Speedshape has launched a new vfx design studio located in the heart of Venice, specifically geared to deliver a broad range of powerful visual solutions for both advertising and entertainment.
Speedshape is a company known for its ability to manage and produce print, broadcast and interactive content using automotive CAD data. This data can be used to accurately recreate cars, engines, and motion more effectively and efficiently than many photographic or scanned image processes. As a result, Speedshape can digitally produce, to an extraordinarily realistic degree, any element of the product and its features.
Carl Seibert, the md at Speedshape, commented, "Because of our ability to work with engineering data, designs come directly from the actual engineering specifications, so the visual replication is nearly indistinguishable from its real-life counterpart. This means that we can actually produce an entire spot using strictly CG assets that are not physically available--all right here in the comfort of our studio."
Robert Nederhorst, Speedshape's vfx supervisor, added, "In designing the pipeline at Speedshape Venice, our goal was to create a seamless way for creative clients to work any medium and any type of data. We used latest in digital production technology and our bleeding edge hardware and software can accommodate emerging digital production techniques. We can effortlessly support digital film camera digital data sets, including the Viper and Red cams, and can process that data through intermediate applications and conform up to 4K resolution. We are able to offer 3D storyboarding and previsualization and are really unique in that we can support print, interactive, broadcast and feature film projects--at the same time and from the same assets. True resolution independence."
As evidence of the power of their technique, Speedshape Venice recently garnered critical acclaim for its collaborative efforts in a spec spot with Anonymous Content's Joseph Kosinski. Showcasing the Saab Aero X Concept Car, Blackbird features a fully functional vehicle as it traverses breathtaking terrain: viewable from the interior, exterior and even mechanical perspectives. This fully equipped 3D digital production vehicle brings movement and life to the car and its features. The company also applies their CG production capabilities to many other GM products, motorcycle giant Harley Davidson and tire mogul Michelin.
While the realism and efficiencies offered by Speedshape have certainly proved invaluable in the automotive realm, the proprietary technology is also portable to other products--representing a huge opportunity for advertisers. Seibert continued, "The beauty of our digital pipeline is that we can apply it to virtually any product. This generates enormous creative and economic advantages relative to some traditional production alternatives." No longer constrained by physical limitations, the possibilities are endless. More realistic digital asset modeling technology can be used for entertainment, advertising, gaming, virtual storefronts and interactive web applications and truly represents the next step in CG content creation.
Speedshape Venice (www.speedshape.com) is an innovative vfx company, taking advantage of an unrivaled access to digital assets to bring a new standard of realism to CG, compositing, previs and digital intermediate services. Combining artistic originality with engineering prowess, the full-service studio is able deliver powerfully convincing and accurate visual solutions across print, broadcast, and interactive media.
Speedshape Venice consists of award-winning visual effects artists and engineers and is led by: Carl Seibert: managing director, Steve Griffith: producer, Robert Nederhorst: visual effects supervisor, Greg Tsadilas: CG supervisor, Erick Schiele: visual effects artist and Gordon Chapman: supervising technical director.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
