What spec machine(s) are you using it on at the moment?

I use it on a home-made PC, Intel 3GHz with 4 gig of ram, 500 GB HD space, and an nVidia 6800 video card. I also have an OSX Mac running LightWave, and several other PCs that I use as render nodes.

Are there any plug-ins you wouldn't be without?

Up until LightWave 7.5, I used Vertibevel quite a bit. With the release of LightWave 8, a similar feature (Rounder) is now built in. I can do almost anything in LightWave's Modeler, but if a plug-in becomes available to make my job quicker I will use it. Like say a tree generator or cloning tool. Again nothing you couldn't do in LightWave 3D, just shave corners so I can move faster.

In your opinion, should LightWave 3D stay separated or become integrated?

That's a good question, which lots of folks differ on... I personally have no problem with it separated. But I know that it would open up better animation possibilities if it was as a whole (or more integrated), and certain modelling/modifying tools would be animatable (based on history and such).

How did you get the job working on the Mini-robot project?

During the past couple of years I've worked mostly for Zoïc Studios. At some point last year after finishing work on Galactica Miniseries, I was asked to model and texture the Mini Robot for a Mini Cooper ad campaign - I gladly accepted. It was a collaborative partnership between the Crispen, Porter, and Bogusky Agency and Zoïc Studios.

What was the hardest thing to fake in the website?

Well, my part was more in building the robot elements, Lighting and rendering out high resolution poses for billboards, magazine ads, and website versions for custom robot building online. However, the web guys did a nice job of not making it so obvious that it was a hoax. A lot went into making it look like it was shot on a camcorder, and then compressing it a lot to make it look not so polished. It was a very well thought out project.

There are plenty of other people to credit on the animation and project as a whole: The team was lead by Loni Peristere and Andrew Orloff, and producing was Carla Attanasio.

Did you build the Mini as a car before you converted it into a robot?

Sort of, started with a base model for scale and reference. However, had to take a lot of creative freedom with actual Mini exterior pieces, to make a robot that would seem like it could work in real life, and yet still look good.

Would all the bits go together properly (to make a car from the robot) still, or did you have to bend and stretch certain bits?

Yes and no. Most of the car parts are built from actual Mini Cooper parts, but I had to bend and modify several parts to make it so it was machined together in a bodyshop sort of way. Some of the arm and leg padding has a kind of football equipment/armour feel to it, for example.

Those parts were not actually like that on a Mini, but for the sake of the hoax story, we could get away with say a fender being bent/formed into that metallic shape to achieve the same look and feel.