Giant Robot Goes Viral
In partnership with Legacy Effects, YouTube, and Wired, Stan Winston School brought a giant robot to Comic-Con 2013. On day one, he met a little girl named Zoe. And our first viral video was born.
Giant Robot Befriends Zoe at Comic-Con
The video hit 1 million views in a matter of days. Why? Is it the incongruous combination of giant warrior mech and tiny little girl? Is it our universal fascination with robots? Sure, those elements are part of it. But we think there's something else going on, something that validates our mission at Stan Winston School. We believe the video went viral because the robot is REAL. Zoe isn't interacting with a tennis ball on a green screen stage; she's engaging with (in her mind) a REAL robot. And we all can feel it. It's a moment of magic.
Watch "The Making of Giant Robot" series here: Making Jeff 1000 for Comic Con 2013
A Letter From Zoe's Mom
We were thrilled to hear from Zoe's mom, Rose, a few days after our encounter. This is what she wrote:
"Hello. My name is Rose Nazareno. I am Zoe Nazareno's mom. My little girl has non-stopped talked about/watched/told everyone she has come into contact with about your amazing robot that she met at Comic Con. She has literally killed my husband's and my phone by pulling it up to show everyone. I wanted to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart for making Comic Con a memorable one for her and us the same. Your huge Robot was amazing. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You."
Thanks to you, Rose and Zoe, for being fans, coming to Comic-Con, and being a huge part of our little magic show.
Long live Practical Effects!
-Matt Winston