Project Review Men in Black- Alien Attack: Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART II

A detailed view of the Claw forearm design showing off the surface design for the builders in Florida.

 

 A Front View showing the head shell and the tilt that it would be set at for the final design.

Inside the mouth was revised since we went with the throat design for the final so we moved the teeth up front on the attraction.

 Here is the original Inside the mouth design I did first, with a Ford "POS" up front getting crushed by the teeth. The under Drawing I posted is here.

 Project Review

Men in Black- Alien Attack:

Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART II

Client: Universal Creative
Creative Director: Dave Cobb
Project Date: Summer 1998

This is PART II in a small series that I have for some Conceptual Design work that I did for Universal Creative in the 90's for a Men in Black attraction at the Florida Park called, Alien Attack, which is now closed.

Today I have more parts drawings and detailed sections showing off the details in the design.

I found some added sketches for the design package I provided Dave Cobb who was producing the attraction for Universal , and I had worked with Dave over at Landmark Entertainment in the past so we had worked together on a few Themed projects, and that made this job, work like a clock.


They wanted what were termed, "Intent Design Sketches", that were to be accurate enough to show what we wanted the parts to look like, while allowing room to adjust the design in the field to conform to any mechanical issue that might arise , since the design I did was prior to the engineers adjustments since I was just freelancing the work and would not be around for construction.

The pack was a dozen or so drawings for the attraction that were done in a few weeks and I eventually moved on.

This was the last work I did the Universals Theme Park Division before the "Dot-Com" boom drew me in.

You can view PART I here, as well as I've posted some under drawing here, and here as well from the project.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review:1998 Rose Parade Float Design

Rear view of Float with Sail-built Propeller and Fins [ For flight]

3/4 Front view of the overall float design.

Side View Schematic of the Float

Project Review:
Universal Studios Rose Parade Float 1998

Client: Universal Creative
Art Director: Dave Cobb
Project Date: Fall 1998

Back in 1998 I was re-contacted by Universal Creative after working on the MIB attraction for the Florida Park to help design a Parage Float for the Rose Parade held in Pasadena CA.

The theme was Jules Verne, or today would fall in the Steampunk category. Design a ship the can be lifted and float away as well as still float on the sea.

This was a quick job with about 10 Hrs of time and budget to complete. Today I can do a job of this scale in about a day.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Men in Black- Alien Attack: Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART I

 The main POV as you approach the finale for Alien Attack the MIB attraction from Universal Florida from the 90's.

 

 A Sectioned half of the head shell

 Side View Detail on Edgars Claw, about 16 feet tall as a functioning prop.

 Inside the throat with a Ford "POS" up front in the puss bubble...

 Project Review

Men in Black- Alien Attack:

Attraction at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park-PART I

Client: Universal Creative
Creative Director: Dave Cobb
Project Date: Summer 1998

After leaving Disney Interactive, I pursued some Theme park work for a few years, I had met and worked with Dave Cobb prior to working at Universal over at Landmark Entertainment Group on the M&M's World, and some other various Themed projects.
The project was well under way and designed but they needed one more piece for the project, the finale. Being a huge fan of the film made this very exciting to work on, plus the subject matter was perfect for doing 3D Conceptual Design work.

I was tasked with designing out the Big bug "Edgar" from the end of the first film. It was designed in a way that the tram car would be eaten by Edgar and you would be inside his body.
You can see in the above sketches, that I did surfacing studies for the main parts of the head that was to have articulated fangs and huge claws tearing up the pavement around you. I also did the inside the body designs when you are in the throat and stomach. If you look close in the above sketch you will see a Ford LTD inside one "pustule" on the wall to give a sense of the scale this was to be. HUGE!

Cheers, THOM



Click the post title to link to some photos of the attraction, or paste in this text into your browser:
http://www.universalexcitement.com/STUDIOS/MENINBLACK/MENINBLACK.htm

Project Review: Universal Studios Hollywood- Backstage Globe

Frame One we start on the stage set of the Universal Globe.

We slowly start to rotate around the hanging globe...

We come around the side and start to see the painted globe on the front...

We come around to the front and the high energy volumetric light crests the edge...

The Logo has seated and we slowly truck into it...

We end with the light blasting out the lens from behind stage right.

This ad was given to me as the "seed" idea for the Motion Graphics project by our corporate division.

Universal Studios Hollywood
Motion Graphics for Backstage Globe Logo

Client: Universal Studios Hollywood via The Cimarron Group.
Creative Director: Nigel Williams.
Project Date: Winter 2005.

When I ran the small 3D Department at The Cimarron Group I provided 3D services from Design, Modeling, Illustration and Animation to the many internal divisions within Cimarron, and we also had a traditional Advertising Division that approached Universal with this concept that was based on a print ad that was done in the early 90's for Absolut Vodka called "Absolut Hollywood".

The Idea was to start on the back of the universal logo on a sound-stage and reveal the final logo in the move, which was v fairly straight forward. As with most scenes I am a builder so I make, and had built a huge variety of sound-stage props that I sold for the company on Turbo-squid as stock models that was a way to get this scene filled rapidly and dressed for the final images.

The move a was a fast 20 second spot with a 5 second spin as you can see in the above frames. I have also put up the original ad that was given to me as my direction creatively from our Corporate Division.

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: The Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride

Some of the material that my 3D Illustrations were used in.
[Includes original One Sheet Design from Chad Robertson]

A Mock Up of the interior of the ride with an empty car to fill up with people.

A Back Shot of the car going into a tunnel.

The main Side View that was used in the Brochure work.

The Universal Studios Logo built from sand that beat like a heart.

A Pile of Gold for a 30 Sheet Billboard design.

The Revenge of The Mummy-The Ride
Universal Studios Hollywood 2004

Client: Universal Studios Hollywood via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director(s): Chad Robertson, Mary Ellen Schrock.
Project Date: Winter 2004.

One of my first jobs I did 3D design and Illustration work for while running the 3D Department at The Cimarron Group, was for Cimarrons' Corporate Division on the 4th floor. The work was on the new attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood for The Mummy, The Ride.

The attraction was not built yet, so I had to do mock-ups of the ride car and the tracks for some illustrations they were going to use to pre-promote the ride with. I also worked on some of the Television AV work with a few animations as well. I did a Universal Globe made out of sand that beat like a heart that was used for a good year to advertise the attraction, as well as a few wireframe aniamtions of the ride car. At the time I did work for Universal Studios for a few years through The Cimarron Group.

You can view some of the finished designs Creative Directed by Mary Ellen Schrock at her site here.[ page 15,16, and 17]

Cheers, THOM

Project Review: M & M's World Vegas

Client: Ethel M Chocolates via Landmark Entertainment Group
Art Director: Michael Marquez
Project Date: Fall 1997

After leaving Disney Interactive I bounced around the Theme Park Design world and worked for Universal Creative, Landmark Entertainment, and eneded up at Walt Disney Imagineering. Of all the specialties I have done in my career, I would prefer the theme park world over all of them. You get to sketch, build in 3D , then actually build it in the real world. A great job for a 3D Designer.

One major project I had while at Landmark Entertainment was the M & M's attraction on the Las Vegas Strip. I worked with a great Art Director the talented Mr. Michael Marquez. The attraction was basically you are an M&M going through being made. Cooked, polished, candy coated, dried, tumbled, and finally at "The University" you receive your "M" at graduation. I helped Conceptual Design all major props, and did some of the paintings for the walls as well.

As a side note that was the year I got to see the Neverland Ranch, as Mr. Michal Jackson owned a portion of Landmark Entertainment, and our company Christmas party was there. I also was able to present all my sketches to Mr. Jackson as well, and he approved of the designs.

Cheers, THOM

I found a few pictures online linked in the post title above or paste either one below:

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1517119568082264047qoACBP
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/4305bc/

2D Themed Environment Design: Theme Park, Retail, Restaurant, and Virtual Worlds[ Websites, Video Games etc.]

 

 Here is a sampling of my 2D Design Work sketches for Themed Environments.

2D Themed Environment Design Theme Park, Retail, Restaurants,and Virtual Worlds[ Websites, Video Games etc.]

With decades of 2D design work under my belt I have been privileged to assist in the creation of themed entertainment venues for a variety of clients in my career as a 3D Conceptual Designer. Environmental Design is a part of our training at Art Center when we go into Industrial Design, as we are prepared to interface with professionals of various disciplines to accomplish the themed look for whatever the end use may be.

I have worked for the larger Theme Park companies Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, as well as Landmark Entertainment Group. I have also been able to work for a few of the boutique studios like Sotto Studios, as well as the application of themed entertainment into retail, especially restaurant thematic design.

This skill set was also called upon for a virtual location for online work with Cyan Worlds up in Spokane WA back in 2000, to develop virtual worlds for the online versions of the popular games them make. I was connected with them while still at Imagineering and brought up to assist with those needs starting with 2D themed concept designs that would be built in 3D with a full architectural team and game team.

Themed design environment creation and Concept Art is also used in TV Animation work for various projects I have been on, including The Phantom 2040, Flash Gordon, and others.

If you have a need for thematic design from as small as freelance work, to a full relocation and full-time work, you can contact me here.

                                                         Cheers, THOM

NOTE: Blogger has limited file size, for the full size image go here.

Project Review: Mortal Engines Main Title treatment concepts May 2017

 

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- My third conceptual design pass at the Main Title with a deconstructed modern facade over and older substrate material.

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- A screen grab in a simple clay shader to showcase the surfaces without textures.

 Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- Another screen grab in a simple clay shader to showcase the surfaces with displacement. Up close you can see that the edges are rough, but for deadline and cost we went this direction until it was picked, which did not happen.

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art-  A textured screen grab shows the internal details on the "Dot" in the engine icon in the middle of the "O" in Mortal with the Aqua glass material showing thru to the inner workings.

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- this screen grab in 3DS max shows materials as well as the pixelated displacement map used to push the geometry in and out.

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- This design was the most simple of them all, with some cracks in the design and was a bit brighter as well.

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- A Z-Depth is always supplied so Art Directors can adjust the image based on distance, Smart 3D

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art-A screen grab in a simple clay shader to showcase the surfaces without textures.

 

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art-an angled view screen grab in a simple clay shader to showcase the build.

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- This Title treatment was in the middle of the top two designs, with a bit more distressing as well as a second inner surface poking through the top one.

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- Screen grab in a simple clay shader to showcase the surfaces without textures

 

 

 

Mortal Engines 3D Main Title Key Art- A screen grab in a simple clay shader showing the dual surface model inside the typeface.

 

Project Review

Mortal Engines

Main Title Treatment Concepts

May 2017
 

Client: Universal Pictures via BOND
Creative Direction: Patrick Dillon. 
Project Date:  May 2017.

     Today I can post the work I did for Patrick at the BOND Agency for Universal Pictures post apocalyptic film Mortal Engines released in theaters in 2018. 

     I was excited about building a Title for the film due to the nature of the story with repurposed architectural elements that were weathered and built over other parts with layers and aging.

       I did three concepts with the third and favorite one up at the top of this post, with it getting progressively simpler in each design. Each has a distinct aqua glow around the dot in the center of the letter "O" in Mortal as an engine icon with light and power illumination the title.

 

     This post include some Behind the Art  with some review on the textures I built, and the use of a displacement map that I created for the custom designed plates over a substrate material indicative to the production design use of architecture in the moving city's in the film build up of old world architecture with modern Sci Fi parts built over the top.

      With displacement it is quicker than building it out in geometry, but it has limitations due to the density of the mesh to get a smooth displacement. In the close ups you can see that I had to use a lower resolution at this the Comping stage. If finished I was going to rebuild all of it without displacement and use quad subdivision building. I was actually hoping to go to the next level with this.

     I have an inner and outer object on two of the designs so as it displaces the underlying substrate material pops thru as a 2 layer design.

 

     For a different client I was able to build out all the layers as geometry and I hope in the future to post that. That model was for a film opening concept fly through so displacement was not going to work, and it was ll hand built, but they had a bigger budget and time frame so we could achieve that.
 

     I am still doing freelance now as I hunt for a full-time place to work at, so if you need a bid for a 3D Illustration or 3D Logo, or a 3D Model feel free to contact me for a quote. I am open to Hourly gig's, Work Retainers, Part-time, and Full Time opportunities [ Open to relocation ] would be best.

I have worked remote since 2009, so I am ready to help you.

                                 Cheers, THOM

Project Review: Jurassic World 2: Fallen Kingdom Main Title Treatment Concepts December 2016

  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- I used a second displacement object over another extruded one on the the T-Rex in this logo concept over the wire cage mesh to layer the effects and have better control for dialing the look in this 3D Logo.

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A screen capture showing the use of individual lights for each letter in the the logo to ensure even legibility, as well as center lights for a nice fall-off to the sides.

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A clay screen capture of the crusty displacement object on the T-Rex with no displacement on in this view [ base-mesh ]. I used N-powers Power-boolean in 3DS max to use quad mesh output to displace.

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art-Red Clay surface shader showing the high level in the crust on the Jurassic Park Icon.

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- This design concept design has 3D moss growing in the holding device with very distressed textures on the Title Treatment.

 

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- This Clay shader screen grab shows the high polygon count 3D moss put into the circle background over the diamond plate background object.

 

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- a 3/4 tipped to the side screen grab view showing the displaced layers and moss scatter objects I built out.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- This tipped back screen-grab view shows the various depth and levels I use to build out the titles with weight to it. This is especially seen in a MGFX application camera moves.

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- Cracked stone and concrete textures with heavy aging and stains for this design pass.

 

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A cleaner version of the cracked title with some metal on the T-Rex with the back racking in the holding device.

 

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- Screen grab with one level of sub division to the cracked objects.

 

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- The base editable poly power boolean used for the concrete holding device.

 

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art-2 levels of subdivision added for close ups on this design in this screen grab in clay shader showcasing form.

 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A heavy broken up metal 3D Logo design with some motion blur effects added in post.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- The subdivided mesh has 4 levels to get the mud flood cracks in the surface.

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- This is the base mesh on the dimensional T-Rex with a good amount of 3D form to it. It was also used without the crack on the below image a swell.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A metal with a bit more hand modeling to the T-Rex adding more from to this design set.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- This has a woven pattern in the holding device that was displaced not mapped. The Ambient Dirt in the weaved object fills in the spaces and adds realism in the post process.

 

 

 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 3D Main Title Key Art- A single pass with carbon fiber materials.

Project Review

Jurassic World 2: Fallen Kingdom

Main Title Treatment Concepts

December 2016
 

Client: Universal Pictures via BOND
Creative Direction: Patrick Dillon. 
Project Date:  December 2016.

     Today I'm sharing work I did for Patrick at the BOND Agency for Universal Pictures Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom built in December 2016 that was released in theaters in 2018. 

     I loved the original films starting in 1993 right after I graduated from Art Center College of Design, so when they rebooted the franchise with Chris Pratt leading it up I was really excited to work on the sequel to the film from 2015.

       Today I have posted eight of the Title Treatment concepts I did for this film. For this job, the type and vectors for the T-Rex were all locked since 1993, so I was again tasked with doing a series of Main Title treatments to the film for Key Art for PART II of this well loved franchise. 

 

     For the sequel they wanted the logo with some destruction and cracking along with distressed texture for the most part. Also they wanted some tech materials as well in there like carbon fiber etc. which I also experimented with for the agency. I even added in some wire fencing that was bitten paying homage to the first film with the T-Rex.

     I did a good amount of displaced object with actual 3D surfaces rather than bump maps. It is a longer render, and bigger file size, however it has a much larger use especially for MGFX work where close ups and fly through work are typically needed. And a Sub-D base mesh is a lot easier to rig camera moves in as the scene is lighter to work with in 3D. 

 

      I have also added a lot of Clay shader screen grabs to show the builds of a variety of my 3D Logo designs to see what was actually built out, not mapped as a Behind the Art feature to the post.

 

     I am freelance now as I hunt for a full-time place to work at, so if you need a bid for a 3D Illustration or 3D Logo, or a 3D Model feel free to contact me for a quote. I am open to Hourly gig's, Work Retainers, Part-time, and Full Time opportunities [ Open to relocation ] would be best. I have also been working remote since 2009, so I am ready to go.

                                 Cheers, THOM