Tag Archives: 3D Animator

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Gatorade | Fuel the Fire

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Gatorade | Fuel the Fire

GoldenWolf/UK

Anselm von Seherr-Thoss explains how RealFlow was used to make some amazing effects for the Gatorade commercial featuring football superstars Lionel Messi and James Rodríguez.

About the company

Incendii is located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nowadays New Orleans is known for a lot of filming but not so much for post production or VFX. So it is an exotic entity in this area.

The problem

Besides the Gatorade fluids itself a lot of atmospheric effects like dust and smoke needed to be created. The fluid was definitely the secret here besides the actual soccer icons like Messi, etc. So getting the message across that Gatorade refuels and powers the athletes was crucial. Lots of high velocity flowing through tiny tubes and pipes which called for pretty significant detail even given the more toon-ish, not 101% photorealistic look. Besides the pipes and objects emerging out of volumes of fluids we made a bunch of generic splash and paint bucket type elements to be added as needed on the motion graphics side.

We worked on these commercials for two months on and off. Incendii also helped pitching the project prior to the production schedule earlier. I would say on the Gatorade team there were about ten over all at GoldenWolf and on the Incendii side two artists for fluid simulations and dust/rubble/fire, etc. But the lines blurred here. Whoever was free for a task picked it up. Time is always against you on a commercial project. With budget constraints come time constraints come shortcuts. But I think we managed well! The team was GREAT! Constant communication was very important.

The solution

RealFlow was used in connection with Houdini for the Gatorade simulation splashing and running through pipes of all sorts and for the big splashes where barrels are poured over. We also emerged a running engine from a pool of Gatorade and filled up a battery all using SPH.

The techniques applied were a mix of RealFlow and Houdini. In RealFlow for small confined spaces SPH works better with Hybrido. Hybrido shines when you have large pools of fluids or huge pours. We used both on a per task basis. Great to have them both in there! The new node based interface is making it easy to even take on shots from other artists because the connections are so clearly visible and notes can be put beside to get everybody up to speed.

Some of the pipes the fluids go through were very small in diameter; it took a bit of testing to get the detail we wanted to achieve. SPH worked better on some, Hybrido on others. It was great to have a choice. Also the emerging engine was a bit of a task since the pistons were running at a high speed. Adjusting the sub samples took care of a good bit as well as the new meshing options. Small droplets required quite a bit of detail.

Why RealFlow?

With the exchange plug-in for 3ds Max it is very easy to render in VRay and Krakatoa or even just loading the RealFlow particles into Particle Flow for further treatment like shape instances. Sometimes particles get cached out of 3ds Max and then meshed in RealFlow or even used as drivers. I use it both ways really. Especially with tools like Thinkbox’s Stoke you can generate nice motion easily and then pull that into RealFlow for meshing or emitters.  I love the node based interface and interchange features with 3ds Max and others. Now I am no RealFlow expert by any stretch, but I like what I see and so do the clients. The rental option is also nice for a project which requires a little extra for a limited time.

The greatest benefit of RealFlow is how well it plays with 3ds Max with its exchange plug-in. Also since Thinkbox products can write BIN files now making motions in other tools and importing it into RealFlow for further treatment works nicely. I like meshing in RealFlow over using Frost some times as well.

The team at GoldenWolf was awesome to work with. This project was different from what I usually get to do so I really like the look and feel of it. It is more toony/stylized than photorealistic. Great job everyone!

GoldenWolf/UK 

Incendii LLC – Visual effects

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Tom Sito

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What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Tom Sito and I am an animator, storyboard artist and animation historian. My screen credits include Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, Shrek, and Osmosis Jones. I am the author of four books on animation. Currently I am a Professor of Animation at the cinema school of the University of Southern California.

 

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I am from Brooklyn New York, the son of a fireman. As a child I always liked to draw cartoons and at first I thought I’d want to make comic strips. Then I attended the High School of Art & Design in Manhattan where I was shown how to make my characters move. I fell in love and Continue reading

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9 Story Media Group Acquires Award Winning Animation Studio Brown Bag Films

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9-story logobrown-bag-logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9 Story Media Group Acquires Award Winning Animation Studio

Brown Bag Films

Toronto, Canada – August 18th, 2015 – 9 Story Media Group is pleased to announce that it has acquired award winning animation studio Brown Bag Films. With headquarters in Dublin, a studio in Manchester and an office in Los Angeles, Brown Bag Films employ 170 creative and production staff and is known for producing hit animated children’s series including Octonauts, Doc McStuffins, Bing Bunny and Henry Hugglemonster. This is the first acquisition for 9 Story following an equity investment from media entrepreneur Neil Court and ZMC, Zelnick Media Capital last year. Terms of the transaction, which closed on August 17, 2015, were not disclosed.

Brown Bag Films will retain its brand, with Cathal Gaffney, Founder and CEO of Brown Bag Films, Darragh O’Connell, Founder & Creative Director, and the senior management team, continuing to lead the company.  Brown Bag Films plans to hire an additional 50 staff in the near future as the company looks to reach new markets with its content.

Founded in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O’Connell, Brown Bag Films is renowned for its rich heritage in 3D animation and content, which includes producing four of the top ten pre-school TV shows in the U.S. and entertaining 100 million kids across the globe.  9 Story Media Group is best known as an industry-leading 2D animator, with one of the largest studios in North America, and a highly successful global distribution division.

Vince Commisso, President & CEO of 9 Story Media Group, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be joining forces with Brown Bag Films. Cathal, Darragh and their team in Ireland have a well established track record and an outstanding reputation for producing high quality animation.  This transformative transaction extends our footprint into Europe, broadens our content offering to distribution partners and audiences worldwide, combines best in class CGI and 2D, and optimally positions the company for tremendous growth. We look forward to having Cathal, Darragh and the Brown Bag team, join the 9 Story family.”

Cathal Gaffney, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brown Bag Films, said: “Both 9 Story and Brown Bag Films share a love of animation and storytelling that really resonates with kids.  I am truly excited with this opportunity that we have worked so hard on and look forward to producing the best animated content for children across the globe long into the future. This is great news for everyone in Brown Bag Films and our clients.  It’s even better news for everyone who watches our shows, as together with 9 Story we’ll be able to bring more great animation to screens across the world.”

Darragh O’Connell, co-founder and Creative Director, added: “We are exceptionally proud of what we have built as an Irish company and for the next part of our journey, it makes total sense for us to join forces with 9 Story.  The combined entity will give us a larger bandwidth and bigger global reach for getting our shows into production and watched by as many children as possible. This deal allows us to concentrate on what we have always done very well – making great shows for kids. We LOVE animation and now we will be able to make even more of it!”

 

About Brown Bag Films

Brown Bag Films are one of Europe’s most exciting, original and successful creative-led animation studios. After 21 years in business, their Dublin-based headquarters continue to produce cutting-edge animation for the international market, bagging numerous awards along the way. These include Oscar® nominations for Give Up Yer Aul Sins (2002), Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (2010), three Emmy® awards for Peter Rabbit (2014), A Peabody award for Doc McStuffins (2015) and

a host of BAFTA, Emmy® and Annie nominations for their hit shows Octonauts, Bing Bunny, Doc McStuffins  and Henry Hugglemonster.

Brown Bag Films’ much-loved TV shows are viewed by millions of children worldwide and include Doc McStuffins, Henry Hugglemonster, Bing Bunny, Peter Rabbit, Olivia, Noddy in Toyland, and Octonauts.  With a second studio in Manchester and an office in LA, Brown Bag Films are committed to producing the highest-quality, cross-platform animation with strong stories and engaging characters.

Founded in 1994 by Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O’Connell, Brown Bag Films have worked with some of the world’s biggest entertainment names, including Disney, Nickelodeon, BBC, Amazon Studios, Acamar Films and Silvergate Media. www.brownbagfilms.com

 

9 Story Media Group is a leading content creator, marketer and distributor of kids & family focused intellectual property. Recognized around the world for best-in-class brands such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, Wild Kratts, Numb Chucks, Arthur and Peg + Cat, 9 Story represents over 1800 half hours of animated and live action programming, seen on some of the most respected international channels and platforms.  With one of North America’s largest animation studios, 9 Story employs over 250 creative and production staff and has produced over 900 half hours of award-winning children’s content. 9 Story is owned by senior management, ZMC, Zelnick Media Capital and media entrepreneur Neil Court. www.9story.com

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Preorder the Disney short film collect on sale August 18th

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Preorder the Disney short film collect on sale August 18th.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes an extraordinary new collection of award-winning and beloved short films including the never-before-released Frozen Fever, starring Frozen’s Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff, and the Oscar-nominated Lorenzo. The Short Films Collection also includes the 2012 groundbreaking Mickey Mouse cartoon, Get A Horse! as well as hailed Oscar® winners Paperman and Feast. Enjoy them together for the first time in this must-own collection, featuring all-new extras including introductions and interviews with the Disney Animation filmmakers themselves.

 

 

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Starr Allen Shaw

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What is your name?
Starr Allen Shaw
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
“I once made a 3D pre-vis film for Nextel that ending up making a multi million dollar sale. I help design the Nascar Car of Tomorrow inspection platform that is still used in Nascar today.  But, by far one of my most favorite… and proud of projects is a game my brother, a friend and I made together in just a little over 2 months for the Apple iPad & iPhone called BattleNoidz (Available on iTunes) LOL. ”

 

What would you say has been your primary job in animation?
For most of my Computer Graphics career (Since the early 90’s) I have been a 3D artist. I have done my share of animation, video, short corporate films,  and web media. The smaller the company I work for, the more animation I seem to do.  I often have to wear an Animators hat when its called for. So, I would say I primarily do 3D Pre-Visaliaztion Animated films, well at lest I did for many years before I started working in the game industry.

How did you become interested in animation?
“I remember when I was young I was lucky enough to meet Don Bluth at a mall in southern California. I think it was the mall.  He was sketching there and I was able to walk away with a signed sketch of Dirk from Dragons Liar.  I do not remember where the hell that sketch ran off too… I lost it.  But, anyway, I remember going to the art warehouse somewhere in Pasadena, and getting my parents to buy me tons of Cels, Pegboards and Cel paint for my next animated feature film. 🙂
My dad made me a Rotating Light Table for painting cells and I somehow got a 8mm film camera with a stop motion trigger for doing animation.  I can not remember if I actually even finished any animation…. but do remember working allot on my own kid version of the next dragons lair. LOL”

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I am from Southern California. My first CG job was in Hollywood.  I started making little animated banners for websites, and Shockwave Director applications.  Now I am a bit of a CG nomad and really move to where there is work to be done.  I have travel and worked from coast to coast.

What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?
These days I work in the game industry.  I am a CG generalist, so I will do a lot of Tech Art, Rigging, 3D Modeling and Animation.

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Jobs: DreamWorks Animation Entry Level Animation TA

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Dreamworks

Click here to apply for the Technical animator job.

This is an entry level position that performs specifically designated tasks for the Character teams to help facilitate the quality and fidelity of the character rigs going into Animation.  In addition they will troubleshoot software and shot specific issues as well as perform simple animation.  They will work closely between the Animation and Character TD departments and help to improve processes and workflow.

Required Skills

  • Execute first pass of quality control between Character departments by:
  • confirming joint placements are correct.
  • creating body and facial calisthenics animations (Rigging, CFX, Animation).
  • creating poses and simple animation (i.e. walk cycles) to test rigs.
  • creating shots for the Head of Character Animation and Animators as needed.
  • finding and remapping animation.
  • Verify consistency of tools and character rig features/controls within a show and among other shows:
    • switches, rotation order, mirroring, manipulators, pages, textures, parenting, post scaling, matching constraints etc.
    • character controls behavior is as expected
    • initial pose library is setup and setup free page templates as needed
  • Help monitor that character deformations are adhering to the show’s visual language and flag any issues to the Head of Character Animation.
  • Assist in building the characters’ Animation Interface.
  • Assist the Character TDs with creating and updating Animation Parts for each character.
  • Assist the Character TDs and Animators in making sure the Animation Parts are ordered (Master Page Order).
  • Evaluate upcoming sequences to flag potential technical issues such as new requirements on character rigs, complex character interactions, working with large environments, and other large-scale issues.
  • Follow-up with other departments while troubleshooting issues until a resolution is reached.
  • Test new software maps and/or features as needed (Premo and/or Rig).
  • Look at QA tests, movies and models and develop efficiencies for future character tests.
  • Work closely with Head of Character Animation, Animation Supervisors, Character TD Supervisors and Leads to determine quality level and criteria at handoff from Character TD to Animation.
  • Help communicate areas of concern or special features requested by Animators for each character. (i.e. spine movement or clavicle location).
  • Help communicate character rig features from other shows that can enhance the rigs within the assigned show. Also, communicate the new features being developed on the assigned show with other shows.
  • Help gather notes and feedback from Animators in order to complete rig wrecking.
  • Document new processes and procedures.
  • Attend relevant meetings, e.g. Monkeys:
    • Animation/Character TD Body Touch base
    • Animation/Character TD Face Touch base
    • Character Launch

Required Experience

  • Bachelors in Computer Graphics, Engineering or Art/Animation preferred.
  • A solid understanding of the principles of animation, body mechanics, and facial animation.
  • Proficient in 3D Character Animation, Character Rigging, and some basic knowledge of 3D Modeling.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Problem solving and troubleshooting in a technical environment.
  • Experience with the unix/linux environment.
  • 2D graphics software knowledge (e.g. Gimp).
  • Production experience a plus.
  • Execute first pass of quality control between Character departments by:
  • confirming joint placements are correct.
  • creating body and facial calisthenics animations (Rigging, CFX, Animation).
  • creating poses and simple animation (i.e. walk cycles) to test rigs.
  • creating shots for the Head of Character Animation and Animators as needed.
  • finding and remapping animation.
  • Verify consistency of tools and character rig features/controls within a show and among other shows:
    • switches, rotation order, mirroring, manipulators, pages, textures, parenting, post scaling, matching constraints etc.
    • character controls behavior is as expected
    • initial pose library is setup and setup free page templates as needed
  • Help monitor that character deformations are adhering to the show’s visual language and flag any issues to the Head of Character Animation.
  • Assist in building the characters’ Animation Interface.
  • Assist the Character TDs with creating and updating Animation Parts for each character.
  • Assist the Character TDs and Animators in making sure the Animation Parts are ordered (Master Page Order).
  • Evaluate upcoming sequences to flag potential technical issues such as new requirements on character rigs, complex character interactions, working with large environments, and other large-scale issues.
  • Follow-up with other departments while troubleshooting issues until a resolution is reached.
  • Test new software maps and/or features as needed (Premo and/or Rig).
  • Look at QA tests, movies and models and develop efficiencies for future character tests.
  • Work closely with Head of Character Animation, Animation Supervisors, Character TD Supervisors and Leads to determine quality level and criteria at handoff from Character TD to Animation.
  • Help communicate areas of concern or special features requested by Animators for each character. (i.e. spine movement or clavicle location).
  • Help communicate character rig features from other shows that can enhance the rigs within the assigned show. Also, communicate the new features being developed on the assigned show with other shows.
  • Help gather notes and feedback from Animators in order to complete rig wrecking.
  • Document new processes and procedures.
  • Attend relevant meetings, e.g. Monkeys:
    • Animation/Character TD Body Touch base
    • Animation/Character TD Face Touch base
    • Character Launch