Animated Event Opener Project
If you’d like to discuss the production of your own animated event opener please get in touch today.
*music changed from commercial track for web release.
How was the animated event opener made?
Working alongside another UK film company Stormy Studio produced this animated event opener video. The Stormy Studio team designed and delivered all of the 3D animated blood cells. Plus took care of the digital rotoscoping and 3D camera tracking.
Towards the end of the animated event opener we completed a professional colour grading pass. This helped to ensure there was a complimentary balance of desaturated colour, which worked well with the animated blood cells.
The final animated event opener played out at a large Stadium event in Europe. The video was accompanied by multiple cannons of confetti, a huge glittering heart lowering centre stage and great applause.
How were the animated event opener blood cells created?
The animated event opener is made up of a fantastic array of professionally filmed shots. These were collated from previously filmed events for Herbalife. We then developed 3 different ways to animate the blood cells, before chosing the best method for each of the given shots.
For example the opening shot of the animated event opener, we see a real close up of the blood cells. For this shot we used Element 3D V2 as it allows for multiple 3D models to be controlled, whilst maintaining a quick render time. We modelled and textured a single blood cell using our in house 3D modelling software, this ensured it was crisp and clear when viewed.
However when having them move around in controllable paths like a ‘wave’ with Element 3D, is more than a little tricky. As you can only go from one shape to another one time. This is actually how we merged from a liquid shape into the beating heart at the end.
So for most shots throughout the core of the animated opener video we used Trapcode Particular. We were then able to animate the position of an invisible emitter layer. The blood cells (particles) for his emitter are actually flat planes, with each playing an animated video of a blood cell rotating. We then offset the timing of this playback to give the impression of the random rotating 3D cells. We also spent many hours successfully camera tracking reach shot, before rotoscoping out the key person in the shot. This allowed us to fly the wave of blood cells around the athletes, creating the compelling visuals which resulted in the memorable animated opener video.
The original music for the animated event opener was a commercial track. We’ve swapped out the track for something similar to allow us to share it here on our site.
If you’d like to discuss the production of your own animated event opener, please get in touch today.