Theatrical Grand Tour

Sirius Images Gives R/C Theatres a New Look

We've recently completed production of a forty-five second policy trailer for R/C Theatres, created entirely within the TDI EXPLORE 3D animation environment.  Using TDI's photorealistic 3D textures and rendering, animators Mike Chokran, Marshall Peterson, and Ciaran Quinn created a complete theater interior, populated by over a hundred audience members.

The animated sequences feature the auditorium, a portion of the lobby, a glimpse of the projection booth, and even the interior of a waste can.  We left out the parking lot and the rest rooms, so maybe we can get them on the coming attractions trailer.

The surround music/effects track, composed by Todd Watson, was specifically designed to take advantage of the audio systems featured in R/C houses.  The concept required intimately linking the audio with the visuals to create a powerful sense of movement, because the camera flies around the auditorium and the viewer is carried right through the screen.  We wanted to convey the idea that going to the movies is more than sitting in a dark room and watching flickering images.  Films can carry you away to different places, times, ways of thinking – and good use of audio and visual technology can help that process along. The audio premix was engineered by David Romine at Songbird Studios in Atlanta, and the surround mix was accomplished at EFX in Los Angeles.

We rendered the animation on four Silicon Graphics workstation workstations, and the finished sequence was imaged to 35mm film on an MGI Solitaire 8xp film recorder by Ray Feeney at RFX, Los Angeles.

Rising above the Clutter

Davis Advertising Taps Sirius for a 3-D Difference

We recently completed production of a :30 spot for Davis Advertising, highlighting Westvaco Development's southeastern coastal properties.  Combining live-action film with photorealistic 3D animation, the spot depicts a giant blueprint, through which 3D animated characters rise and fall as they take advantage of the amenities offered at Westvaco's planned communities – golf, tennis, cycling, swimming, and business opportunities.

Sirius Images animators Mike Chokran and Marshall Peterson used TDI EXPLORE software to create the animation and precisely match live 35mm footage of a real blueprint being rolled out on a table, which was shot at Techne Films studios, also in Atlanta.  The articulated models were created and animated using TDI's 3Design and Skeleton programs. 

"We were looking for something that would set us apart in a crowded marketplace, and also give a strong 'national' look in a regional spot," said Jim Carver, production director at Davis Advertising.  "Sirius Images gave us all that, and at a very attractive price.  I was especially impressed with their ability to let us play with different options, adjusting colors and textures to 3D models with nearly instantaneous feedback."