Advertisers and movie studios relied on technology from Autodesk to tackle the cutting-edge visual effects and animation integral to delivering their Super Bowl XLIII message.
"Super Bowl commercials and trailers are some of the most demanding entertainment projects in the world," said Bruno Sargeant, senior industry manager for television and broadcast, Autodesk Media & Entertainment. "For over 15 years, leading creatives have relied on a variety of Autodesk solutions to shape awe-inspiring content."
Several movie studios unveiled movie trailers during the Super Bowl to generate excitement for upcoming releases. Industrial Light & Magic worked on two films whose trailers aired during the game: TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN and STAR TREK. On both projects, ILM used Autodesk Maya 3D modeling, animation and rendering software and Autodesk Inferno visual effects software as part of ILM's SABRE system.
Numerous post-production facilities used Autodesk technology to work on the creation of Super Bowl commercials (see Autodesk YouTube channel for links to these commercials):
-- Brickyard VFX worked on an impressive number of commercials: Bud Light Lime's Sphere of Summer, as well as Thugs, a commercial for a Denny's campaign. Both were shaped with the Autodesk Flame visual effects software (Maya was also used on the Budweiser commercial). In addition, Brickyard VFX used the Autodesk Smoke finishing effects software on Cash4Gold.com's One Up.
-- PSYOP created three commercials that aired during the game: Coca Cola's Heist, Kellogg's Plant a Seed as well as Fandamonium for Monster.com. All were created with Flame, Maya and Softimage|XSI 3D modeling, animation and rendering software.
-- The Mill worked on the Gatorade Manifesto multi-commercial campaign using Flame, Maya and Autodesk Combustion compositing software and The Chase for Audi using Flame and Combustion.
-- Method Studios created six commercials using a host of Autodesk tools. Method used Flame and Combustion on five commercials: Tips for Career Builders, The Ladders' Little Creatures and Chairs, and Pepsi's Pass and Refresh Anthem -- on which Maya was also used. Method also used Flame and Maya on Hulu's Alec in Huluwood commercial.
-- Framestore NY had a prolific Super Bowl season with six commercials: Bridgestone's two-commercial campaign Hot Item and Taters, and General Electric's Scarecrow. All were all shaped with Flame and Maya. As well, Framestore used Flame on E-Trade's 401Kand Wings, and on Double Take for Monster.com.
-- MPC used Flame for compositing and 3D projection and Autodesk Burn, a Linux-based rendering software for Pedigree Crazy Pets.
-- Smoke & Mirrors New York used Flame for conforming and compositing the Castrol Grease Monkeys commercial.
-- Asylum worked on two commercials that aired during the game Coke Zero Mean Troy using Inferno, Smoke and Flame and Teleflora Talking Flowers using Inferno, Smoke, Flame, and Maya for modeling, rigging, animation and lighting of the flower.
-- Radium used Maya and Inferno for a Nextel Roadies commercial as well as for two Sprint commercials which aired pre-game Highschool and Petals.
-- AXYZ worked on the Budweiser Fetch commercial using Inferno.
