MAXON's CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D were called upon by the visual effects and character animation artists at Sony Pictures Imageworks to create the classic cartoon look and feel of OPEN SEASON. MAXON software was used by texture artists, matte painters and look dev artists on every frame of film, from characters to rocks, in this, the first offering from Sony Pictures Animation.
Homage was paid to famous background artist Eyvind Earle and his unique style. According to Apryl Knobbe, Digital Paint lead, Imageworks artists choose the painstaking path of digitally hand painting every element to achieve this classic look. MAXON software was called into service to accomplish this and resulted in every character, all matte paintings, props, hard surface environments, vehicles, some trees, rocks, cliffs and bunnies being completed with this 21st century nod to traditional animation.
"MAXON software possesses an acceptable learning curve for artists at any level. Its powerful and customizable 3D paint tools has made it easy to integrate in the rest of our show pipeline and have resulted in it becoming the facility supported tool for digital paint here at Imageworks," observed Knobbe.
MAXON Computer (www.maxon.de) is the developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions. Its award-winning products have been used extensively in the film, television, science, architecture, engineering and other industries. MAXON products have been used for and in THE POLAR EXPRESS, THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, HERO, VAN HELSING, KING ARTHUR, SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2, HAUNTED MANSION, CAT IN THE HAT, CHARLIE'S ANGELS FULL THROTTLE, STAR WARS: EPISODE 11 THE ATTACK OF THE CLONES, THE MUMMY RETURNS, GLADIATOR, TOMB RAIDER, the new Columbia-TriStar Film Logo, the On-Air Packages for Comedy Central, MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL and more. MAXON has offices in Friedrichsdorf, Germany, Newbury Park, California, Bedford, U.K. and Tokyo.
Sony Pictures Imageworks Inc. is an Academy Award winning, state-of-the-art digital production studio dedicated to the art of visual effects production and character animation. Imageworks' production environment facilities four diverse pipelines, including live-action visual effects and character work, Imagemotion performance capture, all CG animation and Imageworks 3-D steroscopic. The company has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with Oscars for its work on SPIDER-MAN 2 and the CG-animated short film THE CHUBBCHUBBS!, as well as nominations for THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, SPIDER-MAN, HOLLOW MAN, STUART LITTLE and STARSHIP TROOPERS.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
