Friday, February 12, 2010

Project Review: Honda Accord 2009 Launch

Frame 028: As the Accord flips over from underneath.

Frame 038: As the Accord flip is finishing.


Frame 050: As the Accord almost at rest with nice "hoop" reflection in door.


Frame 070: The Accord at rest for a beat.

Frame 070: As the Accord spins around showing all sides.


Project Review
Virtual Photo shoot

2009 Honda Accord Launch
PART I

Client: Goutam Mitra
Art Director: Myself
Lighting Consultant: Jerry Garns.
Project Date: Fall 2008

In Late 2008 I was tasked with helping launch the newly styled 2009 Honda Accord. Previously I had worked to pitch Honda a year earlier as well as doing 3D Illustration for the Lotus Elise account at Cimarron, so I was ready to go.
Many people do not even realize that the cars they see in print ad's and on tv are mostly 3D models rendered in a computer. 3D Virtual photo shoots are a fraction of the cost, so they are getting more and more prevalent with all agencies concurrent with a actual Photographer.
On this project the invaluable help of Jerry Garns a fellow Art Center grad, he consulted us for lighting as he is the master and expert in setting up a real shoot, and everything he does in real life we copied in the virtual stage.
I worked the front end of the project to help secure the work via tests. I did a lot of Pre-viz work, but the final rendering and animation was handed off to Dean Fowler to execute as he is an expert in setting up the car geometry for a realistic animated move as seen in the link.
Also it should be noted that Honda is the only vendor that provides the agency a perfect 3D model built correctly up front. Bear in mind this is not cheap, near $100,000 , but the 3D model is perfect, and ready to texture and render.
Also, even though I have built my own cars from scratch, by getting a perfect model from the client, you get to spend the majority of your time perfecting the materials and virtual photography aspects and really get to have an adequate amount of time to pre-light and stage the car.


Cheers, THOM

You can link to the Honda site with Deans animation by clicking the Post Title above, or paste the text below into your browser:

http://automobiles.honda.com/accord-coupe/

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