Animating Grace:
Integrating 3D Animation with Live-Action in ‘OVERFLOW’
Integrating 3D Animation with Live-Action in ‘OVERFLOW’
The Challenge
YDisciple is an organization dedicated to making the highest quality videos and resources for their customers.
Their production partner, LikableArt had the goal of taking the videos “to the next level” while keeping the production agile as the documentary-style edits changed over time.
Making something beautiful, effective, and steeped in Catholic teaching, all while remaining flexible to production needs was my part of the mission.
Outcome
We created a colorful 3D animated intro sequence to be used on each episode, and a series of quick-turnover illustrative animations for use within each video.
Scroll through the Process to see the final videos.
SERVICES RENDERED
Conceptualization
Design
Animation
Lighting, Texturing, Rendering
Compositing and Color Grading
Illustrative Animation
DELIVERABLES
Title Sequence
2D Animation
Motion Graphics Template (.mogrt) delivery
COLLABORATORS
Cory Heimann - Creative Director
JP Talty - Concept Collaborator
Brian - Editor
Process
Research and Look Development
One of the main goals we had was to establish a visual metaphor that represented the effect of the Sacraments on our lives. We needed to show that connection to God, and the effect of his Grace. An early option was using particles, having them change somehow or interact with scenes from the interviewee’s life.
Color Spread
We eventually settled on the execution of light from the sacraments causing a flow of color to come over everyday objects from each person’s life. The objects would formally “stay the same” yet come more fully alive—indeed living “in full color” so to speak.
This color change couldn't just “fade-in” though, we needed an interesting way to go about it.
After some experimenting, it was clear that a layered effect that was applied dimensionally could marry a graphic effect to a 3D world.
This was the final color spread effect.
To create this, the color change on each object's material was based on a growing “Vertex Map” triggered by an animated null. The points on the geometry all have a value from 0-1 or Black to White (in the preview below, from Red to Yellow).
This changing gradient is used as a basis for a ramp (Vertex Attribute Node below) that's mapped out into different patterns and colors. The color would be shown as a build-up of different masked layers until the final layer of the full diffuse/albedo layer finished everything off.
Unnecessarily complicated? Perhaps.
The effect was a sort of spectrum of hues that spread before the final color followed. The gradual stacking also reflects the often gradual change that happens in our lives, approaching holiness bit by bit till we're fully alive in Christ.
Does this work approach resonate with you?
Let’s see if its a fit for your project.
Final Output
Title Sequence
This was the first place to test and execute on the idea:
Illustrative Animation AKA animated B-roll
We also had to render different objects and scenes to serve as supporting footage for the edit. In the interest of time and with the need for realism, geometry was sourced from various sources online. The job here was mainly texturing and re-texturing, animating, lighting, and “shooting” these in interesting ways before passing the renders onto the editing team.
One scene involved figuring out how to generatively substitute a bunch of different bread (using Adobe's Firefly Beta) on a turn-around I had animated as a base.
Supercut of Other illustrative Scenes
Editable .MOGRT Files
For easy plug-in to the editorial flow and quick updating, MOGRT files of the animated text titles were provided as part of the final delivery
Enhance your project with visuals that speak to the soul. See how we can work together.
