Meet The Rig That Transforms Into Any Car: The Mill Blackbird

Special effects company The Mill has come up with a technology so revolutionary, The guys over at Top Gear just had to give it a go. Meet the ‘Blackbird’, which is all about taking movie magic to the next level. It allows filmmakers to render any car they require over the top of a special rig, in ultra-HD realism, without the car itself having to go anywhere near the set.

It’s first fully adjustable car rig that creates photoreal CG cars – it’s a car rig that can be shot at any time, in any location, without the need to rely on a physical car. Created in collaboration with JemFX, Performance Filmworks and Keslow, Mill Blackbird inspires and expands creative opportunities, offering a truly flexible production tool without sacrificing any quality or direction.

Underneath the slew of  sensors,cameras and matt black side paneling, the Blackbird has a electric engine that houses a massive computer system that can can alter the car’s track and wheelbase, plus the driving characteristics of its electric motor and suspension, to match any model your heart desires. Just a quick switch of the right wheel base and, drive around (preferably like a lunatic) and computers far too complicated for our tiny little minds render the car on top, even matching the reflections to the real-world surroundings.