Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1120864
D E PA R T M E N T 39 KEYFRAME "In a way, it was a milestone, coming out of a time of total 2D and morphing into what is now a different, fully CG way of producing animated films." from left: Steve Markowski, Jeffrey Lynch, Allen Foster, Alan Bodner, (not pictured William Frake) Licensed by: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved Photo by Tim Sullens the traditional animation layouts and then being able to composite all the new digital elements back into everything else. This is where the digital effects really came in, because I had new tools to create different elements and modify the existing imagery to create the lightning effects with the ability to create a look that was very spatial. For the final shot of this opening sequence, we needed to show the shipwrecked yet surviving fisherman thrown up on the rocks. This was predominantly 2D effects animation over the CG ocean. We made prints from the existing CG waves then I rough animated the 2D ocean as a guide for 2D effects animators who worked over the prints. Once all the elements were complete we could finesse all the final imagery during compositing. Another sequence, not as complex but one that digital effects made very effective — the flashlight scenes when Hogarth is going through the woods at night. The artwork itself is relatively straight forward but the digital compositing effects proved very effective. How we put it together to get the flashlight lighting effects made a big difference. We were given two backgrounds, one fully illuminated by flashlight and the other at night. We used the night background and overlayed the lighter background where illuminated by the flashlight. We would track the beam and use gradients over the lights to show falloff. As the flashlight [shines] through the trees, we added digital effects to create light shards breaking through the branches and shadows from the limbs of the trees. It's basically using traditional artwork and then using digital effects for additional creative finesse and enhancements. I am very proud of the dedication and quality of work from the entire effects department on the film. Brad Bird not only did an amazing job of storytelling and direction but created a film with so much heart that inspired and reflected the love and devotion from this amazing crew. In a way, it was a milestone, coming out of a time of total 2D and morphing into what is now a different, fully CGI way of producing animated films. I'm very proud to have been a part of this amazing in-between stage that really encompassed the transition of both animation worlds. SUMMER 2019 39