Bringing Gear Guard to Life

Behind the scenes of our furry friend’s first film

By Rivian

December 11^th, 2023

Our new Gear Guard stop motion film, created in collaboration with artist Foster Huntington, was the first piece to debut on the big screen at our new flagship space — the historic South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach.

Gear Guard is Rivian’s security system that connects Rivian hardware (interior screen, braided steel cable, cameras) and software technology to keep a watchful eye on your vehicle and gear while you're away.

Gear Guard leaves behind the typical markers of intimidation and surveillance found in most security systems, and still gives you peace of mind on all your adventures. To celebrate the feature (and our favorite yeti’s calm confidence), we brought them to life one furry frame at a time in this stop motion film.

Watch the film here or on YouTube.

Our furry friend's spirit was born out of a desire to add security in smart and friendly fashion, without operating from a place of fear.

Behind the scenes

The magic of stop motion

It's hard to pinpoint what makes stop motion, an animation style that's been around since the late 1800s, so dreamlike. Perhaps it's the creative complexity required to dream up, create and execute an idea, or maybe it's the storyline, carefully crafted by the human hand, that makes each scene feel questionably real. From idea to storyboard, to the workshop and the editing booth, each creative step brought the spirit of Gear Guard to life.

The tiny components of a big story

Among the numerous physical pieces that were hand-crafted for the set, three R1 vehicles were built. Each model was based on the same specifications that the Rivian design and engineering teams use. A larger, 20 inch 1/12th scale model was used for the café scene, including a body and interior-only version, and a 1/20th scale model starred in the driving scenes.

Bringing the Gear Guard character to life in physical form had many iterations. After exploring multiple textures, Gear Guard slowly transformed from a drawing into a dimensional, mobile character with distinct facial expression and of course, fur.

Frame by frame

The Gear Guard stop motion film was created with 24 frames per second. Each time a frame is photographed, the scene is physically manipulated, including characters, costumes, reactions and other components of the set. The distance of the manipulation dictates the sense of speed, like the thief running off into the distance or Gear Guard's fur flowing with the wind.

Gear Guard exists to add peace of mind to your travels, no matter where the road takes you. The toothy smile and furry coat make Gear Guard the cuddliest adventure buddy when off-duty.