Talk:Transformers (2007)

For the conveniance of the site-going public, this is a visual guide of the main Transformers of the film, in both vehicle and robot form. The following Transformers seen in the film are:

NOTE: I'm not the best vehicle expert, nor the best Transformers expert. I've researched the topic to the best of my abilities, but any further knowledge will be appreciated. Just don't get edit conflicts with me as I work. ;) - Gunmaster45

The Autobots

• The Autobots, or Autonomous Robotic Organisms in full, are sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, sent to Earth to locate the All Spark, before the Decepticons can find it. They are the protaganists of the film.

The Autobots all together in diguise form, poorly attempting to look inconspicuous on the Witwickys' front lawn.

Optimus Prime

• Optimus Prime, voiced by Peter Cullen as in the original Gen 1 series, is the leader of the Autobots. In the film, his disguise form is a custom refinished Peterbilt Model-379 long nosed truck, three of which were built for production. Originally a flat nosed truck has been selected, but the long nose truck gave greater size to Prime, so was ultimately selected. The truck's paint scheme is loosely based on the paint-scheme used on NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon's car. Originally Optimus Prime was mainly red, but red is among the worste colors to photograph, so blue with red flames was used instead. In robot form, Optimus Prime stands 32' tall, and is composed of 10,108 parts.

One of the three Peterbilt Model-379 trucks used to build Optimus Prime's vehicle form.

The finished result after the truck was refinished, repainted, and restored.

Optimus Prime in animated series form left, and film form right.

Concept art of how Optimus Prime's "ears" where designed to give him more of a Japanese Samurai look.

Optimus Prime takes the diguise of a custom built Peterbilt Model-379 when he first arrives on Earth.

Close up on Optimus Prime's face. The amount of parts added to the face helped to give the robots more emotion, at Michael Bay's request.

A good shot of the long nose and blue/red flame paint job.

Optimus Prime does an E-Brake turn on the highway.

Optimus Prime extends his energy sword during his battle with Bonecrusher on the freeway.

Optimus Prime, ready to fight during the final battle in Mission City.

Bumblebee

Bumblebee is the first of the Autobots to land on planet Earth, as a scout for the team. When he first arrives, he takes the disguise of a rather undesirable and broken down Chevy Camaro 1976 with a fading yellow paint job and black racing stripes. His voice box was damaged in a previous battle, forcing him to use the car radio as his main means of communication in the film. He is found by Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) at a used auto retailer, and is bought for $3,000. After Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) questions why he chose to disguise himself as a piece of crap Camaro, he re-scans and takes the new form of a 5th-generation Camaro 2009 model, in reality a mocked up Pontiac GTO with the Camaro Concept's exterior and interior design.

A concept art rendition of the Camaro 1976 model, Bumblebee's first disguise.

Bumblebee, in Gen 1 form left, film form right.

Bumblebee's CGI model, based on Camaro 1976 disguise.

Bumblebee in disguise at the used auto dealer.

In the original Gen 1 show, Bumblebee was a yellow Volkswagon Bug. In the new film, this model car was placed next to Bumblebee as a joke. He also shows his defiance towards the old design by smashing it with his door.

A good shot of Bumblebee as Sam uses him to drive Mikaela home.

Bumblebee pulls up to Mikaela's driveway.

Bumblebee strikes a Superman pose after saving Sam and Mikaela from Barricade.

Bumblebee returns as a Camaro 2009.

Bumblebee's new robot form, based on the 2009 model.

Bumblebee races down the storm drains while being pursued by Sector 7 agents. Note the "rims" - in this case, actually wheel covers slapped over steel wheels. At the time of production, the 5th-gen Camaro hadn't moved past the concept stage, so obtaining multiple sets of the car's distinctive rims would have been incredibly difficult, if not downright impossible. Thus, Saleen (who built the movie car, as well as Barricade) molded plastic covers from the concept's rims and went down that route.

Bumblebee driving down the highway. Again, look at the "rims", and marvel at how the car has NO BRAKE CALIPERS.

The Decepticons

Devastator/Brawl

Brawl's tank form is an extremely large prop rather than a real tank, and was originally built for the movie XXX 2: State of the Union; it was modified for Transformers to carry a replica of the "Venus Fly Trap" MCBS [minus the two forks and "dog bone" magnetic mine detonator] and a pair of quad missile launch tubes on the secondary turret. The hull is a modified truck chassis with the rear shortened and the radiator cut off, using a Freightliner diesel engine and rubber band tracks taken from a construction vehicle; it is noticably too light for a real Abrams, as can be seen from how high it rides up as it runs over a car in Mission City. In addition, extras in the Mission City sequence don't seem to have been advised that they should be avoiding a 40-foot area surrounding the tank's turbine exhaust; some are standing in positions where they'd be severely burned if the tank was real.

The main gun is secured using a non-functional travel lock that has a tendency to disappear and reappear between shots, most likely there to stop the top-heavy prop turret falling off the chassis during the car-crushing sequence, as it has no visible hinge to fold down and is not a component of either the Abrams or the Leopard 2, the two tanks the prop is based on. Indeed, the turret visibly wobbles during this sequence. The main gun noticably doesn't recoil; barely at all in one shot of the muzzle, and not at all in another; by comparison, when the CGI version of the tank fires shortly afterwards the gun recoils as would be expected.

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The prop tank attempting to crush a car in Mission City. Note how high it's riding up onto the BMW; also note the rubber band treads rather than the Diehl Type 570 double-pin treads of a real Abrams.

This is what should be happening to that car.