Connect with us

Lifestyle

Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions honored in Moon-landing anniversary animation

Elon Musk-inspired animation produced by Initial Pictures. | Image: Initial Pictures

Published

6 years ago

on

Elon Musk’s push for colonization of Mars is one of his best-known goals for humanity, and with the resources he’s gathered from successes in his many endeavors, that dream is closer to being made reality than it has been for similar dreamers over the last few decades. This July 20th will mark the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 11 Moon landing which put human footprints on the surface of our closest neighbor for the first time. With that timing in mind, an independent film studio based in France has created a short animation honoring Musk and his accomplishments that will hopefully lead to human footprints on Mars.

Initial Pictures, the French studio that created the traditionally animated film, “Elon Musk – One Giant Leap for Mankind,” has an entire team comprised of self-described fans of “the genius entrepreneur” who founded the company developing tech needed to make Mars habitation happen – SpaceX. “This is why we decided to produce a short movie in his honour and that would look like him,” the studio stated in its comments about the film. “It is a 1 minute very short movie with a very asserted style, resuming the significant innovations of the industrialist, such as Tesla, the Hyperloop, SpaceX, and to finish, Mars’ colonization.”

The storyboards and draft sketches made while developing the animation reveal the story of a team dedicated to every detail behind every part of the message their film is conveying. Tesla’s hand-drawn robot assembly lines are marked to ensure their motion is accurately represented, and the on-orbit staging of Starship, SpaceX’s massive rocket intended for human transport, is depicted as proposed in the company’s official animations, albeit in front of Mars instead of Earth.

Elon Musk-inspired animation produced by Initial Pictures. | Image: Initial Pictures

Throughout the animation, a narrator blends an inspirational message focused on a Mars mission with a fun soundtrack featuring the David Bowie and Queen version of “Under Pressure.” This all takes place against a background of Musk’s companies portrayed as leading the way to the red planet. Marc Churin, director of Initial Pictures, provided additional commentary about the project:

“Elon Musk seems to be someone who seems to enjoy a great deal of freedom. His genius allows him to complete his wildest projects. His sense of humour, ambition, financial and intellectual abilities make of him a modern hero. He is a icon that gives hope for the future. Then, what could make more sense for an animation studio than making a movie of him ? Science-fiction movies are, by definition, ahead of their time. With Elon Musk, it only takes to comment the present to tell something amazing.”

Elon Musk is no stranger to fan-base inspired projects. A full computer animated video depicting the serial entrepreneur as a young man, bullied at school and inspired by the Moon, then progressing through one success after the other to ultimately drive a Roadster on Mars, was published last year by Andy Front. SpaceX’s various rocket projects specifically have received the fan treatment over the years as well, demonstrating artistic space enthusiasts’ best interpretations of what Musk and his company have planned for the future. Tesla’s next generation Roadster has also been the subject of fan-made videos imagining the high-tech sports car showing off its insane acceleration.

The press release announcing the Initial Pictures’ animation is as follows:

“One giant leap for mankind » Elon Musk’s Chronicles

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, discover the 60 seconds short film “One giant leap for mankind”, directed by the French creative studio Initial Pictures, which pays tribute to the wonderful adventure of the entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Space has long captured humankind’s curiosity and imagination, and soon, thanks to innovations driven by passionate people such as Elon Musk, some dreams will become reality. Through a tradigital animation made of 900 drawn sketches, the short film depicts the entrepreneur’s projects in the pace at which they were achieved, as well as his upcoming interplanetary explorations.

The moon landing mission had a lasting impact on science and society, allowing people to realize what were the amazing possibilities of the space revolution. Just like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins in 1969, Elon Musk pursues his dream of space discovery, along with the NASA, which chose SpaceX as well as Boing, to create the astronauts’ means of transport to access and return from the International Space Station.”

Watch the full “Elon Musk – One Giant Leap for Mankind” animation below:

One giant leap for Mankind from Initial on Vimeo.

Related Topics:

Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

1 month ago

on

January 31, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

  • But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
  • This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
  • As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
  • For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States. 

FSD user’s tale:

  • As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
  • During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
  • In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous. 
  • “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
  • “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

2 months ago

on

January 14, 2025

By

Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products. 

The video: 

  • Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver. 
  • The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
  • While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
  • Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Cool inside jokes: 

  • The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it. 
  • From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
  • The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
  • The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Continue Reading

Lifestyle

Tesla releases Cybertruck metal key card—because why not?

Published

2 months ago

on

December 31, 2024

By

Credit: Tesla Shop

Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?

Cybertruck keys:

  • The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card. 
  • The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key. 
  • As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.

The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:

  • Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
  • As per Tesla’s description of the item: 
  • “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
  • The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
  • In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
  • The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.

Tesla Cybertruck merch push:

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Continue Reading