This short film follows Star Wars’ droid-hero R2D2 who thinks he has found true love in the form of a female mailbox adorned with a pink ribbon. However the postal service lass–despite being protected and courted by R2D2–is betrothed to a dark droid.

Devastated upon discovering this and having backed away from a confrontation with his nemesis droid, R2D2 treks across San Francisco in search of love.

Titled Artoo in Love, the short was created, directed and co-edited by Evan Atherton. It debuted on March 28 at the Sonoma Film Festival prior to a screening of DreamWorks’ animated feature Home.

Atherton shot a portion of the film at UC Berkeley using RED Epic and Scarlet cameras, as well as a DGI drone and Movi free fly gimbal for aerial shots. He used several Autodesk tools to create and control CG assets in the film, including Maya for 3D camera tracking and shadow replacements; Fusion 360 to model parts the pink droid; Inventor to design and 3D print props like the umbrella holder; and Delcam software to control the droids. Atherton also enlisted help from two professional VFX artists to bring the taser and rain scenes to life.

Atherton’s full-time gig is as a mechanical engineer and designer in Autodesk’s Office of the CTO. He is also a mega Star Wars fan. 

Credits

Production/conception Evan Atherton, writer/director/co-editor, and R2-KT droid builder & operator. Production Company TRUE MVMNT Shara Esbenshade, exec producer/co-editor; Grant McKinney, co-exec producer, Artoo droid builder and operator; Sargam Atherton, producer/production designer; Wesley Walker, DP and aerial camera operator. Music Devin Mooers, composer. VFX Landis Fields, Pete Billington, VFX artists; Brian Munger, R2-V1 & Mouse droid builder and operator; David Thomasson, robotic arm development & operation; Maurice Conti, drone pilot; Ian O’Neill, caricature drawing. Post Charlie Nordstrom, colorist. Sound Design Joshua Chang, sound designer. Titles Julian Bialowas.

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