01
INTRODUCTION
Marvel Studios approached us to realize several technologies in Spider-Man: Far From Home. We covered a wide range of story-telling visuals for several of the movie's main characters, from stripped-down military gear to flashy Stark Tech holograms. Both Mysterio and Peter get an upgrade in technology for this film.
Final Tech Montage
02
STARK SUIT TECHNOLOGY
After receiving a pep-talk from Happy, Peter prepares to enter the final battle against Beck in London. But first he'll need a new suit...
We have been involved with Stark tech since Iron Man 2. Now that Tony is gone, someone needs to take his place, that person is Peter Parker - a pretty smart kid from Queens!
Stark Tech has always been intuitive, slick, and refined. Audiences have been watching Tony Stark use complex holograms for years, but seeing Peter Parker use it for the first time to craft his ultimate suit drives home just how intuitive, slick, and refined they are.
Early Development For Stark Suit Interface
The interface not only allows Peter to create his suit, but also customize functionality allowing for the addition of taser-webs, and linking control to the spider emblem in his chest, which he later uses in the final battle.
The design for the Jet holograms had to be quintessential Stark Tech: highly complex, gesture-based, and, above all, very physically interactive. The sequence was also an opportunity to include some easter eggs. For fans of the comics, several alternate suits and spider emblems were sprinkled throughout.
Final Stark Suit Interface
03
Mysterio’s Technology
Mysterio a.k.a. Quinten Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a fascinating villain, using his experience as a technological innovator to create and control incredible holographic illusions. We leveraged our experience in real-world tech as well as content creation tools to bring Mysterio’s tech to life. His tech needed to be “edited or revised” on the fly. Fighter jet HUDs, tactical consoles and other military gear were the primary inspiration for our early explorations into Beck's technology.
DESKTOP CONSOLE - ILLUSION WORKSTATION
As Mysterio’s right-hand man, William authors the illusions and decodes the stolen E.D.I.T.H. smart-glasses on his desktop console
Beck is the lead actor/director, but he has a whole team behind him. William, who acts as Beck's Technical Director/content creator, also develops all the software, so it was important that all of Beck's technology looked like it came from the same set of hands. Fighter jet HUDs, tactical consoles and other military gear were the primary inspiration for our early explorations into Beck's technology.
Early Visual Development For William's Console
With E.D.I.T.H. being key to Beck’s simulation technology, breaking through the complex layers of encryption and installing modules into the helmet and other systems is an important function of William’s console. The design of the hacking interface needed to show the intense complexity of the data being decrypted and digested. Modules are continuously unlocked and transferred to the helmet and other devices. These give Beck on-the-fly control of the simulation.
Mysterio Lair Desktop
Mysterio Lair Desktop Left Screen Design
The desktop is also where William authors, edits, and controls the simulation using bespoke, purpose-built software. A library of pre-built actions and events play out across a multi-tiered timeline that William and Beck have total control over, allowing them to remix the story as needed. It also allows for live-capture via the helmet while Beck is in the field.
Mysterio Lair Desktop Software Final
William is in a nearby van on a laptop version of the desktop console allowing further customization and control over the simulation beyond what the helmet can offer.
Isolated Screen Videos - Laptop Development
Mysterio Lair Desktop - Timeline motion test
BECK'S "FLICK OF THE WRIST" WRIST DEVICE
Beck's wrist device gives him quick control over hundreds of drones while in the field. This multi-touch control screen is modeled after real-world military tech, and enables him to direct the behavior of drones as entire groups (or flocks), as well as individual flight. These drones are also used to provide reconnaissance with a live feed of on-board cameras projected onto the wrist device.
Concepts of the "Flick of the Wrist" Wrist Device
Final "Flick of the Wrist" Device Look
HOLOGRAPHIC DRONE INVENTORY
"THAT PROJECTOR IS EVIDENCE - IT WILL TELL PEOPLE WHAT WE ARE DOING AND HOW WE ARE DOING IT!" - Quentin Beck
Peter Parker and MJ discover that Beck is using advanced holographic technology to orchestrate Elemental attacks around the world by stumbling upon a projector plucked from one of the drones in Prague.
The Holographic Drone Inventory gives Mysterio an in-depth look at his fleet of drones with a multi-layered 3D view. When Beck needs to view more status information he enables a drone to project a holographic detailed view, showing the status of each drone. The projection unfolds in a carousel around him.
This expanded visualization functions like the desktop version of a mobile app and gives Beck more detailed data to drill down into.
Look Development for the Holographic Drone Inventory
Mysterio Carousel Motion Test
Mysterio Carousel Startup Final
Isolated - Shutdown
Isolated - Drone Lock
E.D.I.T.H. MAP
E.D.I.T.H., the AI built into Tony Stark's glasses, acts as a universal key for all of Stark's technology, including cameras and satellites. Through this, he is able to search all the camera feeds in Prague for the missing drone component as the drones project holographic map and feed data back to Beck.
E.D.I.T.H. Map Look Development
E.D.I.T.H. Map Motion Studies
E.D.I.T.H. Map Final Shot
MYSTERIO'S HELMET
Beck's helmet is his battlefield view into the simulations - his master console. Everything is built to serve the illusion and to give Beck the most control in the field.
Combined with the wrist device, he has on-the-fly control over the course of the illusion's timeline, adapting to unforeseen situations as needed. He can revise the story using pre-built actions and live-record any new actions he wants. The helmet also gives Beck the ability to communicate both as Mysterio and Beck to various parties, including Nick Fury and his own team as he orchestrates the chaos.
Mysterio's Helmet Early Look Development
Mysterio's Helmet Composite Tests
Mysterio's Helmet motion test
Final Design Modes
HUD Motion Test
Final Shot
04
Fury's Holograms
Peter gets a surprise visit from Nick Fury - which is usually not a positive visit.
The design of Fury's holograms had to be tactical, slick spy gear
When Nick Fury tracks down Peter in Italy, he uses a portable hologram projector to illustrate the global scale of the impending danger. The design of Fury's holograms had to be tactical, super cool with a military kick.
Point clouds and lidar scan-like visuals were used to communicate the complexity and real-time nature of the data.
Fury Hologram Final
05
CONCLUSION
As always it is an honor to collaborate with the fantastic team at Marvel. Bringing to life Stark inspired tech for Peter Parker was a great reminder of how we started - Iron Man 2 and Tony Starks tech. It was also awesome to design Mysterios tech since it's so close related to visual effects for film, which is close to our hearts! The Spidey films are fun to work on, but even more fun to watch!
