Press Release from Speedshape

Detroit/LA -- Team Detroit took this year's Ford Mustang Customizer to the next level, creating an interactive experience that not only invites users to help design their dream muscle car, but also gives their designs a life outside of the automaker’s website, in social media. The agency once again tasked Speedshape with transforming the car, options and accessories into high quality photo-real assets that capture the imagination of car enthusiasts and draw them into this immersive interactive experience.

A hybrid design/development company best known for its cutting-edge VFX-driven commercials, Speedshape has again shown how an artistic eye and technical ingenuity can transform traditional digital rendering from a process to a craft.  Rooted in animation, the company’s multi-disciplined team of designers and producers brings a level of artistry to computer imagery that is distinguishing Speedshape’s work in the digital arena.

Speedshape’s VFX team began the job at Ford’s live shoot, where they captured the HDRI environments for the three locations in which the 2012 customizer would reside. They then created all modular elements required to build the full range of trim levels, as well as the hundreds of accessories and options – including the wheels, grilles, Ford racing performance parts, factory and custom colors, body kits, and graphics.

After completing the modeling and data prep for each of four different models: The Mustang V6, GT, Boss 302 and the Shelby GT500, as well as the massive quantity of options, Speedshape took all the assets to a photo real finished quality, matching the lighting and environments captured during the shoot. 

 “Having a sophisticated approach to asset management and a fluid, customized pipeline in place is key to keeping a job of this scope efficient and cost-effective - and maintaining the same pristine photographic quality and lighting values for every asset, ” says Speedshape’s CG Supervisor, Mike Ward. “We integrated back-plate images to maximize the flexibility and intuitive functionality of the Customizer.” 

 “Our focus on the management and maintenance of files, scripts and software ensures that our scalable assets can be repurposed and seamlessly integrated, year after year, without running into software or hardware conflicts,” added Ward.

Team Detroit fully loaded this year’s Customizer with new features that make playing around with the infinite combinations of colors, accessories and options almost a video game-like experience. Once completed, cars can be posted on Facebook where users can opt to go into ‘battle mode’ and compete against each other for top ranking based on the number of votes their design receives from other participants. 

 “Speedshape and Team Detroit have built a strong creative partnership over the last few years. It’s great to work with a client that collaborates with us throughout the creative process, and is so committed to making each generation of the Customizer more innovative and cutting-edge than the year before,” says Speedshape's Executive Producer, Mike Albert. 

Speedshape provided all of the layered CG assets, 2D smoke and burnout graphics for the website and delivered final layered files for all parts, stripes and decals and delivered it to Firstborn where the live site was developed and programmed.