The world of engineering and manufacturing is broad. We’re all well aware of the vast need for things to get made, and humans have been doing it for quite some time. While many of us are quite privy to how things are made, there are some markets that are often still shrouded in mystery … like Hollywood.
The world of filmmaking has changed over the last century, with the inclusion of new camera technologies and computer-generated imagery. In fact, many of the CAD skills that engineers possess can often translate to computer animation and rendering that many studios utilize. Autodesk, for instance, lives in both the CAD/CAM world (with Fusion 360, Inventor, and PowerMill) and the animation world (with Maya).
While technology has continued to improve and expand, sometimes there is still a need for actual props, tactile costumes, and physical sets in films. As the film industry has progressed, we’re beginning to see the marrying of both the digital and physical worlds to create the most lifelike scenes possible.
That’s where Frank Ippolito, owner and operator of Thingergy Inc., steps in.
Physical Props in a Digital World
Thingergy is a full-service specialty costume, props, FX makeup, and “maker of things” company. Ippolito explained, “Our versatility of ‘making things’ ranges from 10-foot-tall statues of video game characters to flying flame-throwing dragons to hordes of costumes for movies and television.” The company’s core business is primarily TV, movies, and video game companies, including Ubisoft, EA, Star Wars, HBO, Netflix, and many others.
“What we actually do could be anything at any given moment and constantly changes from day to day,” Ippolito continued. “Part of the shop could be casting body parts for a horror gag. Another part of the shop could be welding a 15-foot-tall aluminum frame for a statue, while someone else might be sewing custom fabric we made into the biggest pair of cargo pants you have ever seen.”
Ippolito’s team thrives on creating something new and has a saying in its shop: “This isn’t the first time we have done something we’ve never done before.” But spending time and money on building physical props and wardrobe begs the question of why it’s needed in our ever-expanding digital toolbox. While there are still some uncanny valley challenges when creating realistic digital people, arguably most things can be created in a digital environment.
“Practical effects help create realism between performers and their surroundings,” Ippolito explained. “CGI can elevate that experience to bring that performance outside of what practical applications can’t physically do. Better technology leads to better practical effects and computer-added effects—together, the movie and TV industry is just going to keep blurring that line of reality. One of the biggest conflicts you hear in our industry, special effects and movies/TV, is the use of advanced technology. Sometimes people have a hard time adapting to the change of how movies are done now with CGI and new tech. We understand things change and embrace technology and old-school techniques here at Thingergy.”
Traditional Manufacturing Versus Hollywood Manufacturing
While there is a lot of art involved in Thingergy’s work, there is also a lot of traditional manufacturing that happens in its shop. Ippolito uses an army of 3D printers, CNC routers, manual lathes and mills, welders, bandsaws, and even a couple of CNC mills to create props and costumes like Cleatus, the giant football statue for NFL on Fox, and the creatures in the Umbrella Academy on Netflix.
Obviously, the manufacturing practices are a bit different than the traditional route of producing a million widgets with lights-out machining, but there are some practical manufacturing practices that Ippolito employs. “We face a lot of really tricky projects that usually have never existed before in the real world, so we have issues that we may not know how to resolve. I have done enough things now to be an expert at my level in a number of areas. Meaning I know enough to either know when I don't know enough, or to get the thing done,” he said.
In fact, Ippolito’s process for making camera-ready effects is very similar to when a new part first moves from an engineer’s desk to the manufacturing floor—a kind of gray area between prototyping and designing for manufacturability.
“Creating something quickly and inexpensively, in the beginning, to work out any kinks and issues can save a lot of headaches and problems down the line when we bust out expensive or hard-to-source materials,” he explained. “You don’t want to waste a $200 chunk of titanium in the metal muncher (the CNC machine) because you didn’t test it out on a $10 piece of high-density foam first. When we make things, it might work in our testing but not in actual application; it might need some tweaking.”
One instance of prototyping and iteration came when Ippolito and his team were developing the Kaylon costume for The Orville. “In the instance of the Kaylon costume, we inherited that design from season 1 and were tasked with making some updates to it with very little money. Making a costume look more mechanical is not as easy as it looks.” The team developed several iterations before landing on a final version that made it to the screen.
Ippolito’s manufacturing process is a high-mix, low-volume form of production. More often than not, the show-ready props and costumes are really just hyper-refined prototypes or one-offs. But like any manufacturing or engineering business the company is always burdened with tight deadlines and clients that need a fast time-to-market—even if the market is a studio set.
“Time is always one of the biggest hurdles we face with almost all our projects. Some shows work on crazy tight schedules and usually need everything two days ago. Because we don’t really have control over schedules, I try to make sure that I can provide my team with anything they need to do the job—except more time. We’re a big fan of not limiting the process to what we have on the shelves. Need a new tool or special material? Then buy it! If a project calls for something different, or a different method to make it, we’ll look into it to help speed up manufacturing or reduce production costs. We have a saying: ‘We can get you anything, except more time.’”
What Manufacturers Can Learn from Hollywood
Obviously, Thingergy isn’t a typical manufacturing business for several reasons, but its business still relies on producing parts efficiently, quickly and cost-effectively—like any other manufacturer.
“We are constantly learning new techniques to use engineering and manufacturing to our advantage when making something for a movie, theme park, or just whatever,” Ippolito explained. “I think not having a formal background in manufacturing or engineering is a good thing. We have to think differently and use the machines in ways that probably are not traditional and might make some people look twice. It’s good to understand the rules and then bend them to your will!”
There is certainly a need to bend machine practices to your will when you are creating realistic yet fantastical gadgets, props and costumes. While some may not see the value in creating props from real metal, plastics, and so on, there is a significance for both the actor and the audience when a prop has a realistic weight, feel and detail. The need for using real materials means that Ippolito and his team must use real-life engineering practices and actual machine tools to make their creations come to life.
While it may not be obvious, the art of manufacturing efficiency and engineering tact are vital to Thingergy’s business—perhaps even more so than for many traditional businesses. Ippolito has found that giving his employees space to do their work and have fun is what keeps their high-stress, fast time to market, high-mix low-volume shop running efficiently. “Letting go of some of the control can be challenging at times, but when you have a talented set of crew members that you trust to do what needs to be done, it just makes life so much easier. Being a business owner is like taking care of your drunk friend—it’s a ton of work and unpredictable. I can rely on my team to be problem-solvers and take the project by the horns and own it.”
Thingergy is involved in several upcoming productions that Ippolito can’t talk about yet, but it is also working on props and costume elements for shows like Umbrella Academy, Orville, Westworld, Ghostbusters, and various Marvel and Star Wars shows, among many other projects. Manufacturing practices at work will be on full display when these productions hit the screen.