Imaginary Forces: Pacific Rim Titles
Posted in: cg, Design, Motion, vfxImaginary Forces used C4D and AE producing both these Main and End titles for Del Toro’s Pacific Rim:
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Before audiences are returned to an existence bereft of mechanical annihilation, Imaginary Forces solidifies the epic journey of the giant monsters of Guillermo Del Toro’s sci-fi blockbuster, Pacific Rim, with a gallant main-on-end title sequence. The now-humanized monster infantry is portrayed with an aggrandized homage to their epic feats, with stylized shots of the characters alongside the equally bold and cinematic titles. The sequence heightens the intensity of the saga. Imaginary Forces handled the entire 2:30 3D end title sequence as well as a striking :27 main title sequence at the beginning of the film.
About the film:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju.
On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s hope against the mounting apocalypse.
To tackle a sequence for such a visually epic film, Imaginary Forces assembled a lean team to deliver a hands-on artistic approach in crafting a main-on-end title sequence that would appropriately conclude the action-packed, futuristic saga. Imaginary Forces director Miguel Lee led a small team of artists to craft a stereoscopic 3D sequence that would encapsulate the visceral and expansive presence of the film’s uniquely grotesque stars.
After presenting several idea concepts, the team immediately got to work on the chosen design, which would take viewers on a visual adventure through the character schematics. The team lit and stylized the 3D models from ILM in Maxon’s Cinema 4D and finished the look in Adobe After Effects. Notes Lee, “We wanted to create a hybrid look that blended a graphic novel aesthetic with macro-photographic techniques. The goal was to display the characters in a unique style and vernacular, while not diminishing their colossal presence already established in the
film.”
The team mimicked photographic techniques in 3D to achieve the looks of the robots and creatures. The first step was to complete a single-eye version of the entire sequence that would then be converted into the stereoscopic 3D that appears in theaters. Lee and his team worked closely with Del Toro, collaborating to create an arc to the action of the sequence with the intrinsic excitement of the saga continually present. In addition to the main-on-end title sequence that appears at the end of the film, the Imaginary Forces team also crafted the 3D main
title sequence, creating a memorable crumbling of a map that moves seamlessly into the intrepid title frame for Pacific Rim.
A Product of Imaginary Forces:
Top entertainment studios, global brands and A-list agencies tap Imaginary Forces (IF) to find new ways to engage and inspire audiences. IF’s diverse talent pool of artists and creative professionals bring elite conceptual design solutions to projects in commercials, digital media, feature films and film marketing, television and architectural spaces.
Underlying each endeavor is their passionate belief that no project is too large, too small or too complex to benefit from beautiful and inventive design.
The innovative studio has garnered numerous advertising industry awards as well as multiple Emmy Awards including an Emmy for their iconic titles work on AMC’s smash drama series Mad Men.
Credits:
Title: Pacific Rim
Length: 2:30 (Main on End) / :27 (Main Title)
Description: End Title Sequence & Main Title Sequence
Designed & Produced by: Imaginary Forces
Creative Director: Miguel Lee
Producer: Brian Butcher
Designer: Miguel Lee
Lead Animator: Ryan Summers
Animators: Eric Demeusy, Miguel Lee, Jae Namkung
Modeler: Aamir Karim
Assistant Editor: Michael Radtke
3D Stereoscopic Conversion: Ryan Summers, Eric Mason
Flame: Eric Mason
Additional Visual Development: Jae Namkung, My Tran, Alejandro Lee
Coordinator: Joseph AbouSakher, Ryan Speers
Studio: WB
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Post Producer: Sara Romilly
Music Company:
Composer: Ramin Djawadi
