Astari
Unleash the Fun: A cosmic TV ad for the children's outer-galactic action heroes
The epic tale of the Astari universe, where diverse planetary tribes clash in ferocious battles to secure their dominance.
In the vast reaches of Space
.. a tiny speck of cosmic dust coalesced into a world teeming with life: the planet Astari. Its surface was divided into various territories governed by a unique tribe. For years, these tribes had struggled for domination, fighting wars that spanned centuries. Their battles, fueled by ambition and the desire for power, had become the stuff of legend. This is the story of a pivotal battle between these tribes and the intrepid animator who brought their story to life.
Well, I didn't get a brief like that, but at least this was the story I imagined in my head when I took the project ;)
Again, I teamed up with guys from the Luminus Studio, but this time the offer was complete freedom in all aspects of production. Intrigued by the potential for a grand storytelling experience, I decided to take on the project, handling everything from art direction to final production output. The journey would be long and the hours challenging, but the reward of experience of this magnitude would be unmeasurable.
Crafting the Astari Universe
Characters
In the fascinating Astari universe, a wide range of colorful characters emerged, each as unique as they were interesting. The many characters within each Astari tribe offered a rich and diverse source of inspiration.
My first task in this journey was to bring these characters to life through careful texturing and material setups while creating a character rig that could be used for all characters.
After careful consideration, I chose Cinema 4D, known for its versatile tools, great rendering capabilities, and strong stability. This choice turned out to be a good one, as the entire process went smoothly, without any problems or obstacles. By combining the artistic vision I set from the beginning with the powerful features of Cinema 4D, the characters of the Astari universe were taken to new levels, setting the stage for this exciting and inspiring story.
Characters Test Renders
The Environments & Animations
Throughout the entire video, my vision was to craft a riveting visual narrative that highlighted the distinct strengths and characteristics of each tribe.
This ambitious undertaking required the creation of stunning landscapes to serve as the backdrop for every scene. From the awe-inspiring peaks of the celestial realm to the fierce volcanic terrain and the complex subterranean labyrinths, each setting exuded an otherworldly aura, bringing the cosmic domain to life.
In my role as the video's art director, I channeled inspiration from a myriad of sources, melding fantasy and science fiction elements to forge a distinctive visual style.
With the landscapes carefully designed, I turned my attention to the character animations. I tried to infuse each movement with dynamic, fluid grace, capturing the essence of each tribe's combat prowess.
The video's scenes were orchestrated to showcase each character's unique abilities, while the seamless blend of rich landscapes and character animations formed a visual story about each of them, immersing viewers in the captivating world of the Astari tribes.
The last nail
As the character animations and environments took shape, I turned my attention to the nuanced aspects of texturing and lighting. My aim was to craft scenes that were not only visually striking but also exuded a palpable sense of vitality and immersion.
I explored a variety of lighting techniques, ultimately selecting a harmonious blend of global illumination, ambient occlusion, and strategically positioned light sources to evoke a realistic and dynamic ambiance. Additionally, all terrains were using displacement mapping techniques to add extra details to make whole scenes more realistic.
Throughout the entire video, my goal was to create an engaging visual story that showed the unique strengths and characteristics of each tribe.
This big project required the creation of impressive landscapes to serve as the background for every scene. From the amazing peaks of the celestial realm to the intense volcanic terrain and the complicated underground labyrinths, each setting had an otherworldly feel, bringing the cosmic domain to life.
To achieve this, I drew inspiration from many different sources, combining fantasy and science fiction elements to create a unique visual style.
TEST MONTAGE
Everything counts
The countless hours, endless refinement, and innumerable challenges had proven worthwhile. In bringing the Astari universe to life, I learned a lot about my own potential as an artist and explored various new areas of visual storytelling.
The experience of crafting this video left me with incredible new knowledge to be used on my new journeys. Lessons that reverberate to this day, reminding me that..
Time spent on new and challenging things is never wasted.
