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.

The London Production Network. 11th May 2010

After being delayed due to the general election, Tuesday sees the return of the monthly networking evening from The London Production Network. As an extra special treat this month, Jake Bickerton from Televisual will be giving a short talk on all the new ways that Televisual will be helping each and everyone of us to grow our businesses.

The London Production Network is a group made up of over 700 professionals working in TV, Film and other related industries in and around London. It’s free to become a member, simply join the Linkedin group here.The group is used for networking, recommendations, resourcing and for business development opportunities, both online and at the monthly networking evenings.

This month the evening will be held at one of London’s coolest new private members clubs, Quintessentially at The House of St Barnabas, in one of Soho’s most beautiful Georgian Grade I listed buildings. The evening starts at 6:30pm, at 1 Greek Street- see you there!

To check out the venue, click here.
If you are a member of the LPN, please click here to book your free place.

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.

Locomotion leaps ahead in the Facilities 50

As the only post house to leap the charts in this years’ Facilities 50 survey, Locomotion is powering ahead, thanks to our fantastically talented team whose efforts just keep attracting great work!

More Press – Gongs Abound!

Our VFX guru Lars Holmgren is no garden variety VFX supervisor. He has actually weeded out some page space from the big boys at the BBC in the creative review pages of industry magazine, Televisual this month.

His cheeky take on the Hills are Alive from The Sound of Music for the opening  titles of Bug at the BFI is gaining more attention than a triffid at a garden party. Not that he is a shrinking violet, but this modest guy just quietly keeps on planting those seeds of creative genius that keeps Locomotion smelling of roses.

As if that wasn’t enough the work has also made it’s way into 3D Magazine with an excellent article from the chaps over at 3D.

The work being produced in the last months for the likes of Nokia, BT and many others is continuing to cement Locomotions name as the leading specialist 3D house in town!