Summary
A car born from courage, inspiration and determination
Saatchi & Saatchi, along with the powerful eye of Oskar
Holmedal and The Mill LA, demonstrate the stunning drip development
of the new 2013 Toyota Avalon.
The spots fluid effect was initially shot in a water tank, with a
mixture of ink and caramel used to achieve the correct consistency.
The Mill LA's Creative Director, Robert Sethi, supervised the VFX
shoot on set, and shared that "the challenge was to maintain the
ink's poetic nature, while at the same time giving it enough
direction to reveal the product." The difficult task was met head
on by The Mill's CG Supervisor, Josh Hatton, and his CG team who
seamlessly build the new Avalon out of the lightweight, dancing
liquid.
The CG Team then focused on rounds of RnD in order to master the
weight of the fluid, constantly referring to the shoot footage,
eventually setting up a mini reproduction of the shoot's water tank
inside the studio. "Our biggest challenge was the shot where the
water drains to reveal the finished car," explains
Josh. "The draining water needed ink, bubbles, splashes,
and foam to make it photorealistic. It's an incredibly
complex and heavy simulation. We made sure we got
everything right from the film left behind by the dropping water
level, to the subtle rivulets running off the car."
After the lyrical ink and proper suds had been mastered, the
spot's beautiful composition was handled in Nuke, followed by Flame
work to achieve the appropriate underwater feel. The end result is
a stunning piece that not only captures the elegance of liquid, but
the impressive nature of the new Toyota Avalon.
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