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Author: Lauren Brady

Creating a AAA game trailer in lockdown

2020 has been an unprecedented year. The country went into lockdown as the world dealt with this continuous pandemic. Our way of life shifted dramatically, changing how we all work and live. For us, our entire operation was briefly flipped on its head and we were left wondering how we would deliver. 

But we were able to slip into a very natural routine that had a minimal effect on productivity. In the end, we put a video game trailer together in the midst of a lockdown, testing our artistic, communication, and management skills.

The final product has exceeded our own expectations and looks to be a massive hit, with plenty of positive feedback and YouTube views, especially on the art direction, style, and music. So how did we pull together a trailer like this under such circumstances? With insight from Art Director Stu Bayley and Head of Production Jane Forsyth, let’s look at the challenges faced and lessons learnt along the way.

 

The lockdown

From the start, this was an electrifying project for the REALTIME team. Having worked with the client previously, we were excited to work together on their latest title. Of utmost importance was making sure the game’s beautiful art style translated well in the trailer, and audiences could see how much of a visual marvel the game is. Thankfully, we have some impressive artistic talent at our disposal, along with the fantastic artists from the client.

As if staying faithful to their visionary art style wasn’t enough of a challenge, then came the lockdown. Suddenly, our art team – so used to working in proximity and bouncing off of each other – was scattered. It’s a familiar feeling to many of you, we’re sure.

With some foundation work done prior to this, thankfully, everything else could be completed from our homes. In principle. But in this situation, you have to change how you approach work. Many people were and are still dealing with other external pressures like homeschooling and supporting a partner who was still working as a key worker. Everyone needed to restructure their days to accommodate this. For us, that meant entire working days were spent in meetings; it presented a new communication challenge.

Our homes became our workspaces and our families became our colleagues. And that was just as true for our client. Working with people across the globe and with everyone working around their families, we had to be readily available at all times. A colossal number of hours went into this project to get it over the line, requiring a level of motivation you wouldn’t think possible in the midst of a pandemic. But we got it done.

 

The challenges

With such a distinctive art style, one of the key challenges was always going to be making sure it shone through in the trailer. Everything had to be perfect, so we worked collaboratively with the client. 

They valued any input we brought to the table and we each pushed the other to do our greatest, reaching new heights of fidelity. Character animations were on a whole other level. In all, we took 60 passes at this project to achieve the vision we were after, a far cry from the 10 or so times it might usually take us in a non lockdown situation. It truly is pixel perfect.

Working out of the office was a challenge, too. No matter if you went the VPN or remote desktop route (as we did with Splashtop), you were still at the mercy of the internet connection. But, for us, working from home went a lot smoother than we ever anticipated. It seemed so daunting, but everything came together in the end. And it showed us a new flexible way of working that will surely change how we all work forever.

 

The communication

One thing that had to change for all of us is how we communicate. Our colleagues aren’t just a desk away anymore. But, bizarrely, this project might have made us closer than we were before. The key is to find a communication platform that works for your situation. For us, Microsoft Teams was a godsend. And we had only recently switched to it before the lockdown!

It’s how we communicated with one another and with the client. When you both use the same platform, it just makes the whole communication process that much easier. We were always on it and so too were the client. It made the back and forth simpler, and changes can come about quicker.

 

But do you lose something by not being in proximity to one another? Stu couldn’t look at what one of our team was doing and give guidance before it went too far down the wrong road, hence why there was a need for so many meetings. It was harder to keep on top of things that you would normally have an eye on while walking through the studio. Errors will still happen – such is the creative process – but when you aren’t in that usual environment, you need to be even more attuned to the day to day in an effort to reduce their frequency. Finding ways to communicate effortlessly was a necessity.

Communication plays a much more important role beyond this. It’s about making sure everyone is feeling their best. Everyone needs support, whether they live alone or have their family with them. It’s why we made sure to talk to everyone as much as possible. Not just about work, but also about life outside of it. As they say, humour is the best medicine.

The side effect of this is our interpersonal relationships have never been better. They’re stronger because of the constant communication. This carried across departments, with different teams excited to share what they’ve been working on. It makes for a better work-life balance, a better team, and a better working environment.

 

The lessons

So what can we take away from this? What will we keep with us to make REALTIME a stronger business going forward? The importance of communication might just be the biggest lesson. Not just on the usual level you might have in the studio; it’s more than that. You need to communicate more and in a more genuine way, both in and out of work. It encourages teamwork, creating a sense of unity that brings everyone together.

It proved that we can pull off such a project and, with some tweaks, could easily be a new way of working. The studio will always have its place, but we have learnt so much about working across distance, making any future collaboration that much smoother. The flexibility can’t be underappreciated; being around family more can only be beneficial.

Something else to take away is the importance of giving yourself the breathing space. Jane knew when she needed 5 minutes away to run around the room and do anything that wasn’t work and Stu found solace in oat milk, of all things. But we all need to let off steam, and that’s a message we brought to our staff. We made sure to add some levity to proceedings to keep it lighthearted and spirits high. After all, we’re in this together as a team. Sometimes what you need is for someone to post a silly gif or just talk about their interest outside of work. It’s a coping mechanism that’s always appreciated.

Above all, we learnt we can adapt to any situation and still deliver an amazing end product. We can still collaborate effectively and work well with our clients. We can pull together as a team and deliver on our client’s artistic vision. And we can communicate better than ever.

The client appreciated all the time we put into the project to make it a reality and we are appreciative of the space they gave us to stretch our creative limbs. We know this lockdown won’t stop us and we can still create a AAA game trailer no matter what the situation.

At REALTIME, we’re always ready to step up to the plate and challenge ourselves. We focus on open communication and collaboration to deliver exactly what you’re looking for and more. If you would like to discuss your upcoming project and how you plan on handling it in this situation, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].

How an outsourced CGI partner can add to your in-house team

A great deal of talent exists in the world. Think how much untapped potential exists that we miss out on when we restrict our approach. Many businesses recognise this, leading to a rise in outsourcing as a way to benefit from the plethora of skilled professionals. When polled, people highlighted several reasons why they go that route. It may be to reduce costs (69%) or as a part of their transformation (64%). In a separate study, other reasons given included doing it for the improvement to their service (31%) or to focus on their own core functions (57%).

In this interconnected world, is there an excuse to miss out on the opportunity? It doesn’t have to replace what you already have, but the wealth of specialists out there can effortlessly complement your current automotive operations. Here are three simple qualities you can find in a CG visualisation specialist that could add to and improve your output.

 

Flexibility

An external company provides you with a great deal of flexibility. For one, they aren’t a constant expense and can be called upon only when you need them. You only pay for what you need and can dip in and out as you please, saving you from hiring any extra staff beyond your current in-house team. It means you can work with another company in the way you want to, taking as much of a lead as you want.

A good CGI partner will be malleable in their approach to your project. They can bring their own expertise to the table and weigh in on any decisions, ultimately providing you with all the information you need to make an educated choice.

You know it’s a great fit when this external specialist fits right into your current operations as if they were there all along. They’ll be in tune with your brand’s aims, goals, look, and feel, perfectly capable of replicating what makes you, you. With an understanding of your car brand, they can deliver something akin to your own in-house team.

 

A breadth of knowledge

If you find a CG specialist working in multiple fields, you might think they’re spreading themselves too thin. But take the time to look at the quality of their output and see how the different teams complement one another.

Their knowledge in other fields can perfectly transfer to the automotive industry. With this expertise, they can bring skills such as rigging, VFX, soundtrack editing, environment building, shoot management, and cinematography to the table. This can only benefit you, adding artistic value to what is being produced.

 

A depth of knowledge

Of course, you also want them to have a deep knowledge of the automotive industry. This goes without saying. But it ties into many of our points above. For a company to be flexible, receptive to your brand, and knowledgeable of skills outside of the industry, they need to first have a deep understanding of this sector. They need to be intimately familiar with cars and love them beyond their work.

Above all, they need to know what it means to be ahead of the curve; at the top of their game. Both artistically and technologically, they need to prove why they’re a good fit for you. A love of the industry will be what drives them to deliver their best work.

Outsourcing doesn’t have to be a dirty word, nor does it have to intrude on your current operations. Done right, it builds on what you already have, allowing you to focus your in-house team’s attention where you think it is needed and leave the visualisation work to other professionals. The best projects will draw from both resources, creating a final product that you can be proud of.

 

REALTIME is dedicated to being the sort of CGI partner that exemplifies all of the above. We work with you to deliver the best work, using our knowledge of the automotive industry – and that of the TV and video game industries – to create cutting-edge solutions. If you would like to find out more, get in touch with me at [email protected].

A guide to crowd replication

The pandemic and its associated restrictions have left many industries with a quandary. How do we go about our business as usual when we’re far from ‘business as usual’? It’s something we’ve all had to adjust to and the TV industry is no different.

Many productions have kicked back into life, albeit with a new way of working. Filming a series or movie has become a puzzle as production teams find novel ways around the problem. Some are going as far as quarantining their entire cast and crew prior to filming, something that is sure to be expensive and outside many productions’ realm of possibility.

While you can figure out an on-set workaround for most issues, what can you do if you need an entire crowd? In our recent survey, we found crowd replication was a key concern for getting TV productions back up and running. With social distancing measures, having a live-action crowd isn’t safe or feasible, unless you want to spend a lot of money paying your extras to quarantine so they can be used to film in a ‘bubble’. Removing them altogether will make your show or film feel lifeless and empty. So what solutions are there?

 

Defining a crowd

Through a process called ‘crowd replication’, we can create lifelike crowds indistinguishable from the real thing. But what constitutes a crowd? Strictly speaking, the term only applies to groups of above 20 people. Think a platoon of soldiers, a raucous crowd at a football game, or a hoard of zombies. Below 20 people, you could still call it a crowd, but because of the smaller size, you would go about choosing a different workflow.

It’s also worth noting that there is a 2D way to do crowd replication and a 3D way. 2D crowd replication usually involves filming a cluster of people (5-20 at a time) at one spot, moving them, then filming again, on and on until you have filled your scene. That wouldn’t abide by social distancing rules, so isn’t an ideal solution. So we’ll be talking about 3D crowd replication solutions that we can reasonably do in these times.

 

How to make a crowd – below 20 people

There are several ways you can do this. The first is to film actors against a green screen, decked out in the right costume, and combine them into a group. You could film them together in socially distanced groups and replicate and fill in the gaps with individual people.

The second is to buy CGI models of the character asset you want. These could be individual people or groups. They would be dressed in whatever the model comes with. If you have a group where people don’t need to be unique individuals, such as in a crowd of soldiers, then it’s a good solution. 

But if you need them to be diverse in how they look and dress, it isn’t ideal because you will need to texture the models individually in different ways to make them look different in a crowd. You can always texture models with your own costume, using different software like Marvellous Designer, but this is time-consuming and expensive. However, if you are doing a period show or require specific costumes, then this is the best way.

The final method is to make bespoke character models and dress them with your chosen clothes/texture, which are ‘handmade’ digitally. You can do this through photogrammetry capture of actors in the clothes you want. You can also create ‘bespoke’ costume using Marvellous Designer, but you get a more realistic finish using photogrammetry.

 

A note about crowd sizes

Something else you need to consider is the size of the people in the crowd, as they appear on-screen. If they are bigger than an eighth of their real size, they aren’t really a crowd. If they’re anywhere between a quarter and half the size they should be, then they need to behave more realistically, otherwise, audiences will be able to spot that they aren’t real actors.

If you ever need to use a ‘featured’ character (as in a ‘main’ character), then this is even more crucial. You would need an incredibly accurate digital double of them. So whichever of the above it is, it will affect how they are made. As a rule of thumb, the closer the 3D character is to camera, the more expressive/ reactive they will need to be and the more realistic. This also affects the cost – so the closer to camera the 3D model is, the more it will cost.

If the character is going to be quarter- or half-size, then using photogrammetry is the usual way. You can also use motion capture of the actor. Another way of doing this would be to use volumetric capture of the actor to create a digital puppet of them. Disney used this method in 2019’s Aladdin for actor Will Smith in his role as the Genie. Weta Digital also has volumetric capture software to create digital double humans, though this is only viable for mega-budget studio movies at the moment.

 

How to make a crowd – over 20 people

Making bigger crowds is usually done with proprietary software that the big VFX houses have spent decades developing. One of the most well-known names in this category is Massive Software, crowd created using can be seen in the likes of Game of Thrones, I, Robot, and World War Z.

These days, you can also create large crowds with a software called Houdini. It’s an entire kit of essential VFX tools, one of which just happens to be crowd replication. It’s a relatively straightforward way to create simulations of entities that behave in the same way, such as zombies or skeletons.

Another route that is opening up is 4D capture. It’s currently being used by architects to populate CGI cityscapes with people but could easily be adapted to work for TV and film. As technology tends to do, I wouldn’t be surprised if this improves in the years to come and becomes a staple technique. Time will tell.

If there is one takeaway, it’s that crowd replication is possible even in these unprecedented times. If your script calls for a diverse crowd of individuals or an oncoming army of soldiers, it can still have that. There are plenty of digital solutions available that can create realistic crowds and who knows, it might just be your new favourite way to do it.

At REALTIME, our expertise in VFX covers crowd replication, amongst many other specialities. We work collaboratively with you to deliver the results you need. To find out more, reach out to me at [email protected].

Operating a consistent global automotive brand

Of all of life’s mod cons, is there one more important than the car? You could argue the television or the plane is a bigger invention, but the car might be the one that has affected the cultural zeitgeist the most. Most of the towns and cities in the world are designed around their existence after all.

As such, every corner of the world has its own approach to the world of automobiles. This means the biggest car manufacturers in the world have to adjust how they approach every country, accounting for their differences in taste while also trying to keep a consistent message.

It can seem like an impossible task; so how do car manufacturers change their approach from country to country? What factors might affect that decision? And what can they do to still keep the same brand image across the globe?

 

Cars across the world

So how does car culture vary across countries? It used to be, some 15-20 years ago, that each region had its clear preferences. Over in the US, pickup trucks like the Ford F-series were far and away (and still are) the best sellers. Yet over in Europe, they had a liking for smaller diesel hatchbacks. And while prestige in the west was linked to any expensive cars, over in China, a mark of wealth was a big saloon car. And in India, they were mainly interested in models that could cope with the more challenging road surfaces and conditions.

But we live in a much different world now. In a globalised market, with social media giving us a glimpse into life around the world and emissions standards changing for the better, the differences are far less marked.

There has been a shift; pickup trucks are still best sellers in the US but are losing market share; for example, the Honda Civic and Accord were some of the most popular cars for three years in a row. With the dieselgate scandal in Europe, and the political to-and-fro around nitrous oxide emissions, sales of diesel cars have nosedived. Over in China, meanwhile, all manner of cars are doing well, with the deep-pocketed children of the old political elite buying the prestige cars they see across the world. SUVs, in particular, are faring well over there – from big-name brands too, beating out the state-owned manufacturers. And in India, the burgeoning middle classes also want their fair share of western prestige brands. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi are the top three luxury brands in the country, closely followed by Jaguar Land Rover.

So the lines between countries have blurred. While each location might have its own particular brands, there’s a greater desire for these big, global names. Not to mention the fact everyone is looking at EVs.

It isn’t insular, local culture that drives things anymore; people are aligning with a brand that represents a certain lifestyle as opposed to simply just a type of car. People trust brands. When doing their online research, 74% of consumers turn to branded video content for information. It’s something the savvier car brands are hoping to capitalise on. This presents an issue, though: how can you be a consistent ‘global’ brand?

 

Maintaining consistency

Somewhere this can trip car brands up is in the marketing. After all, how can manufacturers ensure dealerships around the world are representing your car in the right way? They will be operating in a very local context. If your cars are popular in different regions, you want to make sure it comes across as effectively to your US audience as it does to your European audience as it does to your Indian audience, and so on.

The important part is making sure the car itself comes across in the right way. It can be a limitation of on-location shooting for marketing materials. It might look good on the sun-drenched roads of LA, but will that speak to your audience on the other side of the world? Won’t they want to see it in a context more familiar to them?

That’s why CG imagery and sting movies are being used more and more across global brands like ŠKODA and are proving to be very effective. A CG render of your car can be inserted into any location you wish, be it the streets of Berlin or those of Bangladesh. They work particularly well as bookends to commercials and ensures your car looks the same in every shot. It means everyone across the world sees the car as you intend it to be seen.

 

Online solutions

It streamlines your marketing efforts; if you set out to convey one key message in your material you can rest assured it will happen in all your target markets. It’s a consistent through-line that keeps your branding on track, especially online. 95% of consumers find their information online when looking at cars, with twice as many people starting their research online versus at a dealership. So you want your online solutions for engagement, brand-building, and configuration to be global in nature.

Globalisation has changed the face of many markets and the automotive sector is no different. Companies have this delicate balancing act of assimilating to cultural differences while maintaining their global image. It’s a fine art but something that can easily be achieved by finding solutions that save you time while putting your best self forward.

At REALTIME, we are proud of the relationships we have with many leading car manufacturers who operate in markets all over the world and we have faced these challenges with them. If you would like to talk about collaborating on a future project, you can reach out to me at [email protected].

Does Sony’s investment in Epic Games shape the future of next-gen console success?

The UE5 tech demo that I spoke about in last month’s blog has set the internet on fire. With the demo launching on PS5, Sony managed to secure something of a major coup for their new console which finally launches this autumn alongside the new XBOX console. Sony’s subsequent investment of $250m USD to secure a minority stake in Epic Games, developer of Unreal, which powers so many of the games industry’s biggest titles, has certainly raised eyebrows. So, what does this mean for other consoles, specifically the that will fight for dominance in the coming months and years?

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Unreal has seemingly scotched any suggestion that the deal might somehow favour the PS5 and disadvantage to Microsoft’s hopes for its own new console XBOX Series X.  ‘There’s no secret deal’ Tim Sweeney tweeted last week, further stating that ‘Serious investment discussions followed from the Unreal Engine 5 demo we showed on PlayStation 5. I guess they liked it!’.

 

SONY’S MINORITY STAKE IN EPIC GAMES

Any notion that this represents some kind of ‘golden handcuffs’ deal that might tie Unreal exclusively to the future of PS5 should be viewed with some scepticism. Such a strategy would be foolish for Epic who have much broader ambitions outside of the games Industry. Indeed, Epic have already confirmed that the deal will still allow them to publish to other platforms.  In the grand scheme of things, Sony’s investment gives them only a relatively small minority stake compared to other investments the developer has received from games developers in recent years.  Although an enormous sum of money, $250m USD currently represents only a 1.4% stake in Epic Games.  By comparison, Tencent still retain a 40% stake in the developer following an investment that it made in 2012, which it acquired at the time for ‘only’ $330m USD. With Epic now valued at a whopping $17.86 billion USD, Tencent’s investment has proved to be an extremely savvy one that not only underpins the value of Epic’s Unreal engine to the games industry but hints at the Unreal’s broader potential to other sectors.

 

EPIC’S RISING STOCK

The rise in Epic’s stock value is a reflection of their growing ambitions (and success) for Unreal’s application outside of the games industry. With Sony’s own portfolio of entertainment assets extending to Music, Film and TV it makes perfect sense for Sony to make this investment now. As Tim Sweeney mentioned when the announcement was made “Sony and Epic have both built businesses at the intersection of creativity and technology, and we share a vision of real-time 3D social experiences leading to a convergence of gaming, film, and music.

It’s the last sentence that is most interesting. Historically, console developers have always been fiercely protective of their tech, taking a ‘walled garden’ approach to their platforms, usually resisting any form of cross-play compatibility with other hardware. Epic’s own success with the juggernaut that is ‘Fortnite’ has enabled it to push for its belief in more open platforms, paving the way for cross-play functionality between competing consoles.  Indeed, Fortnite was one of the first games to allow players on a PS4 to compete with their friends experiencing the same game on an XBOX One. With 350 million registered players and still one of the biggest games on the planet nearly three years after its launch, Fortnite’s success has given Epic a huge say in how games should be played in the future. Thanks to this, other games including ‘Dauntless’, ‘Paladins’ and ‘Smite’ can also now be played as cross-platform experiences.

Sony’s investment in Epic shouldn’t be viewed as anything that will give them an immediate advantage in the upcoming ‘console wars’ that the launch of the next-gen consoles will inevitably bring.  Epic’s push for cross-play should be viewed as evidence of this. Technologically agnostic, Unreal continues to be at the centre of many leading XBOX exclusive games including ‘Sea of Thieves’, ‘Everwild’ and other forthcoming games that the REALTIME team have used the games engine to create Cinematics and VFX for.

 

UNREAL’S LONG TERM PLANS

Instead, the investment should be viewed as a mark of the level of confidence that Sony has in shaping the future of entertainment outside the remit of games alone. With Fortnite recently hosting a ‘virtual concert’ by travis Scott that reached 27 million viewers, it’s easy to see how such an experience might positively impact its music business. Similarly, with Unreal being used more and more as a VFX tool for Film & TV, this will also be of huge interest to their Sony Pictures division. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Asides from its ground breaking graphical capability, the tech could be used as the building blocks for a metaverse, Tim Sweeney’s dream for a shared digital space where we ‘live, work and play’ that may well turn Sweeney into a real-life James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS in Ernest Cline’s ‘Ready Player One’.

Sony’s investment probably won’t shape the outcome of who will likely succeed in the next generation of consoles, but it might well be an indication of new experiences to come.

REALTIME have experience in working with the Unreal Engine in all areas of our studio including TV VFX and Automotive. So, if you’re looking for an experienced partner who specialises in creative solutions give me a shout on [email protected]