Enzo’s Monday Motion #123: Human FX
I used to be a big 3D hater. It could give you everything, as long as you weren’t asking for believable living creature. Time has changed and the perfect human imperfection is (almost) within reach. Five human FX commercials which make me forget I ever had a negative feeling.
Release the Power
To demonstrate the power of the new iMac Pro, Apple invited six artists to create a short. Motion designer Esteban Diácono envisioned a new breed of humans: one who merged with the the steel and glass city we live in.
Diácono started playing around with standard 3D features like extrusion and fragmentation. Placing them on top of a human form it instantly gave an abstract and artistic look. To keep it human, he motion tracked dancers. The short breaths power and energy, a theme which was very popular amongst the other artists. Watch the full set, including work from Buck and ManvsMachine.
Leave Your Bothers Behind
Buying a new car is exciting, but the pressure that comes with it isn’t. We all recognise the inner demons, tapping you on your shoulder, telling you to be more aggressive, or to play hard to get. Which one of these five monsters suits you best?
Australian VFX studio Alt.VFX put them selves on the map with this beautiful spot. Each creature feels like the monstrous twin, with matching colours and physical features. It made me think of the creatures of ‘Where The Wild Things Are’: scary and likeable at the same time. Concept by Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, produced by Robber’s Dog.
Toughen Up
So you think your life is tough? Try telling that to an average Londener. With 10+ million competitors they learned it the hard way.
This spot has it all: unexpected twists, beautiful transitions, humor and to top it of finger-licking special effects. If this commercial doesn’t win a prize or two I don’t know who will. Concept by Wieden & Kennedy London, directed an produced by Megaforce and RiffRaff Films.
Crash test Dummies
As a crash test dummy you really feel used. You know you’re more than a one trick pony! This short doc focusses on the life after the crash.
Berlin VFX studio Dondon is the Geppetto who brought life to the dummy. Again with a bit of help of motion tracking (and a lot of frame polishing). The tiny, imperfect movements, we as humans master, make the dummy believable and likeable. The short for German automobile club ACV was directed by Josh Dawson.
Inner Beauty
Our flaws are the features which make us unique. Hidden is a short film about self appreciation and encourages people to open up.
Every single figure represents an emotion. Form fear (chains), to love (crystals) and greed (gold) to happiness (flowers). As we progress through the film, we peel back the layers, revealing the beauty underneath. Possibly the most interesting feature is that this short is a personal side project from CGI artist Sekani Solomon. Big up!
