The producers at BBDO New York worked overtime to secure the rights and permissions required to feature all of the robots we see in GE’s “Journey.” A who’s who of famous machines, the :60 showcases the likes of Forbidden Planet’s Robby the Robot, Knight Rider’s KITT, and WALL-E just to name a few.
“This was definitely the hardest part for us all as we tried to create a matrix of robots that worked best together. A few said no for various reasons,” acknowledged BBDO producer George Sholley, adding with a wink, “and we hope they’re severely bummed they didn’t join in on the fun.”
“Journey” truly is a delight to watch, especially if you’re a sci-fi fan. Directed by Dayton/Faris (the directing duo of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris) out of Santa Monica, Calif.-based Bob Industries, the spot finds the robots on the move. Some walk, some roll, and some ride the bus or the subway. KITT drives–he is a car, after all.
Where are they heading? Driven by curiosity, they all convene outside of a warehouse where they will get a glimpse at some of the brilliant machines GE is producing these days.
As for the decision to make robots the stars of the spot, BBDO senior creative director Michael Aimette explained, “GE has incredibly complex behind-the-scenes technology that is hard to show but no less amazing. We thought using famous, lovable robots was a great way to bring a tangible presence to all this brilliant technology in a fun, human way.”
“Journey” was one of three spots shot by Dayton/Faris over the course over seven days on location in Los Angeles, Seattle and Roanoke, Va., and the project marked the first time that they had ever worked with robots. “How robots capture our imagination and play a role in our lives was interesting to us,” Faris remarked, adding, “It was a really fun shoot, unlike anything we’ve ever done.”
Heavy metallic Assembling the cast was quite an effort. Production designer Floyd Albee embarked on a nationwide search to find the mostly metallic talent.
About half of the robots existed in some form. The Lost in Space robot, for example, was pulled out of storage. “I don’t think he’d been out of the closet for awhile. We had to dust him off,” Faris said with a laugh.
Meanwhile, the Nao Robots were flown over France. (These little creatures may not be as well known as some of the other robots featured in the commercial, but they are used for research and education purposes.)
Legacy Effects of San Fernando, Calif., built the rest of the robots from spare parts or from scratch in the case of the replica of the Mars Rover.
“The challenge with a spot like this was for it to have an emotional impact and not just be a bunch of machines,” Dayton said, stressing, “It was all about the nuances, moving the head and body to create a performance.”
A number of the robots were operated by puppeteers, including some from Legacy Effects, and others were remote controlled or pre-programmed to perform certain actions.
“They were all sort of humanlike, and it’s amazing what you project onto them,” Faris said, noting that the robots were purposely taken out of the fantastical world we normally see them in and brought into our world. “Taking them out of context helps bring it into our experience and helps us identify with them more.”
While Robby the Robot is seen exiting a museum where he was obviously on display, the adorable Nao Robots navigate the subway, which is quite a feat when you are barely two-feet tall.
Just due it All of the robots get their due in the spot. “We wanted to give some an entrance and have others just pop up,” said BBDO creative director/art director Kevin Jordan, pointing out, “It felt right to wait to reveal Data, one of our heavy hitters, until the last few seconds.”
Lieutenant Commander Data, who appeared in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as various Star Trek feature films, “beams” into the final scene of “Journey,” joining the other robots outside the warehouse, courtesy of visual effects work performed by the artisans from Method Studios, New York.
Otherwise, what you see in the spot and right there at the end is “99 percent real,” Dayton said. “That was one of our goals, to actually film as many of the robots in camera that could interact with the light and really be there. The only thing we added was Data from Star Trek. That was the only visual effect.”
The shooting of that epic final scene was actually packed with people and robots. “We had puppeteers hidden behind other robots,” Dayton recalled.
“We were pulling robots on cables,” Faris added.
“It was a giant logistical feat,” Dayton concluded.
JD Smyth of Final Cut, New York, edited “Journey,” and Human, New York, created the track that accompanies the robots as they traverse the country.
“We wanted to score something kind of otherworldly, definitely techy, but also with a twinge of melancholy,” Aimette said. “Something very human.”
