Welcome to the first edition of our "Behind the Curtain" series, where we take you on an immersive journey into the creative process behind our collaborations with clients. In this blog post, we delve into the team's brainstorming sessions, experimental approach, and overcoming technical challenges we encountered while working on a recent project.
A Brief About the Project
We were tasked with creating an art style focused on India, bringing life to the provided script through captivating visuals. The video needed to be resolution-free at its core, with a visually engaging narration design. One initial challenge we faced was designing the audio as well.
Creative Inputs and Brainstorming
In the studio, creativity and experimentation are the core of our work. Our client and team engaged in brainstorming sessions, exploring ideas and concepts to animate as per their vision. We fostered a collaborative environment, valuing the creative input of every team member. We curated a mood board to establish the initial design and visual language. We also experimented with various transition ideas, gathered references, and injected a bit of fun by having Buggy, our animator's pet cat, as our emotional support during breaks from the screen.
Production
Our production was filled with exploration and challenges. Once we had a consensus with our client on the storyboard and asset design, we dove headfirst into the project. It involved motion graphics and vector illustrations, which added complexity to the process. Production was at a Brisk pace, as we completed a few shots and achieved a milestone based on our project plan. However, we faced a setback when we realized that the art style lacked the finesse we had aimed for. The individual scenes felt flat and didn't meet our expectations. This setback required us to rework several shots based on the feedback received. Our Motion Graphics team embraced creative solutions to overcome technical limitations, revamping the assets and adding depth through gradients and textures.
As the deadline drew nearer, we faced new challenges. Our software started crashing, and the files became too heavy to handle. The transitions we had planned were resource-intensive, and the asset revamps contributed to the heavy file sizes. Although we couldn't find a perfect solution, we implemented a workaround by rendering finalized elements of the shots and compositing them using a standard 3D pipeline. This helped lighten the file sizes without compromising on the visual effects. Despite the persistent crashing issues, we shared our insights and effective workarounds to keep the creative momentum flowing.
Burning the Midnight Oil
Under the pressure and challenges in production, our team embraced the nocturnal lifestyle. Artists delivered during the early mornings and took briefs in the afternoon or evening. The adrenaline rush from the project kept our team's morale high as production continued at a steady pace. We had to improvise on certain shots and push through obstacles. While the animation team caught up, we faced a challenge with the audio lacking a professional voice-over artist. AI technology helped us in pre-production to outline the project. But, now we needed the expertise of a skilled professional. Fortunately, our clients connected us with artists they had previously collaborated with. Leading to a quick and enjoyable recording process that helped our audio section make swift progress.
Moving Forward with Rendering
We commenced the rendering process with only two days remaining. However, rendering proved to be time-consuming, taking hours to complete each draft. We meticulously explored different drafts, making minor post-production adjustments such as color correction and depth of field effects. Despite these efforts, we felt that certain shots lacked the desired finesse and didn't meet our benchmarks. To address this, we held extensive discussions involving the art director, animators, and members from other projects, seeking fresh perspectives and solutions. With only a day left before the final delivery, we had a few shots to refine, timing adjustments, and locking of the music. As nerves ran high, we continued to critique and fine-tune our work, ensuring everything was in place before we sat down with our clients for feedback.
The Moment of Relief
The feedback session with our clients turned out to be a great Relief. The video had depth, effectively meeting the client's benchmarks. It was a truly gratifying moment for our team, as all the hard work and dedication had paid off. We felt a sense of relief and satisfaction knowing that we had successfully delivered a project that exceeded expectations.
In conclusion, our journey into the creative process of our recent collaboration with a client was filled with excitement, challenges, and success. We embraced brainstorming sessions and experimental approaches to bring the client's vision to life. However, we encountered technical challenges, such as software crashes and heavy file sizes, which required us to find creative workarounds to maintain productivity. Our team's dedication and perseverance, even working late into the night, ensured us overcoming these obstacles. The rendering process, though time-consuming, allowed us to refine and enhance the visuals, resulting in a project that met our client's benchmarks. The feedback session with the client was a moment of relief and satisfaction, knowing that our hard work had paid off. As we continue on our creative journey, we remain committed to storytelling, originality, and exceeding the expectations of our clients and audience.
very entertaining! Keep it coming!!