OTR Puts a Spring in Your Step TVC [2023]
Client: OTR
Agency: Showpony
Studio: 3P Studio Group
Director Patrick Fileti’s vision for OTR’s brand refresh included an eclectic blend of mixed media visuals designed by Sydney illustrator Chris Yee, which provided a perfect opportunity for some crafty animation.
The 3P production team for this project included Gwyn Dixon, Ponsi Alfonso, Dan Kenafake and Emma Martindale as producer. My role in this project was in concept, storyboards and working closely with Gwyn for the hand-drawn 2D VFX.
Storyboards.
After initial meetings with the director, art director and copywriter we had a wish-list of shots and camera angles that the team definitely wanted in the finished piece, as well as some solid references to work off. These boards helped the client get a feel for the finished product and served as a guide for the camera crew on the day of the shoot. There were a few rounds of revisions of these boards and the location itself required some different solutions, but in the end it ended up being pretty close!
Colour Concepts.
These colour concept sketches were produced to ensure we were all on the same page with the treatment, and gave the client some indication of what the final product was going to look like.
Musclemen
Animating these fellas was definitely a highlight. Starting from Chris Yee’s concept art I reworked the design to suit the footage from the shoot, action comments from director and client and generally make them a little more animation-friendly. Given their short screen-time, and how simple their action was, I more or less animated straight ahead cleaning as I went, diving straight into colour afterwards. The general chaos of the final shot glossed over any frames that still looked a little rough.
The Cape
Step 1. Rough Mock-Up. A very rough and ready motion track with static assets, and a quick rotoscope once-over, gave both the director and us an indication of how we were going to tackle this shot. It was also a little confidence boost before diving into the nitty gritty.
Step 3, Clean-Up. Ordinarily I would’ve focused on keyframes first to button down the timing, and which would’ve allowed someone jumping in cold to help out with the in-betweens. We were up against it though, so cowabunga it was, and I launched into straight-ahead clean-up and hoped for the best.
Step 2, Rough Animation. Once the mock-up was approved I was able to do some loose animation tracked onto the live-action. This was an opportunity for the director to give feedback ahead of clean-up. The cape drop was dropped.
Step 4, Colour. Luckily the clean-up cut the mustard and I could proceed with the colour. From here it was a matter of adding further highlights, textures and doodads in post!
Step 5, Compositing. A few sparkles and god-rays and, voila!