Resin, Australian visual effects and animation studio, recently completed a completely CG car commercial "Defy Physics" for Mitsubishi Australia's Lancer Evolution. Working with agency Clemenger BBDO, Resin directed and produced the spot.
The brief asked for a solution around "Defy Physics" and showed the performance nature of the car, without driving fast or dangerously.
Starting at sketch level, Resin took inspiration from the mood of futurist films like Bladerunner and the neon cities that have developed a cult following for the Evo. The team set about designing an environment that would show the car off and put interesting light and reflection details back into the car, also considering how the design of the environment could make the ride more dynamic without the car needing to drive fast.
The car along with everything else was built in 3D. Resin set up a mock studio to test the technical accuracy of the car model, the shaders (materials on the car) and lighting tests.
The animation incorporated a sophisticated rig that Resin constructed to simulate the vehicle dynamics.
Using the freedom of the CGI camera to create a more dynamic drive, Resin aimed to amplified the EVO's looks and create a real sense of purpose.
"We couldn't have imagined that the final product would have been this impressive," commented Mitchell Wiley, Mitsubishi Australia. "Completely embodying the essence of Evolution, the work produced by Resin has surpassed all our expectations. The technical accuracy of the car itself, from all angles and perspective the model is millimetre correct. Complementing this is the way the cars movement accurately represents how an actual Lancer Evolution behaves. Dynamics such as body roll, pitch and cornering are hard to capture during most filming sequences, but to achieve these dynamics in a completely staged environment is a credit to Resin and their attention to detail.Throughout the Project, the staff at Resin proved to be flexible, efficient, but above all passionate. I look forward to working with Resin again in the future and would have no hesitation in recommending them to prospective clients."