The Electric State

Our main goal was to create two robots that could seamlessly blend into the real world, appearing as though they had always been there, while simultaneously looking entirely unfamiliar. Both Bert and Louise feature eight locomotive legs, a static-mounted 40-55- inch display anchored to their main bodies, and articulating eyes that give them distinct personalities. They were designed to move forward and backward, pivot 360° with tank-style turning, and navigate through crowds and varied terrains.

In the film, these two appear only briefly, which offered both a challenge and an opportunity to expand the world of The Electric State without constraints. We began the creative design process by taking inspiration from both the film and the illustrated novel by Simon Stålenhag. However, we quickly discovered that the robots’ legs posed limitations for a one-to-one design. So we pivoted, putting our own spin on them and focusing on making them look less machine-like. Using 3D-printed parts, we aged them to look as though the Billbots had been walking around for 40 years.

The R&D phase of this project felt more experimental than traditional. The main challenge was how to take two purely VFX characters and bring them to life in a way that considered both creative and engineering limitations presented by physics. We had to explore ways in which these two massive machines could move and which materials could be utilized to ensure that they could both carry their equipment (two 40-inch screens) and still have mobility. After trying out a number of systems, we finally landed on a battery-powered motor assembly.

Each of Bert and Louise’s eight legs were driven by a geared motor and a chain system that synced up each leg to hit the ground at the same time. The Billbots themselves were controlled by a single operator using a WiFi remote control system, while another operator managed both the onscreen and vocal content.