Animal Logic Rip Off

Sydney-based Animal Logic has created the visual effects for the new Mobil 1 ‘Metamorphosis’ TV campaign, for director Director Graeme Burfoot, (Filmgraphics) ripping an old car apart to reveal a new car thanks to Mobil.

Shot entirely in Hungary, the ad shows how Mobil 1 motor oil transforms the performance of older model cars into the latest model by rejuvenating the engine. A Lancer, a Camry and a Mercedes all undergo this metamorphosis in the spot. Animal Logic’s work on the project started on location in Hungary, where the team took reference of actual ‘older model’ cars, which were later made into CG models. These models were then skinned over the live action plates of the ‘new’ cars.

The greatest challenge for Animal Logic on the project was creating a look for the transformation between the two. The new transformed car had to look as if it was shedding its old skin and the pieces had to have a weightless quality to them yet still look like pieces of car. Clearly the project was a complex object tracking problem. The tracking software used was a combination of Boujou and 3D Equalizer. Only the ‘old’-looking cars were CG. The ‘new’ cars were all live action.

The final technique incorporates both cloth simulations and hand animation to peel away the pieces of each car. Every shot had its own customized simulation, with the pieces reacting to the air currents and wind forces generated by the cars enhanced performance.

CREDITS

Production Company: Filmgraphics
Director: Graeme Burfoot
Producer: Jude Lengel

Agency: McCann New York
NY Creative Director: Bill Oberlander
NY Producer: Linda Kramer
Moscow Creative Director: Eldar Gincharadze
Editorial: Filmgraphics
Editor: Sue Schweikert

Animal Logic:

Supervisor/Lead Flame Artist: Colin Renshaw
Flame Artist: Leoni Willis
CGI Lead: Jonathan Dearing
Producer: Amelia Babos
Melanie Wickham
Co-ordinator/Line Producer: Kate Stenhouse