UEFA

Framestore, 2016-2017

This was my first project at Framestore Commercials, after choosing to transfer from Labs so I could do more visual, creature-related work. UEFA isn't known for its lions/bears (although that would spice it up nicely), but as a first project I learned vast amounts about clients, the VFX industry and production. Importantly, I figured you certainly don't have to stick to your role, if you think you can help a project in some way - roll your sleeves up and do a whole lot of 'do'!

The tasks involved amounted to programming, layout, lighting, rendering, crowd (Massive), some CFX and concept art.

Programming with crowd

Wrangling massive amounts of data - arnold '.ass' files for the crowd using python, arnold API and bash.

In order to not have to re-simulate the crowd, I exported the crowd geometries to .ass files. I wrote scripts to export lights and cameras from maya scenes, to be injected into each of the sequences of .ass files, and set those to render - initially via Arnold's 'kick' locally to test, then to the farm.

Programming with lighting

No one wants to hand-place or adjust light values - yuk! I wrote scripts to make these sorts of tasks easier for the artists.

Lighting

Lighting layout, optimising renders, and significantly reducing the time for volume lights. (Surprise surprise, volume lights only need 'volume' samples...).

Concept art

In one meeting, the producer pointed out that the clients would like to see more of an environment in the image. Rather than going through the pipeline of layout/lighting/rendering, I spent extra time doing a concept image for the proposed changes, which was presented to the client. After a couple of iterations, the clients settled on a design. I was exceedingly happy with this; partially as it was concept art, but also as it saved the artists a few days work. Time is money!

Layout

Laying out the UEFA city, and using python code when needed to make the task easier. This was my first taste of manual cities, and their tediousness - now, I would use Cityengine and Houdini.

I was in a team with awesome people: Caspian, Erik as diligent and joyful lighters/generalists, exceptionally artistic Jaime as the lighter/lead, a bubbly producer Anna, and hilariously sarcastic compositor, Ollie. I'm also very grateful that I was able to work with an art director, Jordi Bares, who took the time to teach me how to use Massive, so we could render the stadium crowd. Technical and artistic, curious and innovative - we share similar interests, and I couldn't recommend him enough.