping busy. What was it like working with production designers Sean Haworth and Ben Procter, since they're both professional illustrators as well?

Momentum

MM: What was the most important lesson about filmmaking that made it seem more possible?

When I would go onto the sets I was able to see how they built they're props and the sets. I had learned some of this in school, but being there in person and watching them build everything finally made everything click for me. I felt I finally had a starting point for the basis of my film making!

MM: They sound like great guys to work with! The designs of Ender's Game are some of the most detailed spaceship designs I've seen in a film. What was the challenge in designing and developing those?

After some time, Ben gave me the 3D models to work on top of. I wound up changing the bridge of the ship and various areas in 3D. Once I felt good with the 3D model, I moved in to doing a very large illustration of the back view of the I.F. transporter. I did a lot of paint and also photo bashed in some oil rig platforms in order to get the scale, otherwise it would have been impossible. In the end, I spent about a month off and on working on the ships and the parts.





A lot of the I.F. Bridge tower was based off battleship bridge towers in order to get that realism. A lot of its details come from oil rig platforms in order to give it scale sense. In space there is nothing to compare to, so we had to make these things look massive without human scale next to them.



Yeah, a lot of what Gavin wanted in realism really reflected in the designs. Like, for example, there is no gravity in space so the space station is built on a spinning wheel that Ben Proctor designed in order to make artificial gravity for the crew. These ideas of realism played into everything in the film.



One of my favorite things that I tried to really play with is the realism of the I.F. transporter. Ben Proctor and Paul Ozzimo had done a lot for that ship already but when I took over on it I couldn't help but try to make it as real in my brain as possible even though it's all made up! For example, there are these large spheres on ether side of the ship. I imagined while working on them that they were large fusion generators that created all the power for the ship and its engines.

MM: So, what's next for you?

Transformers: Age of Extinction

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Heat

Heat

Jurassic World

Ender's Game

Official Ender's Game Synopsis

"In the near future, a hostile alien race (called the Formics) have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander, Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young children to find the future Mazer. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy, but strategically brilliant boy is pulled out of his school to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult war games, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham, himself, to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race."

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