What tools did you use to create the natural scenery and vegetation we see throughout the piece?

The rainforest was created with a mixture of VUE, camera mapping and matte’s. The other environments such as the snowy mountains and the canyons were all modelled in 3dsmax and either texture mapped traditionally or camera mapped.

What software and techniques did you use to create the planes?

Most things that weren’t part of the landscape, such as the planes, were modelled in 3dsmax, UV’s were generated in UVLayout and texturing created in Photoshop. The client provided low-poly game planes which we used as templates for the initial model block-outs and also featured in the animatic. There were similarities with existing fighter jets, so our research started with a visit to an aviation museum and then moved on to creating moodboards for further inspiration.

What was the most creative part of the modelling, animation, rendering process? Can you provide some details?

The most creative part of this animation was taking a game design document and making it into a cinematic movie experience. When you are playing a game you often see things from one view, the drivers’ seat, but we needed to engage the viewer in as much of the action as possible, switching from being the pilot to a spectacular view of the aftermath you’ve just created.