Digital Pictures stunning CG ident for the Fox Sports Wins AEAF Award 2011
The client’s brief for the 30-second spot was to create an exciting blockbuster piece, demonstrating that Fox Sports’ viewers get the “best seat” in the house. The project was conceptualized, designed and produced entirely by Digital Pictures.
Digital Pictures', Finn Spencer, designed and directed the ident. Finn was eager about the opportunity to work with Australia’s leading sports network again, he said, ‘we were given complete creative freedom in conceptualising and producing the Fox Sports “experience”. It had to be cinematic in scale and size and have a broad appeal for a wide demographic. It was all about Fox Sports getting their viewers closer to the game.’
The Digital Pictures’ team developed a narrative that centres around a father and son who go on the Fox Sports “experience” together. Finn elaborates ‘It was important that we took viewers on a fast-paced rollercoaster ride that encompasses all the excitement and impact of a live sports event. So we created the “Fox Sports pod”, a space-age travel device, that transports our characters on an action-packed journey through an ultra-modern metropolis and into the best seat in a stadium bursting with passionate sports fans.’
A significant proportion of the project was spent in bringing the futuristic Australian city to life and grounding it in reality. ‘We set the story in that magic-hour of twilight. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the environment looked realistic. Our lighting treatment had to be precise as there were many reflective surfaces in the city comprising of glass skyscrapers, waterways, the stadium and the Fox Sports' pods. Our lighting crew did an outstanding job’ he said.
Soames Treffry, Director FOX SPORTS Channels said ‘We’re really happy with the results. Digital Pictures delivered a strong concept and narrative to create an ident that was impactful and memorable with our viewers. It was great working with a team who really know their stuff.’
Simone Clow, Senior Producer, Digital Pictures, ‘It was a complex CG project with a total of 17 VFX shots comprising multiple elements, including live-action green screen shots that required extensive previz to ensure the live-action and CG camera information aligned. We used Massive 3D crowd replication in the final stadium shots. These shots were the most heavily composited including 20 separate live-action passes, around 150,000 massive agents, live-action and CG fireworks, and CG particle visual effects confetti. This is one of the largest commercial projects the design and 3D animation team have undertaken this year and the results are fantastic’.
Digital Pictures lead VFX Artist, Angus Wilson supervised the visual effects and composited the project in Flame with final grade completed on Baselight.
Alastair Stephen, Executive Producer Commercials, Digital Pictures said ‘It was great to be working with the Fox Sports team again on a project of this scale. Our design and visual effects artists have worked on a steady stream of inspiring and technically challenging visual effects projects for commercials and network idents over the last six months. The Fox Sports Experience clearly exhibits the team’s passion for creativity and their technical capability on a project of this calibre.’
CREDITS:
Digital Pictures Sydney
Executive Producer: Alastair Stephen
Senior Producer: Simone Clow
Design Director: Finn Spencer
VFX Supervisor/2D Lead: Angus Wilson
3D VFX Lead: Kanin Phemayothin
3D VFX Conceptual Artist: Nick Kaloterakis
3D VFX Artists: Peter Kober, Ferry Taswin
2D VFX Artist: Bertrand Polivka
Colorist: Marcus Timpson
Editor: Cameron Hales
Music Composition: Rafael May
Fox Sports Australia
Director of Channels: Soames Treffry
General Manager Production & Development : Michael Neill
