A 3D whale meanders unhindered through open space, its blue-glowing, holographic surface transparent with the complex technology humming underneath. This enthralling short video is the final presentation of a technologically advanced project by animation studio, Treat, who used a stop-motion animation technique with three-dimensional images to create a smooth series of moving pictures.
In an online description of the project’s development, the studio shares how the sequence first began out of simple, animated CGI files. Following that, the movie entered another layer of the animation process by playing on an iPad situated on a moving rig, effectively “re-drawing the shape of the 3D whale in real space,” as Treat explains. In another phase of the process, while the iPad moved, a DSLR camera captured the results.
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Image courtesy Treat Studios, Instagram
Creating the hologram also involved a tiling CGI model, a tool that Treat calls a “looping seabed.” Despite the insider jargon and laborious methodology, the final product is a compelling blend of animation technologies.
With piercing, glitchy sound effects, the mechanical nature of Synergy is not lost on the viewer. Even as a proportionally-accurate whale swims leisurely over the rough terrain of mountain range, the striking digital patterns coasting under the presence of a natural form renders the short film both beautiful and tidy. Take a look here:
To see more work from the animation studios, Treat, visit their website here.
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