Daily Planet recently completed the 2009 Chicago Blackhawks Hit the Ice in-game video and the folks there were kind enough to answer some questions about the process. Be sure to check out their other great work.

Chicago Blackhawks – 2009 Game Opener from Brad Chmielewski on Vimeo.

Daily Planet ltd. is a Chicago based editing and motion graphics studio. Recent works have included design, visual fx, claymation and cgi for local and national commercial advertising campaigns, broadcast television shows, music videos, web-based viral media campaigns, and brand identity packages.

Hit the jump to read the article

You’ve worked on the Blackhawks Hit The Ice video for the last couple of years, how is it working with the Blackhawks organization? Was this year different from last?
Working with the Blackhawks is a great collaborative process.  The organization allows us a good amount of creative freedom.  This year varied from last in that we always attempt to add something new while keeping the concept consistent over the years.  This creates the challenge of finding creative ways to top ourselves.

Did you start the project with style or storyboards?
We started out the project with five or six different style boards and a rough outline of a story.  From there, the Blackhawks requested animation tests of a couple of the different styles.  Once a style was locked down, we wrote a script and drew storyboards.  It was crucial that the style selected leant itself to telling a story within it.  It had to go beyond a graphic highlight reel.

How long did it take to complete the project from start to finish?
From the concepting stage to final delivery, the project took about two months.

Did Daily Planet handle the production as well?
Daily Planet did handle the production as well.  It included one full day of an on-ice green screen shoot and two half days of shooting in the locker room.  Since we’ve been on set with some of the same players over the years, there was a nice familiarity on set this year.

How many people worked on the project?
For the post-production phase, we had a team of about fifteen rotoscopers / animators as well as an editor and a sound designer.

In terms of the post production, was it all done in After Effects? What was your workflow like?
The bulk of the work was done in After Effects with prep work in photoshop and some effects work in Cinema 4D.  With so many animators and a tight deadline, consistency was key.  We had a style guide that people used, and we carefully checked what the scenes around each one looked like.  All of our animators worked from Daily Planet, so we easily were able to collaborate and check everyone’s progress.

Did you experiment with a technique or plugin that you hadn’t used before?
This year, we used Cinema 4D to have the players break into pieces when checked by a Blackhawks player.  This took some experimentation on our part to get it to look effective.

What kind of challenges did you meet that you didn’t foresee in the planning stages?
Our biggest challenge was having tight deadlines.  We compensated by bringing in extra freelancers when necessary.

If you could change anything, what would you do differently to Hit the Ice?
We are very fortunate to have worked on this project for a few years now and are very pleased with the process and result this year.  We really feel like we’ve streamlined the execution of the project and actually wouldn’t do much different.

What advice would you give a beginning or struggling moition graphic artist who is trying to create better work?
Study and replicate different  techniques and styles as much as you can.  Ask for feedback on your work as much as possible, and learn to address comments on your work.

I was lurking around mograph.net, thanks to the detectives who found out who created this spot.

Very cool work from Prolouge. While you’re there, check out Prolouge’s other work for ESPN. Great stuff!

I’d have to say this is as close to “classic” as it gets for sports graphics. Drive did a fantastic job. Great camera moves, animation. Big glossy 3D. I think there is a lot to learn from here.

[quicktime]http://www.graphicsmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Bigten_BTNN_Edit_Web.mov[/quicktime]

ESPN has such a distinctive look and changing it would be considered blasphemy by some sports fans. I think Troika did a fantastic job updating SportsCenter looks like an incredible amount of work and I believe this is the first HD version of the show, but I don’t have cable so I wouldn’t know.

Watch it here.

Troika Design Group Spearheads ‘Goliath’ Rebrand for ESPN ‘SportsCenter’

Apr 11, 2009

Troika Design Group, a strategic branding and design agency for sports, media and entertainment companies, has teamed up once again with ESPN to rebrand its flagship program, “SportsCenter”. The new identity will debut on April 6, 2009 concurrent with the launch of the highly anticipated “SportsCenter” studio and show in Los Angeles. Based on a design concept called “Goliath,” the new look brings colossal scale to the “SportsCenter” identity.

Said Gilbert Haslam, Creative Director, Troika Design Group, “In 2004, we produced the landmark “SportsCenter” graphics package ‘Revolution’ when the show went into High Definition. Today, as production on “SportsCenter” goes bicoastal and as the show expands to nine hours of original live programming each day, we were brought on board to evolve the original identity. This was a massive assignment that allowed us to stretch our creativity and provided us the opportunity to once again collaborate with the talented team at ESPN.”

“Goliath” delivers a futuristic sports-machine world made up of hundreds of highly detailed elements, all engineered with three tiers of interlocking cylinders used to construct the concentric circle-based turbine environment. In addition to the signature “SportsCenter” open tease, Troika delivered a series of hallmark animations and a toolkit of modular project files and animation elements to ESPN to meet the studio’s ongoing needs and daily production demands.

Troika’s Executive Creative Director Dan Pappalardo, Creative Director Gilbert Haslam, plus Executive Producer Kristen Olsen oversaw a team of 20 over the course of 12 weeks following many months of development. The studio’s primary toolkit consisted of Autodesk Maya, Maxon C4D, Apple Final Cut Pro, and the Adobe Suite, including After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator. And because multiple 3D software packages were used in production, Autodesk’s FBX file interchange format was utilized to maintain continuity across platforms and for integration into ESPN’s VIZRT system.

About Troika Design Group
Troika is an award-winning design agency known for its memorable visual brand identities, strategic design and creative production for clients in sports, media and entertainment. Based in Hollywood, Troika combines a unique hybrid of skills with a team of more than 25 designers, producers, animators, editors and conceptual thinkers who specialize in network branding, show packaging and promotional and advertising campaigns. The agency was founded in 2001 and is led by industry veterans Dan Pappalardo and Chuck Carey. Troika’s approach to design is innovative, sophisticated, clever and thoughtful, while delivering standout concepts that remain faithful to client brand ideals. The company has worked with top networks, including FOX, ABC, TNT, ESPN, NBC Sports, Golf Channel, FOX Sports, The CW, Starz, truTV, HGTV, E! Entertainment Television, Animal Planet, Food Network, NFL Network and VH1. For more information, please visit www.troika.tv or call Robert Blatchford at 323.965.1650.

Production Credits:
Launch Date: April 6, 2009

Troika Design Group:
Executive Creative Director / Partner: Dan Pappalardo
President / Partner: Chuck Carey
Creative Director: Gilbert Haslam
Executive Producer: Kristen Olsen
Producers: Claudina Mercado, Beth Elder
Designer/Animators: Craig Stouffer, Ming Hsiung, Maziar Majd, Everett Campbell, Nick DiNapoli
Animators: Cory Strassburger, Mark McConnell, Jim McDaniels, Marco Bacich
Design Assistant: Mindy Park

via Dzine.tv

]]> http://www.graphicsmafia.com/2009/04/14/troika-redesigns-sportscenter/feed/ 1 http://www.graphicsmafia.com/2009/04/06/designtypestv/ http://www.graphicsmafia.com/2009/04/06/designtypestv/#comments Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:46:58 +0000 Brian McCauley http://www.graphicsmafia.com/?p=472 Zack from DesignTypes.tv was kind enough to email about his site. DesignTypes.tv is a fantastic site dedicated to TV graphics for sports with great interviews with some of the leaders in sports graphics. Be sure to bookmark them.

Graphicsmafia friend Chad Ashley has created a new blog where he’ll be posting his experiences with new CG software. A highly accomplished 3D artist, Chad currently heads up the 3D department at Digital Kitchen Chicago.

So far cgpov.com is off to a great start with a free HDR and a review of hdrlight studio.

Jason White and the team at Lift here in Chicago did a fantastic job with their show package for NASCAR Truck Series on the Speed Network. Very high energy animations, with great some great 3d. Thanks for the contribution.

[quicktime]http://www.graphicsmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/Lift_SpeedTrucks_webSite.mov[/quicktime]

NASCAR Truck Series continues this season with the premier of Camping World as sponsor and Lift Motion Design creates the graphics show package to launch it. The team designed a virtual race environment to ground jet-flamed CG NASCAR trucks which plow through it “tradin’ paint.” Show elements and 3d logo design echo the powerful spirit of the Truck Series.

Lift teamed up with the duo from Secret Frequency, also from Chicago, for an original score and sound design. They have tackled a quick turnaround and injected the visual elements with massive intensity.

Race 1 premiered February 13th, and airs bi-weekly on Speed Network.

Credits:

Lift Motion Design
Concept, design, 3D animation, 2D animation, compositing and edit:
Jason White, Sam Gierasimczuk, Curt Cooper, Kyle Shoup, Elliot Lim, Charlie Peterson
Production and coordination:
Lucie Boryczko, Carmen Navarette

Secret Frequency
Original score and sound design:
Jeff Vansteen, Harry Burgan

Filmworkers
Online edit and finishing:
Jeff Charatz, Justin Winkler

Some great in-game stuff coming from Keyframe. They also have a blog. Thanks for the contribution Ryan.

Keyframe designs innovative, entertaining digital content in HD video, 3D animation and motion graphics, specializing in media networks and large scale LED displays, to evoke an emotional connection with viewers.

Home to artists of the digital world, Keyframe is a premier agency contracted to develop creative content in SD and HD video, 2D and 3D animation, and motion graphics. We throw these awe-inspiring creations on LCD and large scale LED video displays, as well as any other electronic broadcasting medium.

GKaster from gkaster on Vimeo.

Watch a full HD version on his site.

Ben Sutter of Bulls/Blackhawks fame recently updated his reel with some great work. Thanks for the contribution, looking good.

Alright Bears Fans, Rommel Paraiso has uploaded some new videos for the Chicago Bears. Great stuff. Thanks for the contribution.

2008 Chicago Bears Videoboard Open from Rommel Paraiso on Vimeo.

2008 Chicago Bears Network from Rommel Paraiso on Vimeo.

My new year’s resolution is to update this site every work day (M-Fri). But, it’s tough to find worthy posts. So thats why I’ve decided to offer free posts in the Featured section to anyone that offers a link to their work. Ideally that means everyday there will be a new “Featured” contributor in the 5 rotating featured section at the top of the home page. Even if you’re a big company, if you send me you’re work, you go straight to the top of this blog.

So send me you’re demo reel, player intro, in-game feature or edited tribute video. Or better yet, upload them to Vimeo or Youtube and send me the link. That way, if for some reason you’re asked to remove your work, you have control over your videos. (*cough)

I can’t wait to see you’re new work, good luck in 2009.

Roman Farias along with Justin Tuazon and everyone else at the Chicago White sox did a great job on this in-game video for game one of the Cubs/Sox series last season. 

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