Services

Quick links to sections To jump to a particular service quickly, use these links:		Learn more about the services we provide
Modeling Rigging Surfacing	Lighting Rendering Animation	This list provides a detailed description of the services we can provide to your production.

Modeling:

Modelers are the sculpture artists here at HAS. Starting with a 2D design of a character or prop, Modelers will build the designs using software, in a digital, 3D computer graphics environment. The resulting 3D character or prop is essentially identical to the 2D design on paper, it captures the very essence of the design, with every nuance intact, albeit in 3 dimensions. As these models are complete, they are then ready to be further outfitted for performance in a presentation, such as a movie, by having a rig added and its surfaces textured.

The asset production phase can often start with the models, as clients will have the 2D designs for characters and props previously fleshed out. Additionally, clients may have particular technical specifications for the 3D model versions, as far as their potential for performance in a cartoon or movie is concerned. Modelers will strive to produce models that are inline to the specifications as determined by the directors; whether they are meant to appear structurally stylized or realistic in appearance, thereby requiring additional digital sculpting. The 3D models may also have certain deformation characteristics, which means particular attention to the detail of the geometry must be observed while the model is being built. We can provide quality modeling services tailored to meet your production's specifications.

Rigging:

Riggers are focused individuals who examine the model and its performance requirements, and then insert a skeleton that purposefully facilitates the movements and expressions of the character. The internal skeleton is what drives the character or prop to perform smooth motions, increasing the level of realism. The character's "rig" is represented by two parts: the skin, which is the surface representation - this is what is drawn in the original design, and a set of internally interconnected bones; a skeleton that is used to animate and pose. This construction of a series of bones imparts an influence on the surface - since the skeleton and surface are actually bound together. Additionally, blend shapes are also an integral part of the rig and are used to control facial expressions or the emotive qualities.

Should a character in a production be required to perform life-like movements, display dynamic motions that convey a convincing portrayal of gravity, or have exaggerated squash and stretch attributes, then that character must have a rig that animators will find intuitive to use, and fully functional in terms of offering complete control over the character's poses. The rigging process at HAS observes strict attention to the technical requirements of the character's performance, giving our animators the very best shot at nailing down great performances.

Surfacing:

Also known as texturing, the surfacing artist establishes the look or cosmetic qualities of the characters, props and the environment, by producing visually realistic or imaginative effects. By assigning values to the surfaces of the objects, a surfacing artist can control the manner in which the surface interacts with the light in the scene to define the object’s color, reflective qualities, transparencies, and refraction.

In many circumstances, characters will need to have some level of visual narrative expressed through its surfaces. For example, consider the different versions of sharks at the left (slide show). Each shark is identifiable as a distinct species, visually, by its coloring and the patterns on the skin or surface. Summarily, as each species of shark exhibits distinctive features through its surfaces, it implies other details about the kind of habitat it occupies. In this example, that can be deep ocean, reefs, salt water, brackish water and so on. This narrative effect is an important secondary property that surfacing work can provide that helps support presentation and story. The surfacing artist will utilize reference to either re-create or extrapolate from, to produce contextually relevant and attractive surface textures that ultimately define the model's appearance.

Lighting

The lighting department is where the mood and emotion to each scene is created; consistency in lighting and color balance, enables the scene to come alive. The 3D animation software provides multiple types of lights which can be placed in the scene in any direction. With the ability to adjust the intensity, angle, hue, and shadows, this department visually balances the effect of light on the characters, props, and environments to produce a convincing and appealing scene.

As with any presentation, the lighting is the key element that unifies all items in the scene. The lighting can produce incredible cinematic effects, underscore the tone or mood, and make every rich detail of the models and surfaces be seen with incredible clarity. Characters and props are shown vividly, environments are convincing at implying time of day, the weather, and atmosphere. Only when the lighting work is properly addressed will it effectively support the subjects that are cast in the scene. Lighting could actually be thought of as a very important support character; playing a crucial role in the story, in every scene of the production.

Rendering:

Rendering takes all of the work created and calculates the pixels for each frame, based on the models, materials, lighting, and effects. This is the last major step, ensuring the final appearance of the models and animation, so that every image is made to look like film.

Once models, props, and environments have been surfaced, and animated performances are completed, the rendering phase produces the frames of the cartoon or movie. This process takes tremendous computing power, and often requires a network of computers at the studio, a "rendering farm," to tackle such a demanding task.

A cartoon, a movie or any other kind of CG animated presentation can have many frames that are ultimately processed and composited into a final cut by the producer, but the producers must have quality rendered frames from which to produce the final cut.

Animation:

The animators are the artists that provide the illusion of life in a character. This department takes the final product from Modeling and Rigging to create every motion or action desired to shape a performance.

To achieve the objective of having a character perform a convincing display of strength, weight, gesture, and exhibit life-like emotional qualities, the animators will often use reference and act out the performance that they're attempting to portray. The execution of the animation itself can be stylized, realistic or anywhere in between, and must be tailored to suit the context of the scene in order to support the story.

The animation process is an art in itself that can truly take the illusion of life in a film to a high level, and when it is cumulatively combined with all assets, e.g., the models, the surfaces, the lighting; the overall performance piece will not only be entertaining, but have a strong theatric presence that will make an indelible impression on the audience. Animators at HAS strive instill characters with that very quality in every production.

Hawaii Animation Studios services fit in to any production

The services we provide at Hawaii Animation Studios compliment any production our client may have. We implement the artistic and technical expertise along with a versatile, adaptable pipeline to produce the assets you need based on your project. We closely and actively work with our clients to meet the exact specifications of the deliverables -on target, and on time thanks our exceptionally skilled production team. If you have a project that needs production regarding one, or all of the services we provide, contact us! We can show you how our services fit into your project and help you to deliver your production to market.

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