Cinemark Theatres / Big Screen Dream
Front Row Joe and his friend Penny have been Cinemark mascots for decades. Now Joe takes the stage in a family friendly brand trailer. After I wrote a few rough concept treatments, the client chose "Big Screen Dream" — a nod to elaborate Busby Berkeley productions from classic Hollywood.
Front Row Joe and his friend Penny have been Cinemark mascots for decades. Now Joe takes the stage in a family friendly brand trailer. After I wrote a few rough concept treatments, the client chose "Big Screen Dream" — a nod to elaborate Busby Berkeley productions from classic Hollywood.
Script
With the concept in place, now the full script had to be fleshed out — words on paper. For this project, I would describe every detail of Joe's dream sequence start to finish.
With the concept in place, now the full script had to be fleshed out — words on paper. For this project, I would describe every detail of Joe's dream sequence start to finish.
Storyboard
Once the script was finalized, it was our roadmap to develop storyboards. This is an efficient way to work through visuals, action, and camera angles. Kudos to artist Deb Neligh for translating my gestures and gyrations to images that would guide animation. There may or may not be reference video of me dancing.
Once the script was finalized, it was our roadmap to develop storyboards. This is an efficient way to work through visuals, action, and camera angles. Kudos to artist Deb Neligh for translating my gestures and gyrations to images that would guide animation. There may or may not be reference video of me dancing.
Rough Animation
Because animation is a laborious and time-consuming process, it's important to start with a very rough framework to lock action and timing before adding any detail and polish. Notice how the animation follows the storyboard reference in the corner.
Because animation is a laborious and time-consuming process, it's important to start with a very rough framework to lock action and timing before adding any detail and polish. Notice how the animation follows the storyboard reference in the corner.
3D Models
With the flow and timing locked, now the team was tasked with building beautiful 3D assets — Joe and Penny, the environment, and co-star candies — based on hand illustrations.
With the flow and timing locked, now the team was tasked with building beautiful 3D assets — Joe and Penny, the environment, and co-star candies — based on hand illustrations.
Character Turntable
Apologies for the feline nudity, but we needed to know what Joe looks like from every angle.
Apologies for the feline nudity, but we needed to know what Joe looks like from every angle.
Rig Walk Cycle
Rigging literally gives the characters a skeletal structure with posable joints. How do they move? Are joints behaving realistically? Do the clothes have the right flex to them? All this and more is worked out here.
Rigging literally gives the characters a skeletal structure with posable joints. How do they move? Are joints behaving realistically? Do the clothes have the right flex to them? All this and more is worked out here.
Final Animation and Score
There are many more steps and hours of production than what's reflected here. Take the score for instance. It was written and performed by the Denver University Big Band and recorded live by our sound team. It really drives the piece. And after roughly 2,000 hours, the dream was at a theatre near you.
There are many more steps and hours of production than what's reflected here. Take the score for instance. It was written and performed by the Denver University Big Band and recorded live by our sound team. It really drives the piece. And after roughly 2,000 hours, the dream was at a theatre near you.