John Carter of Mars (2006) - Thark Incubator

In Jon Favreau's version of John Carter of Mars, John would have woken up in the middle of Barsoom, next to a Thark Incubator, where the eggs of baby Tharks are kept until they hatch. The challenge was to come up with a design that used neither wood nor metal. I devised a crater-like space covered by tanned Thoat hides stretched over a bundled reed structure, itself held in tension by stone weights.

The final keyframe. I thought the translucency of the Thoat hides would lend the environment a warm Hothouse feel.

The final keyframe. I thought the translucency of the Thoat hides would lend the environment a warm Hothouse feel.

Early sketch.

Early sketch.

Another sketch, but the composition is too central

Another sketch, but the composition is too central

The final composition.

The final composition.

Working out the engineering of the incubator structure.

Working out the engineering of the incubator structure.

What it might look like on the surface.

What it might look like on the surface.

A more developed version. I like how the Incubators paid homage to the cratered surface of Mars.

A more developed version. I like how the Incubators paid homage to the cratered surface of Mars.

Incubator from John's POV.

Incubator from John's POV.