Fun Fact: Before playing Mother, Luke Hawker played Krampus in Michael Dougherty’s film!
As we told you in our chat with director Grant Sputore last week, the titular robot in Netflix’s new sci-fi movie I Am Mother is an almost entirely practical creation, brought to the screen by an actor (Luke Hawker) wearing a suit created by Weta Workshop. How did they bring Mother to life? A new featurette video this week details the incredible work they put in.
The film, now streaming on Netflix, tells the story of a robot (“Mother”) designed to repopulate the earth after the extinction of humankind.
The complex specialty suit designed and built by New Zealand’s award-winning concept design and manufacturing facility combines traditional craftsmanship techniques with innovative 3D printing technology. Nearly 300 individual components were molded and cast, model-made, or 3D printed. Weta Workshop’s Animatronics team, led by technician Zoilo Abad, installed more than 700 LED lights and moving componentry; these were operated on set by Weta Workshop On Set Specialty Costume Supervisor, Tim Domett.
Watch the video below and learn even more over on Weta’s website.
I Am Mother stars Hilary Swank and Clara Ruugard, with Rose Byrne voicing the title role.