| CG environments and character animation on display Digital Domain completed nearly 100 visual effects shots, including the character animation of several robots, for the blockbuster TRANSFORMERS from director Michael Bay.
Among the robots created by Digital Domain's animation team was the severed head of Decepticon Frenzy, as well as robots that transform into objects such as a cell phone, a steering wheel and a vending machine. Digital Domain was also awarded shots of the Autobots' earthly arrival in the form of asteroids and a flashback sequence set in the Arctic Circle. Following an intense battle with Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox), Frenzy is decapitated by a circular saw and the severed head becomes a crab-like robot determined to reconnect with the rest of its body. By disguising itself as a cell phone, Frenzy is able to transform and stow away undetected in Mikaela's purse. Digital Domain tackled the robotic animation of Frenzy's head in concert with director Michael Bay and integrated the character into live-action photography filmed at the Hoover Dam and other locales. David Prescott, visual effects supervisor at Digital Domain, oversaw the work along with animation supervisor Dan Taylor and visual effects producer David James. Also animated by Digital Domain was the Nokia-bot, a cell phone transformed into a tiny warrior by the Allspark cube's energy, as well as the Mountain Dew-bot, a vending machine that transforms into a menacing threat during a climactic battle in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Among the additional shots awarded to Digital Domain was a flashback sequence set in the Arctic Circle, where Sam Witwicky's great-grandfather discovers a frozen Megatron trapped in ice. Working with live-action photography that was filmed on a soundstage, Digital Domain fashioned a computer-generated arctic environment and added Megatron to the ice cave footage. In addition, Digital Domain created the Autobots' crash-landing on Earth in the form of asteroids. This sequence details the meteors' approach from outer space, their entry into the planet's atmosphere and eventually their landing in various spots around Los Angeles: Dodger Stadium, a city street and an open field. Several of these asteroid shots were a part of the film's theatrical trailer and were entirely computer-generated. "Digital Domain has always been known for providing the most photorealistic digital environments in the industry," noted David Prescott, "but on this film we have also demonstrated our ability to produce outstanding 3D character animation work that blends seamlessly with surrounding live-action footage." "We very much enjoyed the challenge of realizing Michael Bay's vision," added Dan Taylor, "and we look forward to using our experiences on this film to drive our animation work on future projects." Digital Domain (www.digitaldomain.com) is an Academy Award-winning visual effects facility located in Venice, California. In addition to TRANSFORMERS, the company recently completed work on PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END, MEET THE ROBINSONS, ZODIAC, THE HITCHER, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA and the upcoming WE OWN THE NIGHT. © 2007 AWN Inc. All rights reserved |
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