Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1535742
TINY TITANS The heroes were teeny insects, but there was nothing remotely small about DreamWorks Animation's early foray into the world of CG films. Released in 1998, Antz was the studio's first feature, marking a bold step into a new creative frontier. Completely computer animated, it tracks Z, an ambitious if vaguely neurotic ant, who breaks out of his individualized rut and bucks the system of his colony. Pablo Valle, who worked as a Visual Effects Lighter on Antz, remembers that part of the intention behind doing this particular film was its supposed simplicity in order to work within the technological constraints of the time. The thought back then was that they could only do robots and insects with their smooth surfaces. "Robots had been done before, so let's do insects," he says. But the process turned out not to be so simple. The movie unfolded from the perspective of the ants, and their world required the visual effects department to create more than 700 effects shots like pyrotechnics and stunts, everything from a beam of light reflecting off a magnifying glass to more elaborate water simulations. Who knew that a drop of water or the gum-festooned sneaker sole would make for such a compelling visual experience? In fact, the film's Writers and Directors Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson did—and well before the technology had advanced to a level that would make this type of a movie anything but revolutionary. With every effect, they and the rest of the crew were pushing the limits of what was possible. Because an established roadmap for this magnitude of work didn't exist, a dedicated production pipeline had to be created. "One of the biggest contributions from Antz in terms of technology and its long-lasting impact in the industry was actually its pipeline," says Valle. "The idea of having dozens, perhaps hundreds of artists working in parallel, in multiple departments, all contributing to a single film was truly revolutionary." He notes that he continues to feel the impact today. While many parts of the DreamWorks' pipeline have evolved over the years, "how departments interact, production tracking, overall workflow, etc. have remained mostly unchanged since the days of Antz." It was a moment of invention as much as storytelling—opening the door to more complex characters and immersive environments. "ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ANTZ IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY AND ITS LONG-LASTING IMPACT IN THE INDUSTRY WAS ACTUALLY ITS PIPELINE." -Pablo Valle, Visual Effects Lighter, Antz Images courtesy of DreamWorks Animation On DreamWorks' Antz, the small size of the ants allowed artists to create drama by using the characters in proportion to elements like a drop of water (top) or hot light through a magnifying glass. F E AT U R E 36 KEYFRAME