"The Next Generation of 3D Animation"
May. 12th, 2010 01:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sanetA week or two ago, I came across this link to an interview (in Japanese) with director Morimoto Koji and some of the Studio 4°C staff about the current state of 3D animation in Japan. It's interesting in light of Tom Lamarre's recent work on planar movements and movement into depth in animation, so here's a tentative translation. My clarifications are in [square brackets].
The Next Generation of 3D Animation Production Has Arrived!: The Scene of Production at Forward-Looking Studio 4°C
2010.04.15.Thu
Category : Special
With Avatar kicking off the 2010 film scene, there’s been a flood of new 3D movies much anticipated by fans. For example, Alice in Wonderland, opening this weekend. If you’re a Tim Burton fan this opening should please you. And if there’s an equally long list of people wanting to make movies with 3D images, well, is there any doubt that director Morimoto Koji would be at the top? In works like “EXTRA,” Memories: “Magnetic Rose,” and Noiseman Sound Insect, to name a few, even what is captured in the frame gives a sense of the spaces off-screen, creating a bustling world where characters and objects move about freely, futuristic themes that pull us into the imagined worlds of augmented reality, and three-dimensional soundscapes. All of these are indispensable keywords for Morimoto’s film worlds. So given that, of course the allure of the 3D screening environment has an extra sparkle for Morimoto.
In fact, at the start of 2008 Studio 4°C joined [the virtual-world website] Area Tokyo Zero (music by Tamurapan), and since then they’ve been ambitiously pursuing 3D projects. Just the other day at the 2010 Tokyo International Anime Fair, they showed test screening of the trailer for Film Projectionist Sachiko, and a demo of the new work “Ambient Love (one-minute version.)” I recently had a chance to visit Studio 4°C and ask about the current state and future possibilities of their 3D work-in-progress, “Ambient Love.”
[Image 1 caption:] Morimoto Koji, animation director. A main creator representing Studio 4°C. Taking a free, undogmatic stance towards formats, Morimoto is always searching for new modes of filmic expression. An able animator, he did the key animation for Tomorrow’s Joe 2, and worked as assistant animation director on Akira, then founding Studio 4°C together with Tanaka Eiko. Since then, he has made such exciting works as the first piece in the omnibus film Memories, “Magnetic Rose,” the music video “EXTRA,” Noiseman Sound Insect, and The Animatrix: “Beyond.” An illustrator, DJ, and editor, Morimoto has a wide field of activities.
*Morimoto-Style 3D Production
Studio 4°C’s current project in production, “Ambient Love,” has been an entirely in-house venture, as is reflected 100% in its unique 3D production methods. I asked Mr. Morimoto right away about the differences between making 3D works and flat [2D] works.
“First, I think the length of each cut changes. Even in cuts of just a few seconds, it takes time to recognize 3D, so for a cut that usually lasts one second, for example, you now need something like two seconds, or perhaps a long take would be more effective, things like that. Then, basically because horizontally-flowing movement becomes difficult to recognize, I think movement with depth becomes the main thing.”
What’s more, with 3D imagery, control of the “density” of an infinitely wide space becomes essential. In contrast with flat film images, the spaces of 3D imagery are unimaginably vast, so no matter how many objects fill it, there’s an empty feeling of something missing. But on the other hand, if you try to crowd in an impossible number of things, that just damages the sense of perspective even more. In short, finding that crucial balance in the “density” of space has become the core of 3D film production. According to CGI director of “Ambient Love,” Watanabe Shunsuke,
“Talking with Morimoto recently, it seems we were not always entirely comfortable with hugely wide spaces. Until now, we had presented somewhat wide spaces in 2D animation, but, of course, their depth was limited. Then with “Ambient Love,” we dared to take a vast, empty space as our starting point, and something was born, through various connections and divisions, what you could call a story grew up, and it became possible for us to show a worldview with depth using the special qualities of 3D.”
From this clear concept, Morimoto realized that his powers of imagination could leap the hurdle called “3D.” When trying to express himself in 3D images, the director’s imagination and skill are called to go beyond the expressions of flat imagery. But if he is able to get clear images, mightn’t he be able to create fascinating spaces?
[Image 2 caption:] From “Ambient Love”: the new work by director Morimoto Koji is in 3D! It will be a love story, the rendevous of a man and a woman presented through minimalist images and music.
*Into the Unknown Scene of 3D Production
There are still a few things about the actual 3D production site that haven’t been explained yet. So, I tried asking Mr. Watanabe about the work procedures in the actual production area. According to Mr. Watanabe, when he first got involved with 3D film production, he was bewildered to find the situation very different from film production up until that point. He had to draw two separate LR [left and right] screens, and in order to create a synchronized 3D space, he also had to plan out each one with a sense of parallax motion. Of course, this got increasingly time-consuming.
“When I first tried it, it felt like it took anywhere from around four times to as much as eight times longer to get things done. Particularly because Studio 4°C’s work, or rather, animation, is mainstream, unlike other 3D companies that juxtapose many 2D and 3D elements, we use a parse map (a graphic technique for naturally mixing 2D and 3D objects) to naturally blend these elements, which takes quite a bit of labour.”
But the most stressful part was checking the work using anaglyph (red and blue) glasses. When using CG software, animators work by repeating the steps “processing - checking - retouching,” but [the software doesn’t actually render in 3D, so] they have to check the 3D work outside the software using anaglyph glasses. Because the anaglyph glasses just show red and blue, they can only check the layout using anaglyph glasses. They still have to check things like colour balance and texture by eye. It can become a big burden on the animators to keep repeating this process.
“Working with the anaglyph glasses for a long time got really stressful. We would check the layout in red and blue, and after that we’d check the colour balance on a normal screen. From doing that over and over, we’d get red and blue afterimages in our eyes so that we could hardly make out the colours, which was exhausting.”
Also, with the anaglyph process preventing them from grasping layout and colour balance at once, quality control becomes a difficult task. That’s because in order to check the final results, they have to export the left and right screen data from the CG software where it was initially authored to a machine capable of playing back 3D images. The resulting steps of “initial authoring - transferring” took an extraordinary amount of time, and the waiting also caused a lot of stress. In this way, Watanabe realized, the entire process for making 3D films, from production to checking, was not as easy as making 2D films at first.
*The Evolving 3D Production Environment
[Image caption:] The production site of the work “Ambient Love”: Mr. Watanabe works on the latest in equipment. The computer is a third-wave workstation equipped with NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800 [3D graphics card], an Acer GD245HQ 3D monitor, and NVIDIA 3D VISION glasses. The software is Autodesk MAYA 2009. After previewing the 3D effect in the viewport using active shutter glasses, he can check the colour and layout on the same screen.
According to Mr. Watanabe, this situation is changing due to the more and more advanced solutions for 3D image production. His 3D monitor, the first installed at Studio 4°C, has a frame rate of 120 Hz and supports the active shutter system of 3D glasses. Active shutter glasses are different from anaglyph, because you can check the colour balance and layout all while using MAYA. The image is high-quality full HD, and if he uses a 3-pin stereo connector*, it also reduces flicker and makes quality control more reliable.
*He has since installed NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800
“Since I can use MAYA to check the colour and layout while working, the stress level has gone down. And working on just one machine means that the final checks take a lot less time, and the quality control side of things is easier too.”
In this increasingly user-friendly technical environment, they also notice a surprising decreasing in cost compared to before. I spoke to the Board of Directors’ representative member, Ms. Tanaka Eiko, about this.
“Until a few years ago, producing images in 3D required the assistance of a specialized studio. But starting this year, we can do it in-house, and what’s more, these last few months, with a more efficient workflow and feasible solutions, costs have become much more moderate.”
Given their amazingly fast evolution, 3D production sites are growing more common all the time.
[Image caption:] Tanaka Eiko Studio 4°C’s Representative Director/Manager/Producer and BeyondC’s Representative Director and CEO. She works together with the creators at the Studio 4°C animation studio, and has gained much experience as a producer. She has produced many pioneering works in the hybrid 2D/3D fusion style which have received world-wide attention. She inspires her workforce with a burning desire to make original, expressive television series, theatrical works, commercials, music videos, web-based projects, and the like, and is in the process of founding a short film department. She boldly tackles new media and is devoted to realizing 3D productions.
*Where 3D Animation is Headed From Here
Lastly, I asked Studio 4°C’s Representative Director Ms. Tanaka to tell us about the prospects facing 3D animation from here.
“When it comes to 3D, I think back on the worlds of those old SF movies, anime and the like, and they seem familiar now. More and more, I feel those things are becoming real. But in that case, what can we make that will be interesting? That’s to say, I think we have to keep being asked this question, don’t we. There are many people trying out 3D, they want to compete over it, you see. Through this process, great things will surely be put out. In this competitive environment, Morimoto and his team of creators want to make a stand, and I think they’re capable of it. In terms of 3D, animation certainly has great potential. Because with live action, however “real” the 3D looks, it’s no match for actual reality. But animation can make you believe in a world that couldn’t possibly exist in reality. By doing things in 3D, it’s possible to express things that are realer than real. That’s something to look forward to from here.”
So at last, we’ve seen Studio 4°C’s earnest struggle with 3D imagery production. In this scene of production, we’ve been able to catch a glimpse of the ideal creation space for bringing about the age of 3D. From this, we can realize how this creative environment is growing closer to us at an incredible speed. Hopefully more film creators reading this article will actively take up the challenge of 3D works.
Five Questions for Koji Morimoto, answered one by one
Question 1: Please tell me about your influences.
Katsuhiro Otomo, Mobius, Suda Issei’s photographs, Matt Mahurin’s photographs
Question 2: What motivated you to start this job?
Space Battleship Yamato
Question 3: What is your favourite movie?
Stalker (directed by Andrei Tarkovsky)
Question 4: What are the top three things you just have to have around you in your workplace?
Music (CDs), chocolate, my PC (especially the Net)
Question 5: What do you do for fun now?
Take walks.
Translation Notes:
-Film titles have been rendered using the official English translation where one exists (For instance, “Memories: Magnetic Rose” instead of “Memories: Her Memories.”)
-There are two terms for 3D animation in this article: the roman characters “3D” and the more commonly-used phrase “ritaiishi eiga” (立体視映画) or “ritaiishi eizou” (立体視映像), which literally mean “stereoptical movie” or “stereoptical film images.” Because “stereoptical imagery” has a clunky, antiquated sound in English, I went with “3D film” or “3D imagery” all the way through.
Personally, I still prefer flat cel-style animation. But I've seen some interesting juxtapositions of depth and planes lately, like the opening of The Tatami Galaxy, which makes me think that the intersection of these two ontological/stylistic approaches holds a lot of potential. (Tatami Galaxy's end credits are super-cool too, from a design perspective.) All 3D propagandizing aside, this is an exciting time for animation because of the sheer volume and variety of stylistic experimentation going on -and not just in Japan, as things like The Secret of Kells and Waltz with Bashir prove. Now, if only the writing can keep up...
The Next Generation of 3D Animation Production Has Arrived!: The Scene of Production at Forward-Looking Studio 4°C
2010.04.15.Thu
Category : Special
With Avatar kicking off the 2010 film scene, there’s been a flood of new 3D movies much anticipated by fans. For example, Alice in Wonderland, opening this weekend. If you’re a Tim Burton fan this opening should please you. And if there’s an equally long list of people wanting to make movies with 3D images, well, is there any doubt that director Morimoto Koji would be at the top? In works like “EXTRA,” Memories: “Magnetic Rose,” and Noiseman Sound Insect, to name a few, even what is captured in the frame gives a sense of the spaces off-screen, creating a bustling world where characters and objects move about freely, futuristic themes that pull us into the imagined worlds of augmented reality, and three-dimensional soundscapes. All of these are indispensable keywords for Morimoto’s film worlds. So given that, of course the allure of the 3D screening environment has an extra sparkle for Morimoto.
In fact, at the start of 2008 Studio 4°C joined [the virtual-world website] Area Tokyo Zero (music by Tamurapan), and since then they’ve been ambitiously pursuing 3D projects. Just the other day at the 2010 Tokyo International Anime Fair, they showed test screening of the trailer for Film Projectionist Sachiko, and a demo of the new work “Ambient Love (one-minute version.)” I recently had a chance to visit Studio 4°C and ask about the current state and future possibilities of their 3D work-in-progress, “Ambient Love.”
[Image 1 caption:] Morimoto Koji, animation director. A main creator representing Studio 4°C. Taking a free, undogmatic stance towards formats, Morimoto is always searching for new modes of filmic expression. An able animator, he did the key animation for Tomorrow’s Joe 2, and worked as assistant animation director on Akira, then founding Studio 4°C together with Tanaka Eiko. Since then, he has made such exciting works as the first piece in the omnibus film Memories, “Magnetic Rose,” the music video “EXTRA,” Noiseman Sound Insect, and The Animatrix: “Beyond.” An illustrator, DJ, and editor, Morimoto has a wide field of activities.
*Morimoto-Style 3D Production
Studio 4°C’s current project in production, “Ambient Love,” has been an entirely in-house venture, as is reflected 100% in its unique 3D production methods. I asked Mr. Morimoto right away about the differences between making 3D works and flat [2D] works.
“First, I think the length of each cut changes. Even in cuts of just a few seconds, it takes time to recognize 3D, so for a cut that usually lasts one second, for example, you now need something like two seconds, or perhaps a long take would be more effective, things like that. Then, basically because horizontally-flowing movement becomes difficult to recognize, I think movement with depth becomes the main thing.”
What’s more, with 3D imagery, control of the “density” of an infinitely wide space becomes essential. In contrast with flat film images, the spaces of 3D imagery are unimaginably vast, so no matter how many objects fill it, there’s an empty feeling of something missing. But on the other hand, if you try to crowd in an impossible number of things, that just damages the sense of perspective even more. In short, finding that crucial balance in the “density” of space has become the core of 3D film production. According to CGI director of “Ambient Love,” Watanabe Shunsuke,
“Talking with Morimoto recently, it seems we were not always entirely comfortable with hugely wide spaces. Until now, we had presented somewhat wide spaces in 2D animation, but, of course, their depth was limited. Then with “Ambient Love,” we dared to take a vast, empty space as our starting point, and something was born, through various connections and divisions, what you could call a story grew up, and it became possible for us to show a worldview with depth using the special qualities of 3D.”
From this clear concept, Morimoto realized that his powers of imagination could leap the hurdle called “3D.” When trying to express himself in 3D images, the director’s imagination and skill are called to go beyond the expressions of flat imagery. But if he is able to get clear images, mightn’t he be able to create fascinating spaces?
[Image 2 caption:] From “Ambient Love”: the new work by director Morimoto Koji is in 3D! It will be a love story, the rendevous of a man and a woman presented through minimalist images and music.
*Into the Unknown Scene of 3D Production
There are still a few things about the actual 3D production site that haven’t been explained yet. So, I tried asking Mr. Watanabe about the work procedures in the actual production area. According to Mr. Watanabe, when he first got involved with 3D film production, he was bewildered to find the situation very different from film production up until that point. He had to draw two separate LR [left and right] screens, and in order to create a synchronized 3D space, he also had to plan out each one with a sense of parallax motion. Of course, this got increasingly time-consuming.
“When I first tried it, it felt like it took anywhere from around four times to as much as eight times longer to get things done. Particularly because Studio 4°C’s work, or rather, animation, is mainstream, unlike other 3D companies that juxtapose many 2D and 3D elements, we use a parse map (a graphic technique for naturally mixing 2D and 3D objects) to naturally blend these elements, which takes quite a bit of labour.”
But the most stressful part was checking the work using anaglyph (red and blue) glasses. When using CG software, animators work by repeating the steps “processing - checking - retouching,” but [the software doesn’t actually render in 3D, so] they have to check the 3D work outside the software using anaglyph glasses. Because the anaglyph glasses just show red and blue, they can only check the layout using anaglyph glasses. They still have to check things like colour balance and texture by eye. It can become a big burden on the animators to keep repeating this process.
“Working with the anaglyph glasses for a long time got really stressful. We would check the layout in red and blue, and after that we’d check the colour balance on a normal screen. From doing that over and over, we’d get red and blue afterimages in our eyes so that we could hardly make out the colours, which was exhausting.”
Also, with the anaglyph process preventing them from grasping layout and colour balance at once, quality control becomes a difficult task. That’s because in order to check the final results, they have to export the left and right screen data from the CG software where it was initially authored to a machine capable of playing back 3D images. The resulting steps of “initial authoring - transferring” took an extraordinary amount of time, and the waiting also caused a lot of stress. In this way, Watanabe realized, the entire process for making 3D films, from production to checking, was not as easy as making 2D films at first.
*The Evolving 3D Production Environment
[Image caption:] The production site of the work “Ambient Love”: Mr. Watanabe works on the latest in equipment. The computer is a third-wave workstation equipped with NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800 [3D graphics card], an Acer GD245HQ 3D monitor, and NVIDIA 3D VISION glasses. The software is Autodesk MAYA 2009. After previewing the 3D effect in the viewport using active shutter glasses, he can check the colour and layout on the same screen.
According to Mr. Watanabe, this situation is changing due to the more and more advanced solutions for 3D image production. His 3D monitor, the first installed at Studio 4°C, has a frame rate of 120 Hz and supports the active shutter system of 3D glasses. Active shutter glasses are different from anaglyph, because you can check the colour balance and layout all while using MAYA. The image is high-quality full HD, and if he uses a 3-pin stereo connector*, it also reduces flicker and makes quality control more reliable.
*He has since installed NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800
“Since I can use MAYA to check the colour and layout while working, the stress level has gone down. And working on just one machine means that the final checks take a lot less time, and the quality control side of things is easier too.”
In this increasingly user-friendly technical environment, they also notice a surprising decreasing in cost compared to before. I spoke to the Board of Directors’ representative member, Ms. Tanaka Eiko, about this.
“Until a few years ago, producing images in 3D required the assistance of a specialized studio. But starting this year, we can do it in-house, and what’s more, these last few months, with a more efficient workflow and feasible solutions, costs have become much more moderate.”
Given their amazingly fast evolution, 3D production sites are growing more common all the time.
[Image caption:] Tanaka Eiko Studio 4°C’s Representative Director/Manager/Producer and BeyondC’s Representative Director and CEO. She works together with the creators at the Studio 4°C animation studio, and has gained much experience as a producer. She has produced many pioneering works in the hybrid 2D/3D fusion style which have received world-wide attention. She inspires her workforce with a burning desire to make original, expressive television series, theatrical works, commercials, music videos, web-based projects, and the like, and is in the process of founding a short film department. She boldly tackles new media and is devoted to realizing 3D productions.
*Where 3D Animation is Headed From Here
Lastly, I asked Studio 4°C’s Representative Director Ms. Tanaka to tell us about the prospects facing 3D animation from here.
“When it comes to 3D, I think back on the worlds of those old SF movies, anime and the like, and they seem familiar now. More and more, I feel those things are becoming real. But in that case, what can we make that will be interesting? That’s to say, I think we have to keep being asked this question, don’t we. There are many people trying out 3D, they want to compete over it, you see. Through this process, great things will surely be put out. In this competitive environment, Morimoto and his team of creators want to make a stand, and I think they’re capable of it. In terms of 3D, animation certainly has great potential. Because with live action, however “real” the 3D looks, it’s no match for actual reality. But animation can make you believe in a world that couldn’t possibly exist in reality. By doing things in 3D, it’s possible to express things that are realer than real. That’s something to look forward to from here.”
So at last, we’ve seen Studio 4°C’s earnest struggle with 3D imagery production. In this scene of production, we’ve been able to catch a glimpse of the ideal creation space for bringing about the age of 3D. From this, we can realize how this creative environment is growing closer to us at an incredible speed. Hopefully more film creators reading this article will actively take up the challenge of 3D works.
Five Questions for Koji Morimoto, answered one by one
Question 1: Please tell me about your influences.
Katsuhiro Otomo, Mobius, Suda Issei’s photographs, Matt Mahurin’s photographs
Question 2: What motivated you to start this job?
Space Battleship Yamato
Question 3: What is your favourite movie?
Stalker (directed by Andrei Tarkovsky)
Question 4: What are the top three things you just have to have around you in your workplace?
Music (CDs), chocolate, my PC (especially the Net)
Question 5: What do you do for fun now?
Take walks.
Translation Notes:
-Film titles have been rendered using the official English translation where one exists (For instance, “Memories: Magnetic Rose” instead of “Memories: Her Memories.”)
-There are two terms for 3D animation in this article: the roman characters “3D” and the more commonly-used phrase “ritaiishi eiga” (立体視映画) or “ritaiishi eizou” (立体視映像), which literally mean “stereoptical movie” or “stereoptical film images.” Because “stereoptical imagery” has a clunky, antiquated sound in English, I went with “3D film” or “3D imagery” all the way through.
Personally, I still prefer flat cel-style animation. But I've seen some interesting juxtapositions of depth and planes lately, like the opening of The Tatami Galaxy, which makes me think that the intersection of these two ontological/stylistic approaches holds a lot of potential. (Tatami Galaxy's end credits are super-cool too, from a design perspective.) All 3D propagandizing aside, this is an exciting time for animation because of the sheer volume and variety of stylistic experimentation going on -and not just in Japan, as things like The Secret of Kells and Waltz with Bashir prove. Now, if only the writing can keep up...
