Hinge
Digital Unleashes CG for Nike LunarGlide+ 2 Spot
September
27, 2010
Source: Hinge Digital Full-service
Studio Provides High-end Visual Effects and Animation for Global Campaign; Collaboratively
Demonstrates Wide Range of Creative and Technical Prowess
Utilizing
advanced animation and camera projection techniques, Hinge Digital brings realism
and energy to footwear, lighting effects and cityscapes in the newest Nike LunarGlide+
2 campaign entitled "Dynamic Support Run Unleashed."
Currently
airing on Nike Online and in Nike resale stores across the globe, the 30 second
spot features eight runners donning LunarGlide+ 2 shoes complete with Nike's Dynamic
Support technology. As each CG shoe hits the ground, rays of light uniquely expel
from the soles, representing each runner's distinct stride pattern.
To view the spot, please visit: http://www.hingedigital.com/nike.htm.
"Our
goal with this project was to tell the story of Dynamic Support technology in
a visually compelling way," says the spot's director Marshall Bex. "
I decided to use CG lighting effects to portray each individual runner's unique
stride, creating a striking and lively representation of what the LunarGlide+2
offers a runner's gait. The visual effects provided by the Hinge Digital team
certainly brought this vision to life and naturally depict the energy of the Nike
Running campaign."
Collaborating with Bex, and Producer Noah Stanik,
from conception to project launch, Hinge Digital participated in all aspects of
creative and technical development for "Dynamic Support Run Unleashed,"
including previsualization, digital asset creation, on-site filming and animation.
"We were able to implement many high-end CG practices for this project,"
notes Alex Tysowsky, co-founder and animation director of Hinge Digital. "Our
advanced level of key frame animation combined with complex camera projection
techniques allowed this spot to come together in a very attractive and realistic
way."
To digitally emulate the perfected textures and colors of the
LunarGlide+ 2, the Hinge Digital team utilized product reference and texture swatches
to build a highly realistic 3D replica in Autodesk Maya. The CG shoes were then
rigged in order to maintain realism in tight camera close-ups. Additional research
and development of the eight different stride animations was necessary for physical
and visual accuracy, and to illustrate the inherent performance properties of
the shoe, while demonstrating the capabilities of the Dynamic Support technology.
To create the shot's cityscape background, the Hinge Digital team employed
camera projection techniques to build digital representations of environments
utilizing live-action background plates designed and filmed by Bex. The use of
the digital adaptation allowed more control and free movement of the camera around
the scene.
"This project certainly highlights our 'hands-on' and
versatile approach to visual effects and production," explains Michael Kuehn,
co-founder and visual effects supervisor of Hinge Digital.
"Our ability
to work in-house with Marshall Bex and Noah Stanik allowed us to flawlessly integrate
our CG techniques into their overall production pipeline. This created a completely
fluid workflow and allowed Hinge Digital to serve not only as an artistic resource,
but as an extension of the technical team as well."
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