Andor - Mon Mothma's car 3D modelling

[soswow]

I like to start new projects. My attention span is very small. If you followed me for some previous project - don't worry, I will get back to them and finish at some point. My new passion is this magnificent ride Mon Mothma using in Andor show.

So far, I've collected all the references I could, including those from some promotional clips (not yet seen in the show itself):

Including the last (5th) episode giving me wonderful top views:

After forth episode I've made some crude outline blue print for side, front and bottom:

And started blocking out in Blender, which is a new tool for me. Usually I am working with Fusion 360, but since mesh-based-modelling is what industry uses - I need to know it too.

Can't promise I will go far with this. But if I do, I'll be letting you know.

 

[soswow]

I also did quick dimensions estimation. Based on height of two actors in the frame:

 

[janglesworthy]

This car is very cubic, may want to look into using something like fspy to set up your perspective camera's for modeling this. It could work really well.

 

[shaunsheep]

yay another new project, just hope we get to see more of the car in later episodes of andor

 

[soswow]

yay another new project, just hope we get to see more of the car in later episodes of andor

yeah. Fifth episode gave me top view, which I was super happy about.
That's progress for today.

Worked further on correcting perspective distortion. The first frame of this top-view scene has the least distortion. I've made two versions of it - one with the right side mirrored, since right ... hull? (in a catamaran sense) is very much aligned left to right with the camera and second version with the driver canopy. I've resized it to be the same proportions as my bottom view (as well as the side view). An interesting approach was used to trace roof details. They are shifted because of perspective. Since I've picked top of the hull

as my "true" plane everything above it is shifted in one direction, and everything below it in another. So I first traced all the roof details, and then, because I know some lines are perpendicular to the length of a car (door sides) I moved all the top details "down" so that door lines are perpendicular.

(I forgot two points in this video, I've fixed it later)

 

[shaunsheep]

its looking good sofar

 

[soswow]

Alright.
Here is final result.
5 views. All are free for you to use in non-commercial purposes.

I've recorded a bit of video where I ramble about how it was done. In case you are curious (it is still uploading at the time of posting this message, so wait)

Couple of fun facts:
1) I still don't know how driver gets in an out. There are absolutely no way. he just teleports in and out =))
2) In the last episode there is a shot of a car with something that is not part of any other shot in the show. I think this is artifcat of physical model, that they forgot to take out in post :-D oops.

Next stop - actually modelling it.

 

[CookieCutterCut]

Wow, fantastic so far,

I tried photogrammetry with no success as the surface of the car is reflective.

But with your fantastic work I was able to get something much better;

I am no expert at modeling but I can send you the file of what I have so far if you like, it is in 3DS Max.

 

[DeLano80]

Good work. Looks like Blade Runner a bit.

 

[soswow]

he he. I am glad you found blue prints useful =) I've fixed some minor problems with them since posting yesterday, and I started modeling it myself. Thx for the file offer, I think I am good.

 

[joberg]

Good work. Looks like Blade Runner a bit.

"A bit?" I'd say "A lot!"

 

[CookieCutterCut]

he he. I am glad you found blue prints useful =) I've fixed some minor problems with them since posting yesterday, and I started modeling it myself. Thx for the file offer, I think I am good.

View attachment 1633175

Already looking better than mine, you have a great eye for scale and proportion

 

[soswow]

I've been slowly learning blender and working on it. I've redone it from scratch side bits after understanding the mistakes and making it again without them. I also fixed up blueprint a bit here and there.

Here are some videos I've made to capture progress: