THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

Production: Touchstone Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Everyman Pictures and Hammer and Tongs

Director: Garth Jennings

Production Designer: Joel Collins

VFX Art Director: Daniel May

The Story of A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy was a big favourite from our childhood. So when we were asked to get involved with the 2007 film adaptation, we jumped on it! Joel Collins took on the mantle of Production Designer and Dan May lead the Visual Effects Art Direction and Previs Unit. This project was an amazing playground for all our previs ideas. For the first time we were able to explore large-scale art department previs in more innovative and complex ways.

The challenge of visualizing the world, characters and VFX was done hand in hand with Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith of Hammer and Tongs. The process made us acquire new equipment and skills. By the end, which was almost two years later, we had created a fantastic  and hybrid visual effects and art department team, many of whom still work with us today. The Previz Unit worked continuously throughout both prep and shoot. By creating accurate digital renders of both sets and spaceships we ensured that all of our designs and Garth’s ideas were finalised before postproduction began. Our proudest moment was seeing the combined efforts of all involved reach the big screen and go straight to number one in both the US and UK box office!

Check out Empire's review: 

http://www.empireonline.com/movies/hitchhiker-guide-galaxy/review/