Locomotion Creates Peter Andre Arena Tour Visuals – The Robotic Phoenix

 

Locomotion’s 3D/ VFX team wanted to create a powerful finale to Nick Addison’s opening titles for Peter Andre’s arena tour based on a creative briefing with Dave Palmer of Shameless Talent. The story of the phoenix, rising from the flames, reborn with greater strength was selected to represent the artist’s own rise to great fame and public adoration after coming through his own trials of personal adversity. However, our own trial would be to complete the animation from concept design to final HD delivery in just 10 days.

Taking inspiration from a variety of artistic depictions of the phoenix creature, concept designers George Belcher and Danny Coster also wanted to reflect Peter Andre’s image by incorporating his defined physique into the design. For the bird-like aspects of the design, they researched and took reference from the images and movement of raptors like the owl, eagle and red kite; as well as the shape of a bat’s wings as it wraps around its body.

The client further specified a robotic rather than flame and feathered look for the mythical bird. This vision paid homage to the classic Michael Jackson tour videos which depicted the pop star as a high tech robot so convincing that the audience wondered if they were at first seeing the pop star or a sophisticated machine. The team drew reference from the images of Japanse Gojira monster movies, Robocop, Terminator, as well as metal sculptures of warriors, eagles and even automobile engines to further inspire the development of their design.

The CGI phoenix was created by lead animator Tony Lee based on Locomotion’s concept art, while being mindful of how such a creature could be animated. Once the phoenix was rigged, the 3D team performed tests on the wings and joint systems to get the wings to unfurl, fan out and flap in an organic way. The challenge of a short production time encouraged the VFX team to seek simple solutions using as few controllers as possible to generate the wing movements.

For the audio element of the piece, the clients supplied a track from John William’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The animators were able to use the music to time the action of the phoenix’s movements. The next stage was to rig the rest of the creature, setting up test cycles for the wing and body movements. During this process, the lead animator and VFX supervisor wanted to get a feel of how it would move, often by acting out bird and pterodactyl-like movements much to the amusement of the production office. Also, as our client was working remotely with Peter Andre on other segments of the show, it was important that he was kept abreast of all the work in progress through Locomotion’s online review and approval system. Locomotion embraced the challenge to create a dramatic performance of the animated, mythical creature in line with the soundtrack. We look forward to seeing it wow the arena crowds, increasing their excitement for Peter Andre’s performance.

To view the animation, check out our showcase page or click here.

For more information on Peter Andre’s arena tour, visit his website.

Check out the December issue of Televisual (in print) for more about the tour visuals and our Press page for a glimpse of the article.

Locomotion Designs Televisual Front Cover. April 2010.

Based on the sterling work our team did for the Televisual Facilities Top 50 competition, Locomotion were exclusively approached by Televisual’s Jake Bickerton to design the front cover of April’s Money Issue.
We’re very proud that our work is gracing the front cover of one of the industries best regarded journals and are delighted that the gang at Televisual are so pleased with the results.

Credits:
Design and Illustration: Dan Coster and George Belcher.

Hidden Talent – George Belcher

GEORGE BELCHER

Our resident ‘old master’ George is a hugely talented artist, having created some truly exceptional pieces of work. George began painting at an early age but it wasn’t until 2001 that his focus switched to oils. In 2008, George’s painting ‘Scream on the Underground’ came first place in the annual Square Art competition hosted by Golden Square Post Production in Soho. With an upcoming exhibition in America this October, George’s work is sure to win him new fans across the pond to add to the many he has in the UK.

George writes of his work: “With the digital age now upon us, the consumption of the visual image is at an all time high, reproductions of imitations are passed around and the camera’s honesty is taken into question. Painting has become a refreshingly true version of the visual form and is the perfect medium to reflect, comment and critic an accelerating contemporary world where image is everything.”

To check out George’s Facebook page, click here

Gaunt – Self Portrait in oil

Nelson Mandela – Portrait in oil.