Scaring Spooky Stop Motion Film

Fathom & Athena Studios Combine Artistry, 3D Printing and Urethane Casting Techniques for Stop Motion Film

In celebration of this years Halloween promotion, the “Bag of Bones” special edition Cheetos, FritoLay created a national design contest challenging participants to make their most creative monsters out of nothing but Cheetos.

The contest and campaign centered around a short film released on October 25—the trailer has already been viewed more than a million times and is broadcasting nationwide.

With a basic concept in mind, FritoLay approached Athena Studios, an independent film collective with a specialty in stop motion animation. Athena created the entire script and storyboard, deciding on the narrative direction for the film. Rapid Prototype Technician and Model Maker Victoria Most of Fathom, a passionate film buff with extensive experience in the industry, said the team opted for a hybrid production approach by blending artistic ability with 3D printing and urethane casting.

To achieve the finished look essential to the project’s success, Most and the team at Athena decided on a special technique for the main characters of the film—3D printing master patterns, then creating the final film models with urethane casting. Multiple versions of the hero character were needed in order to film the entire video, so three full-size puppets were created.

The heroes were not the only characters whose appearance relied on 3D modelling, 3D printing and handcrafted expertise—the monsters involved in the film, a werewolf and a zombie—were both fully 3D printed then painted with precise detail.

In helping to create the characters for the film, Most used many of the skills she uses in the day-to-day at Fathom—priming, sanding, polishing and painting—helping to elevate digitally produced parts with a distinctly analog touch.

For additional information on Fathom’s production center services such as 3D printing, urethane casting and model finishing, talk with an expert today by filling out the form on the right. Happy Halloween!