We were approached by Riester agency to help them bring to life a character that would embody the essence of “Will Power” for their client EōS Fitness. The brand wanted to create a memorable character that would embody this key trait of their current and future members and that could be repurposed across any media as well as easily adapted for future marketing needs. A stop motion approach was initially considered to create the animation, but the flexibility and cost savings that CGI would enable in creating future character adaptations meant that this production approach was finally chosen. 

PRE-PRODUCTION | CONCEPT

Good character design is all about clarity. This means not only having a stimulating design, but one that is distinct no matter how we see the character. During the development stage we focused initially on the character’s final look in 2D, then took what we liked from the exploration stage to create one fully flushed out character we could all be proud of.  

In the development of Will Power, we started with very basic sketches, moving to more detailed illustrations, then to CG modeling and ending with a three-dimensional version of our hero character.  What we knew we needed & wanted to keep was realness - we created Will to feel handmade out of clay, with a human touch that will be relatable, and we used 3D modeling software to achieve this. 

Transforming a 2D character design into a 3D model is about more than just translation; it’s about capturing the essence and soul of the original design while adapting it to a new dimensionality.
We start by dissecting the character’s proportions, shapes, and distinctive features, then translating those into a 3D space, ensuring that the integrity of every detail is maintained.
From there, we sculpt the volume, add texture, and build out the rig for animation, all while keeping the spirit of the original design intact. The result is a character that not only looks great from any angle but moves and feels as dynamic as it does in 2D as it begins to come to life.

Developing the environment for Will required creating a space that complemented his personality, enhancing the narrative. We designed a happy world that reflected Will’s persona and purpose. Using softer edges and bright sunlight, the world feels lived-in. We crafted detailed textures, and atmospheric lighting while ensuring the setting has depth and scale to match the 3D character. Our goal was to create an interactive and immersive playground where Will’s presence felt natural and grounded.

Creating shaders and textures for a 3D character that appears to be made from clay is a meticulous process aimed at capturing the tactile, organic quality of real clay. We developed shaders that mimicked the soft, slightly imperfect surface of clay, incorporating subtle details like surface irregularities, fingerprints, and the natural matte finish that clay often has. 
Bump and normal maps were used to enhance the tactile appearance of the surface, ensuring that under light, Will reflected light in a way that mimicked the gentle, uneven nature of sculpted clay, resulting in a believable and tactile digital clay creation.

The Animatic is where rough animations and layouts are created to help map out the character’s actions and overall storytelling. Once approved, the character is fully animated, refining his motion to be fluid and realistic. Polish on expressions and secondary actions is the final step to creating beautiful and credible animation.

Along with delivering the master 30 second spot, we also collaborated with Riester to create additional 10 second videos of Will inside the gym for digital and social media use as well as still assets. Our character and environments are also fully prepped and ready to be repurposed for future marketing campaigns as needed, such a seasonal or promotional events.