Breaking Down the Tech of the X-Men’s Future Sentinels in Days of Future Past
Summary
In this article, we will discuss the futuristic and technically complicated Sentinels featured in the popular X-Men movie, “Days of Future Past.” We will dive into the visual sequences that helped illustrate their capabilities, including their ability to absorb mutant DNA and use it to their advantage.
Table of Contents
- Sentinels: The Creation Process
- Procedural Animation for Sentinel Scale-Proxy Representation
- Sentinels: A Combination of Procedural and Hand Animation
- Epic Fight Sequences Between Mutants and Sentinels
- Conclusion
Sentinels: The Creation Process
The Sentinels in “Days of Future Past” were provided by MPC (Moving Picture Company). The first step in creating these futuristic robots was the initial research and development phase. MPC’s idea was to take their existing hair and fur tools, which allowed for procedural animation, and adapt it to create the metallic scales or blades the Sentinels required.
However, further development was needed to make the scales look realistic. The creation of a proxy representation for each individual scale was necessary, known as a “follicle.” With this idea, MPC was able to design the distribution, flaring, and random orientation of each scale while ensuring that none intersected with each other.
The animation was cached out as a point cloud and stored as a matrix with various parameters for position, orientation, and blade. Ultimately, each Sentinel incorporated 100,835 blades on screen, plus another 1,019 moving parts for inside their faces.
Procedural Animation for Sentinel Scale-Proxy Representation
Procedural animation did work well for most of the Sentinel’s follicles or blades. MPC’s sophisticated code allowed them to control most of these follicles to design the distribution, flaring, and random orientation of each scale seamlessly. This development led to the creation of the formidable and complicated Sentinels.
Sentinels: A Combination of Procedural and Hand Animation
While most of the Sentinel’s follicles were procedural, 1,019 parts that were visible when their faces broke had to be animated by hand. This combination of procedural and hand animation made the Sentinels some of the most technically complicated and unstoppable robots in cinema history.
Epic Fight Sequences Between Mutants and Sentinels
The fight sequences between the X-Men and the Sentinels were epic. The Sentinels were equipped to fight mutants using metallic scales or blades that flared, similar to Mystique’s ability. The effects team illustrated the Sentinels fighting Sunspot with solar flares, Iceman with arctic cold, while Colossus and Blink tried to escape. The scenes were beautifully choreographed, showcasing the talents of the visual effects team.
Conclusion
MPC’s groundbreaking technological development in creating the Sentinels for “Days of Future Past” was unparalleled. The use of procedural animation during the creation process, coupled with hand animation, led to the creation of the most technologically complicated robots in cinema history. Their fight scenes with mutants were exhilarating and made the movie an unforgettable one.
