WEST WORLD Season 4

Senior VFX Consultant
HBO
TV Episodic | 1.1 Million views +

Credits

Showrunner: Jonathan Nolan + Lisa Joy
Production: HBO
Production Designer: John Carlos
Senior Design Consultant: Jonathan Berube

The Role of Olympiad in Westworld’s Expanding Narrative

Olympiad Entertainment isn't just a backdrop; it plays a critical role in the unfolding story of Westworld Season 4. Christina’s discovery of the true impact of her work at Olympiad marks a pivotal point in the season. As she begins to understand that the characters she writes are, in fact, living people, the set becomes a character in its own right—a space where reality and fiction intertwine, and where the boundaries of free will are constantly tested. Hale’s manipulation of Olympiad, using it as a tool for her mind-control experiments, adds another layer of complexity. The sterile, oppressive environment of the Olympiad offices is a perfect visual metaphor for the control that Hale exerts over both humans and hosts alike. It’s within these walls that the new world order is crafted, making Olympiad Entertainment not just a company, but a symbol of the overarching theme of domination in Westworld.

The Design of Olympiad Entertainment

Westworld has always been a universe where the line between humanity and technology is blurred, often with unsettling consequences. From Delos to Incite, the series has introduced us to a string of shadowy corporations with a penchant for controlling the human mind. In Season 4, Olympiad Entertainment enters this nefarious lineup, not just as another corporate player, but as a crucial element in the series' exploration of free will and control.

Where Stories Shape Reality

Olympiad Entertainment makes its debut in the very first episode of Season 4. We are introduced to Christina, a character with a striking resemblance to the original Dolores, who now works as a writer for Olympiad. The company is more than just a gaming studio—it’s a place where narratives crafted by Christina don’t just stay within the virtual realm; they have real-world consequences. The seamless transition between Christina’s fictional creations and the reality of the world around her blurs the lines between creator and creation, echoing Westworld's ongoing themes.

Designing a Set That Reflects Olympiad’s Dark Purpose

The challenge in designing the Olympiad Entertainment offices was to create a space that not only looked sophisticated and minimalist but also subtly hinted at the darker undertones of its operations. The set had to evoke a sense of sterile, clinical control—an environment where creativity is harnessed for manipulation rather than expression. To achieve this, we leaned heavily on "hard" materials like sleek epoxy, stainless steel, and glass. These materials, with their reflective surfaces, create a cold, almost dehumanizing atmosphere, perfectly mirroring the sinister nature of Olympiad’s work. The high contrast in tones throughout the set further emphasizes a binary, black-and-white worldview, akin to the rigid loops that once governed the hosts of Westworld. This design was a blend of practical builds and VFX set extensions, ensuring that the physical environment seamlessly integrated with the digital effects, making the set both a believable workspace and a symbolic representation of the show's themes

Downtown Chicago

In the image above, the illustration overlays a panoramic plate photograph that was taken to capture the layout of the intended shooting location and the existing buildings on the Melody Ranch film lot. We aimed to maximize the use of what was already present, as the existing structures fit well within the 1940s time period we were aiming to recreate. By carefully adding period-appropriate signage and set dressing, we were able to create an authentic and lived-in city street. The inclusion of the iconic Ford Model T further cemented the time era, adding a convincing touch to the scene.   

The reverse angle of the main Chicago street, also created on top of a panoramic plate photograph of the Melody Ranch.