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It was a beautiful day in Los Angeles, with temperatures in the mid-70s and the tops of palm trees dotting a cloudless sky. That California-in-December bliss, however, was nowhere to be found on Stage 1 at The Lot Studios, a film and TV production complex nestled in West Hollywood.

Nate McCain for Olay

Something celestial was happening, in more ways than one. At the center of the stage was what appeared to be the front end of a rocket ship—a silver hexagonal cylinder topped with an industrial-looking nose, with countless buttons and controls lining the interior.

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This story first appeared in the Jan. 27, 2020, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.