5. Getting the power armor right was one of the show's biggest challenges
Adapting video games for TV or movies can be a tricky affair; for every success like The Last of Us, there are dozens of duds which failed to live up to expectations set by their source material. Which kind of adaptation will Fallout be?
It's too early to tell, but it's pretty obvious that Fallout producer and director Jonathan Nolan tried hard to do right by some of the game's most important aspects. That includes depicting power armor well. In Fallout, power armor suits are worn by various people to dramatically increase their odds of survival while fighting off the many creatures and bandits lurking in the Wasteland; they're especially utilized by the Brotherhood of Steel, a militant group who uses power armor and other weapons technology in order to keep the Wasteland safe. Or as safe as it can be according to their views, at least.
Power armor is one of the most iconic images in Fallout, which has been featured in artwork for the games ever since the original Fallout game launched for PC back in 1997. When Nolan was asked if there was one particular aspect of Fallout that was especially important for the show to pull off, he singled out the power armor and the tone of the world, which often sways from humorous to bleak and back again.
"We talked a lot about the power armor," Nolan said. "I think the tone was maybe the most challenging and the most intimidating thing for me. But working with, you know, with , you knew that we were going to be in a really good place with that incredibly ambitious story. On a technical level, the scope of the world and the power armor in particular was one of those things you go, 'oh, how on Earth are we going to do that?' But we got there."
In order to capture the look and feel of the power armor, Fallout primarily utilized practical effects rather than CGI. This made it much easier for the actors and crew to get in the proper headspace.
"Every day on set was a new, fun challenge," explained Aaron Moten, who plays Brotherhood of Steel squire Maximus. "And, you know, it's super exciting as an actor, I think to get the opportunity to show up to work to do outrageous things. You know, I think we spend a lot of time doing things that are normal, or there's a mundanaity to them. You know what I mean? And we spend a lot of time doing that at work. So to get to, you know, trudge around the Wasteland with the power armor by my side is an experience in itself. And getting to see our stunt performer, Adam, you know, in the full garb, and seeing the seas of people and crew on sets part for him. You know, that practical realness to it is really exciting."
"No two days were the same. Every prop, every costume, every location, every set was just bonkers," added Ella Purnell, who plays starry-eyed vault dweller Lucy. "And, you know, one of the joys of working with Jonah is that he loves to do everything as much as he can for real. So you're not working with that much green screen or, you know, dudes in green leotards. You get to really work with practicals. And that, you know, you don't have to imagine so much. It's real, and you can really do it. And just like, just a kid in a candy store, honestly. So much fun."
So remember, when you see power armor charge across your screen in Fallout, that power armor is real!