A minimalist blue-toned abstract composition with a large sphere partially covered by layered curved shapes.
Futuristic architectural structure resembling a large letter T, with a tall vertical base and two horizontal extensions, set on a textured ground with a clear blue sky in the background.
Close-up of a modern analog clock with abstract design elements in a blue-toned setting.
Close-up of a graphic design with geometric shapes and lines in shades of blue, with a central circle containing the text 'Content Marketing + Social Networks'.
A clock with a modern, minimalist design in shades of white and blue, featuring a prominent play button icon in the center.
A smartphone screen displaying a YouTube video about baking a decadent chocolate cake in 30 minutes or less, with the video having 2910 views.
A man in a blue soccer jersey juggling a soccer ball in front of a display of various soccer balls and jerseys.
Minimalist abstract image with a large blue sphere partially covered by a curved, semi-transparent sheet, set against a soft gradient blue background.
Close-up of a blue human eye with the word 'AWARENESS' written across the iris.
Close-up of an eye with the word 'AWARENESS' in the center.
MRI scan of a human brain inside a circular coil.
A medical scan or model of a human brain showing the word 'INTENT' vertically in the center.
Close-up of a human brain model with detailed folds and structures, displayed against a blue background.
A circular pattern of glowing blue dots forming a spiral galaxy design with surrounding smaller dots against a dark background.
A digital representation of a globe composed of glowing blue dots and lines on a dark background.
Digital illustration of a hexagon surrounded by interconnected lines and sensors, with a starry background representing technological and futuristic themes.
3D map of the United States made of illuminated blue dots with the states outlined in gray.
A pixelated map of the United States made of small blue and white blocks, representing data or digital elements.
Close-up of a 3D mosaic map of the United States, with the state of California highlighted.
A three-dimensional map of the United States made of blue and gray beads, showing the shape of the country with the beads providing texture and depth.
A wall art map of the United States with the text 'NATIONAL REACH' in the center, designed with layered paper or foam to create a 3D effect.
White textured background with the words 'NATIONAL REACH' in the center, surrounded by a distressed, peeling paint border.
Circular chart with the text '100+ ACCOUNTS' in the center, showcasing segments in shades of black, white, and gray.
Digital graphic with a circular design indicating over 100 accounts, with a central white circle and textured gray and white sections.
Digital illustration of a clock with the text '40+ MILLION FOLLOWERS' in the center, surrounded by stylized DNA strands.
A digital graphic showing a futuristic circular interface with text in the center that reads '70+ Million Unique Users', surrounded by blue glowing dotted patterns resembling neural connections or data streams.
A digital 3D rendering of a futuristic architectural structure with white pillars and a large, T-shaped feature on top, casting shadows on a light gray surface.
Abstract image with curved blue and white layers and the word 'INSPIRE' in the center.
Close-up of a blue microwave oven surface with concentric circular ridges and a white T-shaped handle in the center.
American football player running through a tunnel with footballs and stadiums on the walls.
American football player in uniform adjusting helmet, dark background with dotted pattern.
An American football player wearing a helmet and jersey is seen through a cracked glass, with the player's face and focused expression visible.
The image shows the Kohler logo in 3D lettering on a metallic surface with a shadow cast across the logo.
Kohler logo illuminated with bright white and blue glow against a dark background.
Backlit black text that reads 'KOHLER' on a dark background.
Kohler logo in metallic silver text on a black background.
Kohler company logo in black text against a starry night background with a glowing horizon line.
A graphic with a black background displaying a jellyfish with transparent, flowing tentacles on the left side. To the right, the word 'KILLER' is written in large, white capital letters.
Kohler logo in front of abstract black and white fluid design.
Abstract black background with white splash patterns and the text 'KOHLER' in the center.
Reflected light displaying the word 'KOHLER' in a rippling water surface.
Black background with the stylized letters 'jw' in the center, featuring a gradient from teal to gray.
A spooky, dimly lit hallway decorated with framed pictures and cobwebs, illuminated by chandeliers and purple neon lights, with a vintage carpet on the wooden floor.
concept & storyboarding
I was responsible for most of the blocking/ storyboarding for the piece under the guidance of Ignacio Osario from the CNN London team. We knew from the start that we wanted to play in the realm of the abstract since the story is really about her internal struggle more so than anything else.
daze animation: reference creation
An emotionally distressed young woman sitting alone in a dark environment, with a warm, orange glow in the background.
An abstract painting of two figures sitting at a table; one with a yellow head and darker clothing, the other with a round head and red clothing; background with bold blue and dark hues.
Abstract digital art with vibrant streaks of color including blue, purple, white, yellow, and red against a black background, resembling colorful digital glitches or light streaks.
A digital illustration of a person diving into water, surrounded by dark blue and purple abstract shapes and digital letter boxes.
animated brush strokes recording
composing music
An artistic digital painting of a person sitting with their head resting on their arms, appearing sad or lost in thought, with warm sunset colors in the background. A sticker with a black and white laurel wreath design and the text "Vimeo Staff Pick" overlays the top left of the image.
BipSync Explainer Video
A collaboration with director Sean Scanlin and Bipsync, I animated this explainer video to introduce the world to a radical new financial platform, Bipsync.
Futuristic digital network with red and pink cloud-like formations and interconnected lines on a dark background, with the words 'Connecting and' overlayed.
main visualization
Close-up of a person's face reflected on a holographic display with digital codes and neon lights.
A person with a digital face overlay, surrounded by glowing blue and red holographic lines and circles, resembling a futuristic digital interface.
Two human faces, one with red holographic interface and the other with blue holographic interface, floating above glowing circular platforms in a dark environment.
Digital art with two human faces, one male and one female, emerging from holographic screens with glowing circles and geometric lines in a futuristic setting.
styleframes
Analysis UI Animation
For the facial analysis I designed some data elements for the eyes, nose and mouth to convey that they were being scanned to create the deep fakes.
Visualization B
This segment was designed to illustrate how the computer analyzes a group of photos so it can then map the corresponding face to the one that’s already there.
final video
astronaut animations
My first task on the project was to finalize the rocket that takes off during the title sequence. We sourced a model of both the Dragon capsule and Falcon boosters but the need to put our astronauts in such close quarters lead to a backslide of geometry modifications to the interior. I modified windows and merged the separate interior & exterior models. After pushing some polys around the astronauts had enough room to begin animating.
I had seen C4D’s Motion Clip system used in a SIGGRAPH presentation but I had no experience working with it myself until now. Loading different animations from Mixamo and blending them together was surprisingly fun and easy once I got the hang of it. Each astronaut starts out with different sitting animations to give them unique personalities. As the rocket travels into space, I blended a second animation with some underwater swimming animations to create the appearance of zero gravity.
rocket launch simulations
Time to simulate a rocket launch. With the astronauts animated, I could change focus from the interior to the exterior. Using X-Particles 4 and the new Explosia toolset, simulating a convincing rocket takeoff wasn’t too hard. The difficultly lie in the scale. This rocket needed to travel alot of distance very quickly so the size of the solver box was massive. Getting enough resolution on the simulation without spending hours on each simulation was the biggest headache, but ultimately I found a happy medium that still looked convincing.
space colony design, modeling & texturing
The space colony was probably the most ambitious shot of the whole piece. Looking at several ringworlds for inspiration, we came up with a design that was supposed to feel epic yet inviting. I really started feeling the design once we decided to start out underground. In VR it proved necessary to have elements closer to the camera to give a sense of scale, as otherwise everything in the scene felt too distant to immerse the viewer. The subterranean section, surrounded by a nest of elevator shafts and pedestrians, allowed us to reveal the main vista with dramatic effect.
With the design figured out, I animated as many elements as possible and worked in conjunction with Melody Shih to create textures for the rural ground section and the buildings that flanked it. From the animated silhouettes around the basement to the transport rails darting above ground, there were a ton of small details that brought the area to life. Lighting and texturing then proceeded until every element felt cohesive.
League of Legends: Riot Honor Intro
League of Legends: Riot Honor Intro (Loop)
Here is the infinite looping version of the animation that plays while users have the login screen up.
Dark background with glowing green geometric shape and a spherical object.
A glowing blue sphere and a blue diamond-shaped object floating in space with streaks of light against a dark background.
A circular space station with blue crystalline structures and a glowing blue planet or moon in the center, set against a black space background.
A mystical portal with glowing purple energy at the center, surrounded by gold and purple metallic elements, floating in a dark space with a hint of green grass at the bottom.
A fiery, glowing globe surrounded by glowing geometric shapes and abstract flames, set against a dark background with a hint of green at the bottom.
A complex scene with robotic arms and machinery illuminated by red lighting, appearing to be part of an industrial or technological setting.
A futuristic scene with a large, human-like face made of a glowing digital wireframe, surrounded by robotic arms and technological structures, illuminated in red lighting.
Reflection of a building with glass windows and a metal structure, seen in a glossy, dark surface.
Futuristic industrial interior with large glass structures, metal framework, and red lighting accents.
Main Title Sequence
A variety of pills and capsules in different colors, shapes, and sizes scattered on a white surface, including yellow round pills, pink oval pills, white tablets, and multi-colored capsules.
Various pills and capsules in different colors and shapes scattered on a light background.
A yellow background with an oval texture that has brown pills with black numbers. Superimposed on the texture are the words 'Z' and 'FOR THE NOSE' with the letter Z stylized as a nose illustration.
Close-up of a yellow sticker with black text and a partial black border, showing the words 'THE' and part of a recycling symbol.
Close-up of a yellow-green surface with a black 'USE' symbol and text indicating it is an accessible or guidance symbol.
Close-up of a green sign stating 'Should be taken with plenty of beer.'
Close-up of a green sign with a black 'no mobile phones allowed' icon, featuring a mobile phone with a diagonal line through it.
An illustration of a martini glass with pills inside, set against a green background.
Silhouette of a muscular man with arms akimbo against a red background.
Close-up view of a black and red superhero emblem with a Superman 'S' symbol inside the shape of a triangle, surrounded by concentric circles.
Close-up of the glowing red Superman logo on a dark background.
Close-up of a metal stovetop coil with black soot and ash, showing spiral-shaped heating elements and scattered debris.
Black stovetop with four burners and scattered black debris.
Close-up of a black spiral pattern on a blue textured surface with black lines and shapes.
Close-up of a blue sign with the text "DROWSINESS IS HAPPENING" and a graphic of a person's face with spiraled eyes indicating drowsiness.
Yellow prescription pill bottle with multicolored pills and tablets spilling out onto a white surface with the word 'REFILL' in bold black letters above.
A miniature model of an industrial area with trees, buildings, train tracks, a train, construction crane, and a body of water in the foreground.
A detailed miniature model of an industrial complex near the water, with various buildings, storage tanks, and ships docked along the shoreline, surrounded by a forest.
A detailed scale model of a coastal industrial facility with buildings, a crane, and a ship, adjacent to a wooded area with a train track and a train.
A digital rendering of a small industrial site with four yellow cylindrical structures, two of which are emitting purple smoke, and other industrial equipment in yellow and blue.
A detailed miniature model of an industrial factory with various buildings, chimneys, and stacks set outdoors with trees in the background.
Nighttime digital rendering of an industrial shipyard with cranes and raw materials labeled, showing a large vessel under construction.
Close-up image of metallic rolled sheets on a production line with the text 'Reduced Cost of Alloys' overlayed at the top.
A computer-generated digital rendering of an advanced microchip or processor with a satellite dish and a tower in the background, depicted with a futuristic, high-tech aesthetic and glowing elements.
Digital rendering of a construction site with cranes, buildings, and construction equipment, all depicted in a stylized, colorful, and slightly abstract manner.
Digital 3D rendering of data storage infrastructure with server racks, cooling units, and connected hardware in a futuristic style.
Digital futuristic interface with 3D display of data charts, graphs, and circuit-like structures against a starry background.
Noodle: Vulcan Explainer
Qualcomm Snapdragon: You Deserve AR Spatial Computing
Person's hand reaching for a smartphone on a wooden desk with a computer keyboard, notebook, and other office supplies.
A person holding a smartphone displaying a notification from Justin Weiss about urgent email changes, with various app icons at the bottom and a landscape wallpaper background.
Person working on a smartphone with a stylus, editing a 3D red sports car in a design application on a dark workspace.
A computer screen displaying 3D car design software with a red sports car model.
Close-up of a disassembled electronic device, showing circuit boards and a screen with a sports car image and graphic editing interface.
A drone camera captures a close-up of a smartphone circuit board, a tiny orange memory card, and a black device, with the background blurred.
Floating digital illustration of a computer monitor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G chip, a smartphone, and a circuit board.
Digital illustration of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G processor at the center, surrounded by images of a computer monitor displaying a car design, a photo of a sports car, and a graphics tablet with color editing software.
Diagram showing a central Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G chip connecting a computer and a smartphone, both displaying a 3D car model and editing software.
Qualcomm Snapdragon: You Deserve Mobile Computing
A person is holding a smartphone and video chatting with a woman who is smiling on the screen.
Woman with curly black hair wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt
Video call on a tablet with a woman speaking, surrounded by furniture and a wooden wall, with an augmented reality interface showing design options and dimensions.
A smartphone with a cracked screen and two disassembled phone screens placed on top of it, on a textured outdoor table. In the blurred background, a woman in a blue jacket is seen standing near a bookshelf or storage unit.
A woman on a video call with a screened background of an outdoor patio with black tiled flooring, a sitting area with two beige cushioned chairs, a cream-colored cushioned sofa, a small fire pit, a wooden fence wall with mounted flower planters, and a small grassy area on the right.
A smartphone mid-air with its back cover and internal components removed, showing the internal structure and a SIM card floating above the device, set against a blurred background with a person in a blue shirt.
A futuristic digital display showing a woman on a video call, various floating icons, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G logo, a pair of glasses, and images of a patio with outdoor furniture and plants.
Qualcomm Snapdragon: You Deserve Camera
A young man with dark hair wearing a gray t-shirt and red plaid shirt holding a black smartphone, seemingly taking a photo or video of something in front of him.
Young woman skateboarding at a skate park with cloudy sky background, wearing a helmet, maroon top, black leggings, and sneakers.
A young man and woman, both wearing helmets, are looking at a smartphone together at a skate park. In the background, other skaters are sitting on the edge of a ramp with helmets nearby.
Close-up of a person's hand holding a smartphone showing a video editing app with a skateboarder performing tricks in three separate scenes.
Close-up of a smartphone displaying a video editing app with a skateboarder performing tricks, with a circuit board underneath and a paper protective cover above.
A disassembled device with a circuit board floating above a black surface, a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip with a yellow label above the device, and two black rods or antennas suspended in the air.
Display screen showing a video editing interface with a skateboarder performing tricks, a central Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G logo, and two side screens displaying different frames of the skateboarder in mid-air
Qualcomm Snapdragon: You Deserve Gaming
Close-up of a disassembled smartphone with a game screen visible on the device's display, showing animated characters on a grassy landscape with trees and a starting label at the top.
A graphic illustration of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G processor with floating digital devices around it, including a colorful gaming laptop on the left and a smartphone displaying a nature scene with a waterfall on the right.
Digital illustration depicting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G logo in the center, with a graphic of children crossing a suspension bridge, a laptop displaying a game scene on the left, and a nature scene with a waterfall on the right.
Gold and red Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G logo on a blue background.
3D Title Animation
Close-up of colorful, illuminated Rubik's cubes arranged in rows.
Close-up of a colorful grid of plastic storage containers in red, blue, and green colors, stacked in an organized pattern.
Close-up of a stained glass window featuring a rainbow design with red, blue, green, and yellow colors in a grid pattern, set within a metal framework.
A close-up of a color palette with blocks of white, blue, red, and green colors visible through a grid of black metal framework.
Close-up view of a colorful Rubik's Cube with a black grid showing red, white, blue, and green squares.
Close-up of a large digital screen displaying a colorful, matrix-like pattern of horizontal lines in blue, red, white, and pink hues.
Close-up of an American flag on a digital screen with visible pixelation and horizontal lines.
Close-up of a vehicle's emergency light bar with red, blue, and white lights.
Close-up of a black flag with the American flag design, featuring red and white stripes and a blue field with white stars, waving in the wind.
Text in Russian that appears distorted and reflected on a black background.
Dark background with glowing white text that reads "Distorting the Truth" and smaller text underneath that reads "Russian Hacking Beyond the Election."
Complete title sequence
Instagram Scroll visualization
Product Listing visualization
amazon global visualization
A detailed isometric model of a digital social media post depicting a miniature outdoor scene on a boardwalk. The scene includes trees, a mountain, clouds, and outdoor furniture with umbrellas. Surrounding the model are social media interface icons such as like, comment, and share buttons, along with embedded text descriptions.
A miniature beach scene with two wooden lounge chairs, a blue umbrella, and small beach accessories, placed on a black board with social media-style text and icons, resembling an Instagram post.
Close-up of a digital page showing a social media post with a graphic of a credit card and some comments. The post includes text and icons, with handwritten style annotations indicating 'biometric' and 'mastercard' on the card graphics.
Miniature model of a beach scene with two wooden chairs, a blue umbrella, a cooler, and small plastic figures near the sand, along with a close-up of a section of packaging or price tags with sunglasses, umbrellas, and small containers.
Miniature model of a beach scene with two wooden chairs, a blue umbrella, flip-flops, sunglasses, a cooler, and a drinking bottle on the sand, along with a display of sunglasses and flip-flops on a stand.
A wooden nightstand with a digital alarm clock displaying 6:39 PM, a beige lampshade, a framed painting of mountains, and a small decorative item.
A wooden nightstand with a colorful lamp, a digital alarm clock displaying 10:35 PM, and a small framed mountain landscape painting. Next to the nightstand on a display surface are several white clocks and alarm clocks of various styles and prices.
A wooden nightstand with a lamp, a framed mountain landscape picture, and a digital clock displaying 10:29 PM. In front of the day and night switch, there are two control dials on a white panel.
A spherical sculpture of the Twitter logo with the iconic white bird on a blue and turquoise background.
A large white spherical object with the Google logo pattern on it, placed on a teal surface. The logo features a circle divided into four colored sections: red, yellow, blue, and green, with the colors pixelated.
Can Amazon Afford to Get Into the Ad Business? (full video)
Main Title Sequence
Our Driverless Future: In-Episode Visualization Montage
A digital illustration of a sports car driving on a road with a city skyline in the background, with neon lights and graph lines overlayed.
A digital artwork depicting a futuristic cityscape at night with neon lights, a network of transportation lines, and a vehicle on a road.
A futuristic cityscape at night with tall illuminated skyscrapers and flying cars on a digital highway.
A futuristic cityscape at night with tall skyscrapers, digital glitches, and streaks of light, giving a cyberpunk or sci-fi aesthetic.
Digital art of a futuristic cityscape at night with glowing neon outlines of buildings and flying geometric shapes, creating a cyberpunk aesthetic.
A futuristic cityscape at night with glowing skyscrapers, illuminated streets, and digital data overlays.
A futuristic cityscape at night with illuminated skyscrapers and glowing roads.
Futuristic digital cityscape with illuminated skyscrapers and neon-lit roads at night.
Futuristic city skyline with tall buildings, circuit-like streets, and a glowing moon in a digital or sci-fi style.
A futuristic digital cityscape with tall skyscrapers and glowing circuit lines, featuring the word 'UTOPI' with a power symbol as the letter 'O' and lightning effects in the sky.
Futuristic digital cityscape at night with glowing buildings and neon lights, with the word 'AUTOPIA' illuminated above.
Title screen with the words 'In-Episode Visualization Montage' on a dark, digital-themed background.
Close-up of a printed circuit board with electronic components and copper traces, featuring a blur effect.
Futuristic cityscape with outlined buildings and streets, illuminated by orange lines and streetlights, viewed from above.
Digital architectural wireframe of buildings, with orange outlines and reflections on glass surfaces.
Digital illustration of a globe highlighting the United States, with overlaying grid lines and world map in a futuristic style.
A digital, abstract map of Pennsylvania with glowing streets and waterways, overlaid with futuristic grid lines and data points.
A digital map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, displaying streets, parks, and city layout via futuristic, holographic-style graphics.
Neon signs for a motel, with one sign reading 'MOTEL' in large pink letters and another sign below that reads 'CLOSED' in red, along with the text about John's Motel. The signs are glowing with a pink and red hue against a rainy, starry night sky.
A glowing orange spacecraft on a track in outer space, surrounded by a complex network of rails and illuminated by a bright beam of light.
Futuristic scene with glowing neon outlines of people standing on circular platforms and a glowing rectangular building in the background.
A futuristic digital image showing a top-down view of multiple cars on a multi-lane road, with light trails and grid lines, highlighting autonomous vehicle technology, with the word 'LIDAR' at the bottom.
Futuristic digital dashboard displaying a speedometer, vehicle icons, and travel statistics overlaid on a dark background with grid and light effects.
Full Video: Our Driverless Future: City of Tomorrow
PAUSEFEST: 2021
The troubles we face require uncommon courage. Yet, that courage exists in all of us, made stronger by unity and sparked by even the smallest will to action.
Our film depicts a barren world, burdened by a storm. Amid the harrowing winds and roiling clouds, a few bold figures stand against it, defiant. They're left only to face the elements, to summon the will to change this world, and usher a new day.
Credits:
Client: Pause Fest
Producer: Liam Quinn
Creative Director: George Hedon
Production: Mill Direction
Director: Austin Marola
Producers: Morgane Moulherat & Janel Naumann
Editorial: The Mill
Editors: Charlotte Carr & Al Benoit
VFX Production: The Mill
Producers: Morgane Moulherat, Janel Naumann & Bhawesh Upadhyay
VFX Creative: The Mill
Creative Director: Donnie Bauer
Art Director: Austin Marola
3D Lead Artists: Austin Marola & Tyler Scheitlin
2D Artisst: Alex Koester, Kai Chun Tsai & Justin Keil
3D Artists: Devin Hayes, Justin Weiss, David Nelson, Shawn Li, Ewan Davidson, Greg Mawicke, Dan Yargici, Todd Akita, Stefan Kang, Siva Prasad, Donnie Bauer & Akavaram Arun Kumar
Finish Artist: Matthew Dobrez
Design: Anastasia Kharchenko
Additional: Body Scans by 3dscanstore
Colour: The Mill
Colourist: Oisin O’Driscoll
Executive Producer, Colour:
Colour Producer: Cameron Aper
Colour Assist: Cassie Benedict
Close-up of a dark, rocky surface with small rocks and a larger central rock, with the text "Comune di Milano" overlaid.
A glowing, human-like figure standing on a rock at night, with mountains in the background and the words "The Mill" in the sky.
An abstract image with glowing, fiery, golden-orange light streaks and sparkles against a dark background.
Close-up of a woman's face with closed eyes, smiling slightly, with sweat on her nose and upper lip.
An outstretched human hand with a neutral background.
styleframes
A bioluminescent jellyfish drifting in dark ocean water with glowing tendrils and shimmering surface light.
Close-up of a jellyfish swimming in dark water, with long, flowing tentacles and a transparent, bell-shaped body.
Close-up of a glass of water with a person inside it, in a surreal underwater scene with a dark background and light reflections.
A close-up of a dark glass object with intricate glowing lines and a starry background with bright spots of light.
Evolve: Taste: Vanilla
A bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with vanilla bean flavor on rocks in front of a textured background with spray patterns and the text 'GREAT TASTE' above.
Bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake vanilla flavor with mountain graphic, placed on a round stone surface, with "MEETS" written above.
A bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with vanilla bean flavor standing in snow with mountains in the background and the text 'The Great Outdoors' above.
Evolve: RTB: Vanilla
A vanilla bean plant-based protein shake bottle in the snow with promotional text showing 20g plant protein and 10g fiber.
A bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with vanilla bean flavor on snow with snowflakes and a cloudy sky in the background. Text reads 'EVOLVE', 'There's outside in here'.
Evolve: Taste: Chocolate
Bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with double chocolate flavor placed on a rocky surface with rocks in the background and the word 'MEETS' above it.
A chocolate-flavored plant-based protein shake bottle standing in a desert with sand dunes and the words 'THE GREAT OUTDOORS' in the background.
A bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake in double chocolate flavor, showing nutritional information of 20g plant protein and 10g fiber, with a rocky mountain landscape background.
A chocolate-flavored plant-based protein shake in a brown bottle with a winding desert canyon background and the slogan, 'There’s outside in here.'
Evolve: Taste: Berry
A bottle of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake in berry medley flavor on a rock surface with a pink background and the text 'DIVE INTO DELICIOUS' at the top.
Bottle of Evolve plant-based protein shake on rocky surface with ocean and cloudy sky background, pink and purple hues, text overlay reading "There's outside in here"
Evolve: Discover: Mocha
Text reading '20g' and 'ANT PROTE' over a mountain landscape background.
Text overlay on a mountainous landscape background highlighting 20 grams of plant protein and 10 grams of fiber.
A carton of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with mountains and trees in the background.
A carton of EVOLVE plant-based protein shake with a mountain landscape in the background and the slogan 'There's outside in here'.
Evolve: Discover: Chocolate
Close-up of a mountain range with prominent peaks and ridges, viewed indoors with large white letters partially visible in the foreground.
Text overlay on mountain landscape showing 20g plant protein and 10g fiber.
A chocolate-colored carton of Evolve plant-based protein shake with a white cap, sitting on a wooden log, against a plain background.
Plant-based protein shake carton with logo, labeled 'Evolve,' placed on a textured wooden surface with promotional text 'There's outside in here' and product details.
A plant-based protein shake carton labeled EVOLVE Berry Medley flavor in front of a scenic landscape of mountains and clouds at sunrise or sunset.
A purple carton of EVOLE plant-based protein shake with a mountain and sky background and purple gravel in the foreground. The carton features the flavor "Berry Medley" and nutritional details.
satoshi nakamoto: full sequence
Satoshi Nakamoto: Behind the Scenes
This project began as my first true project using Octane as a render engine. I wasn't too familiar with C4D even back then. I thought it could use an update if it was going to stay in my portfolio as I've learned alot since then. Here is a brief glimpse into the lifecycle of this project.
Digital graphic with the name 'Satoshi Nakamoto' in blue-green text, resembling a futuristic or technological interface.
Digital graphic displaying the name 'Satoshi Nakamoto' in glowing blue text against a dark, futuristic digital background with circuit-like patterns.
A futuristic, high-tech scene with glowing lights, metallic structures, and a bright explosion at the center, resembling a sci-fi laboratory or spaceship interior.
Close-up of a futuristic spacecraft or space station interior with metallic and illuminated components and structures.
Close-up of a futuristic robotic machine with metallic parts, glowing green elements, and sparks, possibly engaged in manufacturing or assembly.
A futuristic, high-tech machine or device with metallic components and glowing circular elements, emitting bright light at the center.
Close-up view of futuristic metallic machinery with intricate structures and glowing elements, set against a space-like background with floating particles.
Close-up of a computer or machine component with visible circuits, metallic parts, and bright lighting reflections.
Close-up of a complex electronic device with metallic and black components, including a microchip, wires, and circular gears or rings.
Close-up of a futuristic metallic chandelier with intricate geometric design and glowing blue accents.
Futuristic, sci-fi metallic technology with glowing lights and intricate details, resembling a high-tech device or spaceship interior.
Futuristic spaceship interior with a glowing portal or energy ring at the center, surrounded by metallic structures and machinery.
Close-up of a sleek, futuristic spaceship with glowing green and metallic accents, navigating through a high-tech, sci-fi environment with reflective surfaces and complex machinery.
A futuristic spaceship or space station with metallic, geometric structures and glowing lights, floating in space.
Futuristic sci-fi scene with a central glowing energy core surrounded by metallic structures and machinery, with a dark background and floating particles.
Dark image with glitch effects showing only faint, scattered light and lines.
Silhouettes of three people sitting outdoors during sunset or dusk, with a darkening sky in the background.
Close-up of a dark, textured surface with small, circular, pale formations scattered on it, glowing softly in a warm light.
Close-up of a small coral reef with various rocks and coral formations under dim lighting.
Close-up underwater shot of rocks covered with barnacles or marine life, with a dark background and small white, round shell-like structures.
The image shows a very dark background with scattered light spots that resemble tiny stars or particles.
Close-up view of a dark surface with a reflective, blurry background that appears to have clouds or bright spots.
Close-up of a melting brown bottle with a warning label about danger from the tap, seen through puddles of water.
Close-up image of muddy water with overlaid text reading "Dirty Water: Danger from the Tap."
Pepcid Commercial
Close-up of a bowler hat with rain droplets on it, viewed through window with raindrops.
Black sphere floating in a room with computer monitors and electronic equipment, viewed through an eye-shaped frame.
Close-up of a person's back, shoulders, and neck covered in gray dust or powder, in a dark environment with black bars across the foreground.
A window with handwritten messages in white chalk that read 'You are what you think' on the top part and 'Eat your pie' on the bottom part, partially obscured by the window grate.
A person wearing black pants with handwritten text, "lick you" on the left leg and "now you" on the right leg, written in black marker.
Shadow of a female body with written messages, broken into pieces against a black background.
Black and white illustration of a person tying a knot in a string or wire, focusing on hands and the string.
Drawing of a person walking on a reflective surface, with only their legs visible, against a dark starry background.
A black and white photograph depicting a pair of human legs standing in an ashtray or bowl, with the background filled with stars, giving a surreal or cosmic impression.
An open box of matches with one matchstick pulled out, resting on a dark surface.
Close-up of a hand holding a spatula with a spoon held above, against a dark background.
Black and white image of a hand holding a straight razor with the blade extended, set against a dark background.
A collection of various documents, photographs, and illustrations scattered on a dark surface, including medical or scientific reports, a biohazard label, an eye drawing, a mouth illustration, and evidence tape.
Black background with scattered white specks resembling stars, and several pages of printed paper with eye illustrations flying through space.
Logo Animation
Close-up view of a camera or telescope lens with multiple rings and a central light source.
Looking up inside a cylindrical structure towards a bright opening at the top.
Inside view of a spiral staircase looking up towards a bright opening at the top.
A view through a circular, viewfinder-like frame shows a logo with the text 'M2S' in shades of blue on a white background.
Illuminated 3D letters and numbers 'M2S' with blue and teal neon glow on a plain surface.
The word 'PERU' written in large, colorful, vintage-style letters on a cloudy sky background with birds flying.
A black circle with a textured surface in the center, surrounded by a glowing halo and geometric wireframe shapes in a dark background.
A jeep driving through lush green grassland in Kenya with elephants in the background, under a partly cloudy sky, with the text 'Kenya 2020' overlaid.
animation
This is an test image
A fantasy scene depicting floating islands with caves and small structures, fiery glowing openings, and a large metallic spherical structure in the background, set against a reddish, smoky sky.
A fiery scene with glowing embers, dark jagged rocks, and a large structure resembling a shield or barrier illuminated by intense flames.
A fiery scene resembling Mordor from Lord of the Rings, with glowing lava, jagged rocks, and a fiery sky. The Dark Tower is visible in the center, surrounded by burning flames and ash.
styleframes
Workflow Time Lapse
A time-lapse of the environmental sculpting in ZBrush. The smooth organic forms of the lava couldn’t lend themselves more to that program, and thanks to Jonas Ronnegard for some great lava brushes from Artstation
Black and White Sketches
I bashed together reference in Photoshop that’d I found for African architecture and volcanic forms. Once I was happy with the monotone compositions then I moved to color, and then begun translating that into the third dimension in ZBrush.
A spaceship flying through a sky filled with large, fluffy clouds at sunset.
Person with a helmet and suit riding a futuristic motorcycle among clouds in the sky.
A person riding a motorcycle with jet flames and smoke behind in a cinematic scene.
A futuristic rider in black and gold armor, wearing a helmet with a gold faceplate, skating on a pinkish, cloudy surface with four wheels that have gold accents.
A person wearing a black helmet and futuristic rocket-powered jetpack flying through the sky with clouds in the background.
A person in a black suit and helmet rides a motorcycle through a desert landscape with blurred motion and dust clouds in the background.
Close-up of a rocket in flight with a cloudy sky background.
Close-up of a futuristic robot or astronaut wearing a helmet with a reflective visor, against a cloudy sky backdrop.
Close-up of a shiny, reflective gold object, with a dark cloth or surface underneath, and a blurred sky with clouds in the background.
Vertical Text on a golden surface that reads 'EXPLOVER'
Final Video
storyboarding concepts
As the first step in the pipeline, we knew the storyboard had to be air-tight if the rest of the piece had any hope at being good. We knew from the start that the piece would play in the abstract but the more concrete pieces like how we represented Patience and other characters took a while to sure up.
A person sitting with their head down and arms around their knees, in a dark, abstract setting with warm colors and expressive brushstrokes.
An abstract painting of two people, one with blonde hair and the other with dark hair, engaged in a conversation, using bold brush strokes with blue, orange, and yellow colors.
styleframes
Here are several styleframes I created to nail down a target look for the cell animation phase. Our style evolved throughout production but the brush selection used and the painterly quality remained.
daze pattern exploration
Knowing that the piece would be cell-animated in the end, I wanted to use 3D to create reference that would defy what people expected from hand animation. We knew in the beginning of the piece we wanted to convey Patience’s confusion in an abstract way so I started exploring with different patterns to that effect. What I ended up doing was using MoExtrude on a glass sphere to create a distorted lense. I created several different animated patterns and mapped them to the HDR sphere so that that we had an environment on all sides that the glass sphere could distort. I put the camera right in the middle of the sphere and tried different combinations: MoExtrude settings on the glass and different patterns on the environment. Once I started getting patterns that felt unique, I felt like we had something that we could use.
3D execution exploration
From the beginning of production we knew we wanted to do a project that merged 3D and cell animation. My partner Curtis Brown and I had varying skillsets, and this was a way to merge them, but it was also a chance to do something unique. I tried my best to come up with 3D alternatives to having to do tedious cell animation. There were several reasons for doing this: mainly the ability to stay modular, the ability to animate the UV textures on objects and a more high-fi aesthetic to the end result. At the end of the day we didn’t have time to take these tests all the way to the finish line so we decided on cell animation, but here is a look at how we planned on using animated brush textures and UV mapping to come up with some interesting looks.
3D Reference Animation
Once we had the storyboards, I needed to build the piece in 3D essentially In the span of 2 weeks I essentially built the piece, including: simulating balloons morphing into flowers, posing and animating Patience, stitches transforming into birds, etc. There were alot of fun 3D challenges like cloth physics, softbody physics, Xpresso and character animation.
Octane Toon shading helped break apart the lighting and texture information into different layers without needing the artists to do any guesswork. We got the CG to a point where with a little imagination animators tracing it would have a solid road-map.
Life After: 3D Render Test
Though we went with a 2D, handdrawn style for the final video, it was based on a skeleton of 3D animation I created which the animators painted over. I wanted to see what this 3D animation would look like as a final product, so once the project was complete I went back and blew out my favorite section.
Cell Animation Process
Once we had the reference made, it was all hands on deck. Cell animation is a slow, tedious way to make images move so it took the help of people throughout CNN to help get the work done. Once we had elements, I composited them in After Effects, relying on the under-utilized Colorama effect.
Though no one really uses it these days, in this situation, it allowed me to draw out the opacity variations in the brush strokes and map them to a gradient. This allowed us to juice alot of sophistication out of each element, complimenting the main color with secondary, and even tertiary gradients. The final product benefited from a look that was more painterly than digital.
music & sound design
Once we had the VO track locked and finalized, I wrote a score for the piece using Ableton Live 10. I used synthesizers as an homage to the nightclub in the story and tried to let music explain Patience’s emotional states without words.
Xfinity: Winter Olympics: Red
A flat-screen television displays a skier in a blue suit and red boots skiing on a snowy mountain with a bright sun in the sky.
A person holding a TV remote pointing at a flat-screen television displaying a sports streaming app with Olympic-themed content and winter sports images.
Television screen displaying a snowboarder in a dark jacket with American flag details, red gloves, and a helmet, snowboarding on a snowy slope with the caption "Paralympics".
Close-up of a person snowboarding on a sunny day, with snow-covered landscape and mountains in the background.
A digital screen displaying categories for Olympic sports on a pink background, including winter sports like Alpine Skiing and Biathlon, and others like Curling, Figure Skating, Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, and Cross-Country Skiing.
A person skiing in mid-air, captured on a flat-screen TV with a pink background.
A woman skiing downhill on snow-covered terrain in a mountain landscape with trees and snowy peaks in the background.
A television on a pink background displays a snowboarder in a red outfit performing a trick against a blue sky with clouds.
Xfinity: Winter Olympics: Blue
Close-up of a cross-country skier in a blue suit with red, white, and blue accents, wearing sunglasses, and holding orange ski poles, skiing on snow under a bright sun in a winter landscape.
A laptop displaying an outdoor skiing scene with a skier in red gear, on snow-covered terrain, under a bright sun, next to a white air purifier on a blue background.
A person in a blue sports suit and helmet skiing on snow with trees in the background, displayed on a laptop screen.
A young girl wearing a blue helmet and a matching racing suit skis downhill on a snowy slope, leaning into a turn with trees in the background.
Two flat-screen televisions displaying a snowy landscape with ski tracks and red and yellow markers, set against a blue background with a glowing white surface.
Two smartphones displaying skiing scenes, set against a vibrant blue background with a digital wave design.
Three digital screens displaying a skier in a blue suit, helmet, and goggles skiing on snow, with the middle screen showing the most detail, all against a blue gradient background.
Flat-screen TV displaying a snowy mountain landscape with a skier in a blue jacket and blue helmet skiing downhill.
Xfinity: Winter Olympics: Purple
A smartphone displaying an image of a figure skater on ice, with a large number 0 in the background, against a purple wall with LED lighting.
A figure skater performing on an ice rink, displayed on a modern laptop screen with an 'xfinity' logo at the top, set against a purple background.
Multiple electronic devices including a laptop, smartphone, and tablets displaying an ice skating scene with a male figure skating.
A person walking as seen through the screen of a smartphone, with a purple background and geometric lighting effects.
Smart TV displaying an ice skater on the ice rink, with a smartphone beside it showing a large X on its screen, and a purple background with glowing lights.
Google: Apollo: ShiftEDU
A miniature wooden model of a house with a fence, surrounded by green trees, with a background of city buildings and mountains in a cartoonish landscape.
A miniature model of a suburban neighborhood with houses, trees, cars, a small pool, and a water feature, all made from wood and plastic.
Model of renewable energy sources including wind turbines, solar panels, and a tunnel with solar panels, surrounded by green trees.
Miniature model of a suburban neighborhood at night with houses, trees, cars, streetlights, and a pipeline with water, all illuminated.
A model of a neighborhood at night with a hanging sign that reads 'Energy Shift' in front of houses, trees, and a bridge over water.
Smart thermostat display showing a temperature of 74°F with a cool setting and peak time indicator.
Decorative window with paper clouds and raindrops hanging inside, view of small houses, trees, and city skyline in the background.
A window with a paper craft cityscape outside, showing clouds with raindrops and lightning bolts hanging inside the cloud cutouts, with houses, trees, and city buildings in the background.
A paper art model of a village with trees, houses, wind turbines, and mountains in the background.
Google: Apollo: MatchEDU
Artistic installation with black textured shapes resembling smoke clouds, wooden and cork structures, and glass tubes on a circular platform.
Miniature scene of a sustainable energy landscape featuring wind turbines, solar panels, small trees, and a sign reading 'Clean Energy Match'.
Miniature model of a house surrounded by trees, wind turbines, and a golf ball on a tee, all in a simplified, cartoonish style.
Cartoon landscape with green trees, wind turbines, a small creek, and large white and green dollar and number signs indicating a price of $10.
A kinetic sculpture with a wooden clock face and two glass tubes containing black and green balls, supported by white stands.
A green camera button with the word "REC" on it, set against a stylized landscape background with wind turbines, trees, and hills.
Animated landscape with green trees, a wind turbine, and stacks of green tokens with REC labels, representing renewable energy credits.
A miniature landscape featuring wind turbines, solar panels, green trees, and a small wooden building.
Model of a renewable energy landscape with wind turbines, solar panels, and trees, showcasing sustainable energy sources.
Multiple white papers with embossed lines and dollar amounts hanging on a wall.
Smartphone displaying an energy matching app against a background of papers pinned on a wall.
A modern beige table lamp with a rounded wooden base and a white shade, placed on a white marble-like block on a beige surface, with small green balls on a cork tray in the background.
A miniature wooden washing machine model with a circular transparent door, placed on a light-colored block. A tray with small black and green balls is visible to the left.
A small wooden computer monitor with a geometric pattern on the screen, placed on a white box, with a remote control beside it, and green tennis balls in a tray in the background.
Hanging ornament of the Earth with green continents and white oceans, depicted as a spherical globe, suspended against a gray background with small white dots resembling stars.