Our unique automotive pipeline equips our artists to innovate and deliver creative excellence within the complexity of technical campaigns. Scroll through to see how it all comes together.

Preparation of the CAD data is key to maximizing photorealism, and the initial step in our pipeline is preparing data sets for our proprietary CG software, hydraGen. Each manufacturer has different challenges; we are flexible to your needs and can work with anything from initial styling data through to fully garaged PDM data. Once completed, CAD mesh is retopologized from native triangulated data into quad data and our artists sculpt and mold real-world imperfections directly into the CAD.

We sculpt photorealistic details on the soft body parts of the vehicle, including creases to the seats, tension creases to the steering wheel, and slightly undulating piping and stitching all while using textures from our high-resolution materials library. All components are examined and ones that have not been converted to our standards are remodeled. Using the latest scanning techniques, we produce a physically accurate material shader to perfectly represent complex materials.

We replicate live photography processes; our automotive team fully explores the light and its interaction with the vehicle to find the ultimate “sweet spot,” where the vehicle looks its best. We establish lighting setups that highlight the design and features of the vehicle while remaining authentic. To find the perfect lighting setup, we create videos with an animated the exterior light source. We then analyze the shadows in the same way that a photographer would adjust his/her setup to enhance the automobile. We then add virtual bounce boards, soft boxes and lights to further enhance details, define curves and showcase features in the vehicle.

Taylor James is known as a leader in CGI and our teams have created some of the most iconic and photorealistic imagery. We have perfected compositing recipes that allow us to quickly hit the right level of photorealism and grade of all elements seamlessly into a scene. Our retouch pipeline is a non-destructive workflow– all steps are reversible and allow for maximum flexibility in the schedule.

Our pipeline has key steps in that enhance the quality of the final deliverable. We create the color grade and mood at the start of the process, so retouch backplates and HDR Domes have the final grade before we reflect them into our CG vehicles.

Shooting for CG production is complex and requires detailed planning and experience, whether in a studio or on location. Our Technical Directors manage the CG pipeline throughout the process from Digital Scouting and shoot pre-planning to the final deliverable.

On shoot, we pickup important textures, lighting information and back plates around the main shoot to enhance CG output. Additionally, Technical Directors review full low-res comps and animatics with the agency and clients on location so everyone is aligned on the direction of the production.

We can plan, visualize, shoot, and produce all client requirements in live action. We can do this in several ways: virtual studios, location shoots, live action running footage or virtual vehicle replacement.

Shooting a donor car, we track key movement information to rig our CG replacement and achieve accurate running sequence. Technical Directors oversee the shoot to ensure all elements are optimized for CG production.