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Whittaker's Chocolate Time Machine (2022)
Human Dynamo Workshop partnered with ad agency Assignment Group to design and fabricate a hero “time machine” prop for Whittaker’s - one of Aotearoa NZ’s most iconic chocolate brands, known for its distinctive brand and delicious chocolate.
Collaborators:
Client: Whittaker’s
Agency: Assignment Group
Production company: Waitemata Films
Media: MBM
Creative Production Partner: Human Dynamo Workshop
Hero prop build, special effects and shoot-ready finishes
Working closely with the creative team and production crew, we translated campaign concepts into a physical build that could hold up on set and read instantly on camera. The chocolate time machine needed to feel playful yet premium. A bold, brand-aligned object with enough detail, scale and finish to work for live action filming and stills.
Our workshop delivered the time machine as a complete, shoot-ready object, including key special-effect moments designed to support the story beats of the campaign. From early concept development through to final detailing, we focused on building a prop that performed reliably on set, could be interacted with safely, and photographed cleanly from multiple angles.
Human Dynamo’s scope included:
Concept design and visual development to refine the object’s form, proportions and on-screen presence
Product development and prototyping to test details, materials and assembly methods
Model making for still photography advertising, ensuring crisp surfaces and camera-ready finishes
Fabrication and assembly of the full-scale prop build
Finishing and paintwork to align with Whittaker’s brand aesthetic and create a believable, cinematic quality
Special effects elements, integrated where required to support the ad’s practical moments on set.
Photo credit: Whittaker's, Joseph Kelly
