'Shannara Chronicles' First Look: Watch the Ellcrys Come to Life

With apologies to Joyce Kilmer, we’ve got proof that God isn’t the only one who can make a tree. Based on this new behind-the-scenes featurette for The Shannara Chronicles, the production team behind the highly-anticipated MTV fantasy series is doing a pretty great job in the foliage-creating department. The two-minute video depicts the evolution of the Ellcrys, a living crimson-colored tree that’s a crucial character within the world of the show, adapted from the popular book series created by Terry Brooks. “It’s institutionalized in our way of living.” To preserve the majesty of this all-important institution, Shannara Chronicles production designer Rob Gillies carefully sculpted clay models of the Ellcrys, working from intricate drawings.