Gallery: The UFO Is Fake in Animator's YouTube Prank — But So Is Everything Else

  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Sky Sunrise Sunlight and Sun
    01

    ufo

  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Aircraft Spaceship Airplane and Helicopter
    02

    Concept-Scout-001

    A concept drawing of the small scout ship seen in "UFO Over Santa Clarita."
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Spaceship Aircraft Bird Animal and Halo
    03

    Concept-Scout-002

    This concept art looks like something out of Battlestar Galactica.
  • More concept art from UFO Over Santa Clarita.
    04

    Concept-Scout-Final

    More concept art from "UFO Over Santa Clarita."
  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel Crystal Vehicle Transportation Spaceship and Aircraft
    05

    Paintover-scout-v001

    The small UFO was designed by Yuri Blagoveschenskiy.
  • Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Spaceship Aircraft Diamond Jewelry Accessories Accessory and Gemstone
    06

    Concept-Mothership-Orthos

    Concept art of the massive mothership.
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Aircraft Spaceship Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    07

    Concept-Mothership-Final

    Final concept art of the mothership.
  • Image may contain Alien
    08

    Mothership-ShellTexture-03

    The mothership was designed by Leonardo Kradjen.
  • Image may contain Dragon Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    09

    Mothership-Final-v003

    "The complex, compound-curved forms of the ships proved to be a challenge when building the CG models," director Tsirbas said.
  • Image may contain Building and Bridge
    10

    MovieStill-007

    A wireframe from "UFO Over Santa Clarita" shows how the car interior was developed.
  • Image may contain Building and Bridge
    11

    MovieStill-006

    Another wireframe of the car's dashboard.
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Car Automobile and Steering Wheel
    12

    Car-Model-Texture-001

    The CG model of the car interior.
  • Image may contain Bridge and Building
    13

    MovieStill-008

    A wireframe of the car interior with a roughed-in spaceship visible in the sky outside.
  • Image may contain Hand Wrist Human and Person
    14

    Hand-Model-Final-4

    The computer-generated hand models look incredibly lifelike.
  • Image may contain Hand Wrist Human and Person
    15

    Hand-Model-Final-5

    "The hand models are all CGI," said Tsirbas. "Sadly they're very underexposed in the final comp since they're in such a dark section of the car."
  • Image may contain Human Person Cream Food Dessert Creme Confectionery Sweets Icing and Cake
    16

    Reference-DisectedChicken-Mothership

    A dissected chicken provided inspiration for the alien ships in "UFO Over Santa Clarita."
Read More
The Best Ski Clothes for Staying Warm and Having Fun
From weatherproof jackets and pants to puffers, gloves, and socks, WIRED’s winter sports experts have you covered.
Chris Haslam
The Best Apple Watch Accessories
You finally caved and bought an Apple Watch. These are our favorite bands, screen protectors, and chargers to go with your new smartwatch.
Adrienne So
The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats
With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.
Molly Higgins
Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs
Sitting at a desk for hours? Upgrade your WFH setup and work in style with these comfy WIRED-tested seats.
Julian Chokkattu
The Best Kids' Bikes for Every Age and Size
The WIRED Reviews team has kids, and we tested all types of kids’ bikes. Here are our top picks.
Adrienne So
The Best Heart Rate Monitors Check Your Cardiac Health
These chest straps and watches will help you keep your finger on your pulse—and many other heart-related metrics.
Michael Sawh
Death to Dry Skin. These Humidifiers Are Better Than Chapstick
From models for traveling to humidifiers that double as planters or air purifiers, we've tested a dozen of them.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Podcasts for Everyone
Get your fix of tech, true crime, pop culture, or comedy with these audio adventures. 
Simon Hill
The Best Game Controller for Every Kind of Player
A great gamepad instantly levels up your play. These are our top picks for Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
Brad Bourque
The 11 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride
I tested the best electric bikes in every category, from commuters and mountain bikes to foldables and cruisers.
Adrienne So
The Best Android Phones, Tested and Reviewed
Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.
Julian Chokkattu
Our Favorite Merino Wool Clothes to Keep You Comfy in Any Weather
Merino is one of the best fabrics you can wear. We explain the different blends, what “gsm” means, and how to care for your clothes.
Scott Gilbertson