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Tag: REALTIME

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2021: Review

For the car enthusiasts among us, it was encouraging to see the Goodwood Festival of Speed take place after a Covid-enforced hiatus last year. The event opened its doors last Thursday as part of the UK Government’s Event Research Programme and as such could run at full capacity as far as visitors were concerned, although it definitely impacted the number of motor manufacturers in attendance.

In any case, I was very happy to be there – if only as it felt like progress on the return to normality. So, ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts for my little round up of the highlights:

Genesis

Much like Nissan’s Infiniti and Honda’s Acura, Hyundai used the Festival of Speed to launch its Genesis brand, including the G70 Shooting Brake pictured, which is unique to these shores. It is not the easiest task in the world to break the European prestige market without any heritage as such, but Genesis seems to be including all the right ingredients in its recipe.

Ineos

Goodwood was the first opportunity to get up close and personal with Ineos’ Grenadier, fondly thought of by many as the ‘real’ replacement for the workhorse Series III Land Rover Defender. Certainly, the extremely rugged construction and serious-looking ironmongery, visible within the wheelhouses and exposed door hinges, leave us in no doubt whatsoever as to its intentions.

Pininfarina

A quick rock down to Electric Avenue and it was lovely to see the beautiful yet sustainable Battista on show and accessible to the public via the very friendly Pininfarina staff team. Just like its sister car, the recently christened Rimac Nevera, deliveries begin later on this year for those with €2m burning a hole in their ecologically sound, recycled cotton-lined pockets. 

Lamborghini

Lamborghini took the opportunity to share the swansong Aventador, the Ultimae, with the appreciative Goodwood audience. Sporting a final-iteration 780PS V12, I’m sure this will fly off the shelves as we tick off yet another brand making the transition to hybrid, if not full-electric power.

McLaren

Woking’s finest continues its tradition of warm hospitality for all visitors, open chequebook or not, and welcomes you to a sit (and dream) in the stunning Elva.

The real star of the McLaren stand, however, was the new Artura, making its public debut in the UK and really looking the part. The public car was displayed in its now famous Flux Green finish but if you ask me, the car looks best off its tall show plinth and closer to the ground, to be approached as you would on the street. It’s a real testament to its design, so here’s a snap of it at the back of ‘McLaren House’ looking mean and moody in its satin paintwork:

Lotus Cars

Finally, to the storied British brand Lotus, and it’s unanimous star of the show; the new Emira. While the electric Evija still looks totally fresh as it takes its place amongst the new ‘holy trinity’ with the Pininfarina Battista and the Rimac Nevera, the sweet-as-a-nut Emira, billed as the final internal combustion-engine or ICE Lotus, saw queues around the block to have a closer look. Very well judged with even better pricing (starting at under £60k), my head and my heart are both telling me that the new £100m Lotus production facility is going to have a job on its hands to keep up with demand…

What a welcome return to an automotive event: breathe a sign of relief, everyone! EV and hybrid reveals are soon to comfortably outnumber their ICE counterparts, but it seems that the public’s enthusiasm will never be eclipsed!

 

REALTIME team up with Codemasters for F1 2021 ‘Braking Point’

F1® 2021 is a new next-generation racing experience launching on Friday July 16, featuring the teams, drivers and circuits for the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship™.  

In Braking Point, the brand-new story mode, players take on an epic journey, as they rise from the ranks of Formula 2™ to a shot at stardom in the world of Formula 1®. It immerses players into the glamorous world of F1®, giving a taste of the lifestyle both on and off the track: the rivalries, emotion and dedication needed to compete at the highest level.  

REALTIME was tasked with creating the dramatic cinematics for the ‘Braking Point’ story mode, from emotive performances with the protagonists to edge-of-your-seat track action. The game allows the player to select a team, with distinct branding, colours and uniforms. 

“F1® 2021 was our first major cinematic project where UE4 was used to replace a CPU renderer… the image quality is incredible. Even though it’s a game, the sky was the limit as to how good Codemasters wanted it to look.” Says Ian Jones, CG Director. 

 

What video games can learn from TV  

Video games might be the relatively new kid on the block when compared to film, TV, and music, but it has quickly become the most profitable industry. While video games have always trended upwards, the recent COVID pandemic certainly put more wind in its sales and drove it to new heights. 

But despite being the biggest entertainment industry around, it’s built on a foundation created by its peers. Would video games be as successful as they are without the lessons it learnt from TV or film? I’m not so sure. So, let’s look at what video games can and have picked up from the more senior industries… 

Pushing boundaries 

As technology has advanced, so too have video games. We’re a million miles away from the likes of Pong or Pac-Man. With the release of the latest generation of consoles – along with the reveal of what Unreal Engine 5 can do – we can push the boundaries of what games can achieve. 

How we tell stories has only become more refined as the room to do more has expanded. And you only have to look at film and TV to see where we’re drawing inspiration from. Some video games want that same level of prestige; to be a defining moment. Today, video games are full of spectacle and drama, pushing more and more. The narrative drives the gameplay instead of vice versa. 

Some have even adopted an episodic format to mimic TV. Where were you when the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead released episode by episode? It was a moment in the industry where everyone was hooked by the story of Lee and Clementine, and it’s because of its TV influences that it managed to be such a hit. 

There’s a bit of Indiana Jones in Uncharted. There’s a touch of Star Wars in Mass Effect. We even see video games cross the boundary to become TV shows and films themselves; HBO’s The Last of Us is sure to be a heart-breaking must watch.

Technology 

Part of this drive for more emotive narrative is our ability to better capture the drama. Taking a leaf from Hollywood’s book, motion-capture technology allows us to bring an actor’s exact performance to the game. How they move and how they emote are transferred to the game flawlessly. 

We’ve just wrapped on a series of dramatic cut-scenes for a game releasing this summer. Our mission was clear: we wanted to capture the actors’ performance and translate that into the game. Using innovative performance capture technology from our friends Di4D, we were dedicated to getting as realistic performances as possible to translate to the screen. We wanted to tell a story and bring the players into it, too. 

The technology also means the actors can be, well, actors. They can make character choices that reflect who they think they are. It goes along well with the maturation we are seeing in some series. Just look at God of War, which went from a gore-fest hunt for gods to an emotionally driven gore-fest hunt for closure. 

Saying all this, technology isn’t a requirement for a compelling story. The fact that creating a game is more accessible means the doors are open to countless indie developers who can tell the story they wish in a more lo-fi way. Something like Undertale or Disco Elysium are built on a strong narrative foundation and don’t have the same bells and whistles other AAA titles do. Because they don’t need them. It mirrors indie movies, which do exactly the same. 

Video games have taken what TV and film have created and ran with it. Those industries walked so video games could run. And we’re extremely thankful for it. They say we’re in a golden age of TV and film, but I would say we’re in a golden age of games, too. Who knows what the future holds; all I know is I’m excited to see where it goes. 

At REALTIME, we know the importance of a strong narrative, both in your game and in your trailers. To discuss how we can help you, reach out to me at [email protected] 

The Year Automotive Events Went Digital

We absolutely love a motor show and are really excited to be back at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, which is allowed to go ahead at full capacity as part of the UK Government’s pilot Events Research Programme. In the run up, we look back at how successfully the automotive industry embraced digital events last year, and what the future of motor shows looks like now.

Last year, the events industry took a massive hit. It is a significant contributor to the global economy. As per the report published by Allied Market Research, the global events industry was valued at $1,135.4 billion in 2019, with corporate events & the seminar segment holding the highest market share.

That was before the pandemic. With a sudden lockdown, every physical event was thrown up into the air. Like many other industries, there was no consensus on how to handle this unfamiliar situation. Eventually, with the writing on the wall, the events industry had to make a choice: cancel outright or move to digital events. The automotive industry was no different.

But with digital events being the only alternative, did the automotive industry take advantage of everything they had to offer? And did those that took up the challenge succeed in providing a worthwhile experience? And what will happen in 2021 and beyond for motor shows? Read our brand-new E-Guide on the subject and let us know your thoughts!

4 ways VFX recruitment is changing

As we all know, the last year introduced a new world of lockdowns, social distancing, and remote working. And everyone can see how it has changed our lives. 

But now we’re faced with even more change. A “new normal,” as more people are vaccinated and consider returning to how life used to be. Now, the question is, how much will our world resemble what it did before this all happened? Is remote working here to stay? And, significantly for the VFX industry, is relocating new hires going to be a thing of the past? Suddenly remote working gives studios the opportunity to recruit from halfway across the world. 

What will VFX recruitment look like in the coming months? 

Office vs home 

Perhaps the biggest challenge is going to be how to get people back into the office. We’ve not had a long, expensive commute for over a year now, will people want to go back to that full-time? It’s also allowed for flexibility, which has long been lacking in the industry. 

That’s not to say the office is obsolete. The VFX industry is a collaborative one. We want to be able to welcome clients into a studio space and get our teams together to brainstorm in a nurturing environment. Zoom calls are great – but they aren’t the same as having people come together in one room. 

So, one massive change we’re likely to see is a more fluid way of working. Companies will have to consider how they cater to both crowds, and this might mean shaking up our idea of what an office is. We think that we’ll see a blended working week, with hotdesking picking up, more communal areas for people to mingle and share ideas. A more open approach might be just what’s needed to get people excited about coming in again. In short, we need something at the office that we can’t get at home. 

Pulling from the same talent pool 

In a similar vein, remote working will benefit studios when recruiting, as people don’t have to be geographically close to the office. They could be on the other side of the country, if not in a completely different one altogether.  

So how will companies differentiate themselves from the crowd? They have to offer something more. And if we see a boom of freelance work, that’ll be even more important. We might see companies more open to listening to potential employee’s demands and offer more flexible options. Smaller studios might fare better as they can offer a more intimate environment that values all voices, one where everyone knows everyone else.

Changing priorities 

Something we’ve seen improve over the last year is the prioritisation of employee care. Since lockdown was tough on all of us, conversations about mental health and wellness are more common. That’s something we love to see. 

Now workplaces have to continue putting people first, where everyone feels appreciated and a valued member of the team. It also means offering a more fluid way of working. The traditional 9 to 5 doesn’t work for everyone, so a smart company will offer flexible hours. It means people can fit their personal life around their work. Take an extra hour at lunch and make it back later. Go and pick your kids up from school. And if you need a mental health break, take it. We wouldn’t be surprised if that kind of corporate attitude becomes more common.

Technical challenges 

Working from home presented its own unique technical challenges. Not only did we have to up our game with video conferencing software, the industry had to make sure that staff could remote into their computers in the office via a VPN and remote desktop application. 

To support remote working at REALTIME, we made several changes. We installed a 10 Gigabit internet connection in our two studios, invested in our GPU rendering capabilities, and worked hard to increase our security – as a result, we are well on our way to becoming TPN (trusted partner network) accredited.   

So, what do VFX recruiters want? 

If you’re looking to get into the VFX industry, or simply just want to move somewhere new, hopefully this gives you an idea of the shifting priorities. And while you have some say in how you work, they’ll still be looking for your best work. So, what do you need to show? 

For us, it isn’t just about what looks good. That’s great – we love to see amazing work. But we’re focused on you. Don’t forget that you’re one person applying for the role, not the whole team. What did you, the individual, do? What can you point to, even a rock or a tree, that you can say is your work? 

And what was your process? Some companies don’t want to see the entire working out, but there still needs to be a sense of where your ideas came from. How have you made your projects work? Why did you make the decisions you did? VFX is art, and every piece of art is made up of thousands of micro-decisions, so let that thought process speak for itself. It’s not just about high-quality work, but also high-quality thinking. 

So here we are, about to enter the second half of 2021, and we’re not sure what the future holds. But something we do know is the VFX industry is changing. And we can’t wait to see where it goes. 

REALTIME is always looking for bright minds to join our team. If you think you’re a good fit for our team, reach out to our recruitment team at [email protected]