Mad Max-Inspired Rugby World Cup Spot Had Cast of 90, Custom Miniatures

Custom-built miniatures, real remote control vehicles, and a 90 person cast featured in an action-packed Rugby 2027 World Cup spot, ‘Go All Out’.

In an exclusive interview with LBB, Photoplay director Scott Otto Anderson explained the campaign also involved 180 make-up mock-ups, 19 storyboards, terabytes of test footage, and 10 hours spent running in the sun.

The vehicles were custom-built miniatures shot in-camera. The French team’s vehicle’s design, for example, was “this rocket-shaped thing” the team had “taken the fuselage of an old plane, like a Dash 8 … and chopped off [the wings]” to build.

The chicken was built using bits of old scrap tin, and the plumage -- the feathers on top of the chicken’s head -- had a “dirty, blistering, fibreglass finish that [you] might get on some crappy ice cream truck”.

“The finishing touch on that one was more like a ‘Priscilla Queen of The Desert’ kind of tail to catch in the wind, made of a really light silk so that [it] would move around,” Scott said.

“The All Blacks Awaka ship … started off with a single hole shape and then we went to more of a twin hole design and tried to base it off the topology of that ship from 150 years ago, or 300 years ago.”

He added the designs carved into the side of the ship were “reductionist” to avoid communicating warfare. The platforms were also all rebuilt at a 1-to-10 scale, and the “miniature timber banks and all of the ropes and everything are all as close as possible matching to what would be on a real ship.”

All vehicles except Australia and Japan’s were based on “very expensive four-wheel-drive remote control vehicles with incredible suspension”. It was important they felt “realistic”, but were able to drive, carry weight, and not tip.

He also revealed the CG wallaby was built out of old Holden vehicles.

“It should feel like it isn't the chemical of robotics or electronics. It's like a guy who's an earth mover, paired with someone who's a part-time mechanic, mixed with someone else who's taught themselves how to weld. And it's got that ramshackle kind of feel to it.”

Around 80% of the film -- led by Akcelo, with post-production by Masters & Servant and Motif Studios -- was shot in-camera. “Dozens, if not hundreds of fans that were shot in studio [were] all individually tracked and scaled and composited onto those vehicles along with flags and stuff, and then the storm is added as a CG 3D build. It's largely a practical approach.”

Because the budget and weather did not permit travelling over 1,000 kilometres to the NSW regional town of Broken Hill, the cast and crew travelled to Kurnell, roughly 20 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, and spent two days shooting there, followed by two days in the studio.

The production worked at a scale of 1-to-10, but shot the running players at 1-to-1, and scaled them up 10 times to match the angles. One day was spent shooting the miniatures, and another the players, who were “probably running around for 10 hours in the sun. We would have been down there for 13 hours total.”

Another half day was spent in the UK shooting with iconic Wallabies players George Gregan and Johnny Wilkinson, who Scott said were “hilarious” and “amazing” to work with.

“They've already got this kind of rapport down where Johnny is the somewhat good-looking goofball and George is kind of more quiet and reserved … and says less but you read more.

“They're really fun to work with, very funny guys.”

Asked about the detail not necessarily visible to the eye, Scott said two mock-ups of make-up were done for each member of the 90-strong cast. 19 storyboards were completed before the job was secured, and there were “terabytes” of test videos.

Plus, the Aussie fans’ flagpoles were made out of fishing rods, paint rollers, and broomsticks because they were relatable items of the country’s culture.

“There's the vintage kit in there for people with a keen eye that recognise old Wallaby's gear from that 80s and and then there's the modern stuff.”