Case Study – Nutritional Related Animations

Production Company: Alvey Media Group

Client: Abbot

Role: Modeling, Texturing, Effects, Lighting, Compositing, Animation

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A few months ago we had the pleasure of working on a couple of nutritional animations that demonstrate the effects of lactose intolerance – at a cellular level, on infants’ digestive systems.

As we have in the past, we worked with Alvey Media Group, a production company (and one of our first clients), to conceptualize and develop the animation, to be incorporated in to two distinct videos.  This article is about how lactose intolerance triggers allergens at the cellular level.

First off, we had to do research on several cellular abstracts – host cells, IGE’s, lactose cells, and histamine.  We had some video reference produced by other companies, a lot of illustrations from old text books to start with.

We set out using ZBrush to quickly prototype the host cell, the IGE antibodies, and the Lactose molecules.  We were going for a stylized, electron microscope video sort of look with both videos.

Since there needed to be potentially thousands of IGE entities in the shot, we needed a very low polygon model that used displacement to show almost endless detail.  The low resolution model featured 80 polygons, and was used with Maya particle dynamics to simulate the attraction and collision with the host cell, as well as attachment to the surface.  The tesselated (baked to polygons) version of the IGE molecule, was some 120,000 faces – We could not afford 120 million polygons in our scene.

We proposed a variety of simulation tests and renders for approval from the client.

Here is a shot breakdown for one of the shots (showing additional elements grafted in)

And here are a couple of highlight clilps of the 1:10 of animation produced for the project:

Any comments, questions, or advice greatly appreciated.

Case Study – Sikorsky Web Experience

Production Company: AcSys Interactive, Inhance Digital

Client: Sikorsky

Role: Modeling, Texturing, Effects, Lighting, Animation

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The Vision Room is an interactive kiosk application that allows users to explore numerous Sikorsky and Schweizer Aircraft – both civilian and military variations. Using the same digital collateral deployed on Sikorsky’s web site project, we added 11 more aircraft and variations to give users an interactive experience of no less than 23 different aircraft.

Inhance Digital was commissioned to lead the project, and having just completed 3D work for the Sikorsky web site under AcSys Interactive, we were in a good position to continue the work for the interactive application.

Each aircraft had to be built from scratching using 3 Views and reference, some of which was very sketchy or antiquated. In some cases aircraft engineering data were available which required cleanup and additional detailing.

Once an aircraft was completed, it had to be animated for landing and takeoff sequences based on video reference. Also some basic interactive ‘tumbling’ sequences were done on each aircraft for the interactive experience in the Vision Room. Four artists worked on the project.

Each aircraft went through an ardent inspection process and changes had to be executed quickly delaying the remaining development.

The short delivery schedule was met. We continue to work actively with AcSys Interactive and Sikorsky on various projects.  For more details or to see the system live, visit Sikorsky’s web site at http://www.sikorsky.com.

Any comments or questions are appreciated.

Case Study – Browning Safe Ad

Production Company: Alvey Media Group

Client: Browning

Role: Modeling, Texturing, Effects, Lighting, Animation

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Most know Browning as a maker of rifles, but they also have a long standing line of safe products. Alvey Media Group connected with us in the fall of 2008 to help bring one of Browning’s safe products to life.

In the 30 second spot, a burglar breaks in to a home and attempts to break in to Browning’s safe. To his surprise, the safe comes to life, and pursues him down the street, after bursting through the door and door frame of the home.

Work started using reference photography of the home, and doorway, and HDR reference was taken of the night lit environment. We had the task of modeling the façade of the door, doorway and porch, and matching lighting. Of course an accurate safe model was created too, based on reference and engineering files provided by the client.

Using BlastCode, and Maya’s rigid dynamics, we simulated the safe breaking free, taking with it the door, door frame, and a number of bricks along the way. We also used Maya’s traditional dynamics to render sprite driven dust and debris as secondary effects. Finally, Alvey added photographed destruction elements and color corrected the shot, adding some camera shake.

Most of the shots were still but two had to incorporate some simple tracking. We set up and rendered the sequences, and the production company took it from there. Take a look at the layered breakdown in the ‘mini reel’ accompanying this project.

Any input or questions are appreciated.