mahorela

Hi to all.

I am currently working on some new material for my portfolio and this is largely animation based. I was reworking an old model I had used in the past of an entrance way to a resort that is big on foliage. So it got me to thinking about wind animation in trees and how cool it would be to have that in a archviz render. So some volume select, flex modifier, wind object and point cache later I have fully animated trees and plants.

When I first got into archviz I saw alot of animations that were incorporating character animation, spinning fans, water animation etc. etc. and when these animations were shown to clients these animations added wow factor to the work "the fans even spinning" was a regular type of comment.

why have arch viz professionals gone away from this in an ever increasingly competitive market. Obviously the bells and whistles should always come second to what the image or animation is trying to achieve but isn't this a way for firms to differentiate themselves from their competitors?

Instead of just undercutting each other on price, shouldn't firms be trying to out do each others work and therefore drive up CG arch viz quality at the same time and once these processes are added to the workflow they can't add that much to the timeframe.

aside from lighting technology producing more realistic images, arch viz work is essentially the same as it has been for 8 or so years. It seems to me that the industry standards are stagnating.

This to me is an exciting direction for Arch Viz to take and you never know, we may just have some fun in the process.

JamesTaylor

it may be due to the increased use of GI and the fact that its possible to precalculate the lighting of a still scene to reduce render times, which is still one of the major considerations whilst producing an animation.

however, i do agree about trying to add the wow factor with greater animation of scene elements, but the time scales clients are after do hinder this!!

STRAT

the only reason we dont add all these 'extra' touches is purely donw to time constraints with uber tight deadlines.

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IC

I find that paying clients know what they want and don't expect 'extras' like animated fans or lens flares as they've seen it all before.

They know how easy it is to do and appreciate that it adds nothing to the main focus of the animation i.e. the architecture.

I think stagnation would be more evident if we were all still adding these trivial things-fads come and go with technology, as they should.

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STRAT

i find that clients are more interested in their building and architecture, rather than the whistles and bells.

yes, the extras make a great difference, but they're usually left to students, part timers, peeps with large time budgets.

generally clients just want their building. they're more interested in the job at hand than the artistic touches. most frustrating sometimes.

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Rick Eloy

I believe I should not completely agree with that. Of course our client expects to see what he/she's paying for, but the so called wow factor shouldn't be left aside. When we simply meet the clients expectations, we are meeting the Real Value of our product, i.e. delivering what the client knows he'll get for the price he paid. But, when you deliver more than he expected (meaning a better product, more beautiful pic or whatever) for the same price, you increase the Perceived Value of your work. That makes the client feel like your work is the best thing he can get for that price.
I'm not sure I'm being clear, but what I mean is that although we have tight deadlines, although we work with small budgets, we should worry about adding value to our work. In such a competitive market with super renderers capable of simulating light in the most realistic way and things like that, that's maybe the only thing we can really be different, the only part of our job that can afford some artistic personality. I think it's the way to get our work more valuable and our art more visible.
Just my 2 cents here.

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Rick Eloy
reb digital - Really, I'm doing it for the kids...

signet

Bells and whistles, animation/rendering and workrounds are all important. Even for those clients who come to you for the bog standard.

It is possible to having moving quality animation if you are willing to work with multiple renders, compositors and up-sell the work you can offer your clients.

It is much easier just to give the client the minimum but they will sell more, get more interest and better public appreciation if we wow them. It's getting easier to do.

One we up-sold earlier
the brief here was to show how nice this office could be with different levels of furniture vs. density.
We told them we wanted to do this instead, now there a repeat client.



http://www.uniform.net/images/port2_4_movie.wmv

With the current project I am working on the main pass will be vray, all the planting will be max scanline and mental ray ambient occlusion so I can animate complex plants moving with relative ease......my major problem is not the rendering though its just using the mesh in the view port that becomes the pain.

Tight deadlines will always be here and of course clients always have the last word.

I always try and do something a little extra or try something new with every project. Otherwise it becomes very boring becoming the extension of an architect’s pencil.




Mike

Senior Designer
www.uniform.net

pickle

Mike, your dead right

We try to make each project as interesting as possible even if its crap, otherwise you will be waiting forever for that ideal project where a client comes along and says put everything in.

Theres no rule against suggesting something different to a client, 90% of the time you will find they go for it.

Rich

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Architectural Visualisation & Animation

hockley91

I think they all need those "Bells and whistles" also, but I never have enough time to set those up.....the most I am able to do is moving cars and doors opening and closing and windows sliding, but that's about it.

RobMc

I agree very much with Rick and Mike, but always find myself in the same position as hockley91. I guess it comes down to how good a sales man you are.

Mike - I'm going to have to insist you stop posting animations, I'm getting more and more depressed with each post!...... great work.... again (damn!)

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www.pixelcream.com