Code Pheonix - Final Short Film

Short Film Project - Code Phoenix

For our final year project at the University of Hertfordshire, we are proud to present our short VFX film, "Code Phoenix". This film blends elements of thrill, suspense, and high-intensity combat in a futuristic earth setting, showcasing not only our innovative VFX skills but also our knack for gripping storytelling.

"Code Phoenix" plunges the audience into a world where technology has advanced to the brink of war, with humanity relying on Giant Mobile humanoid machines for defense. This delicate balance is shattered when giant creatures emerge as a common enemy. As these creatures start to evolve, becoming unkillable with conventional weapons, a veteran pilot is plunged into a race against time to inform the force and suggest alternate strategies.

Our VFX film takes inspiration from popular franchises like Evangelion, Mobile Suit Gundam, Pacific Rim, Armor Core, and Metal Gear Solid.

TRAILER

We've incorporated advanced VFX techniques, including concept art, sculpting/modelling in Zbrush or Autodesk Maya, rigging and animation within Autodesk Maya, texturing with Mari and Substance, simulations and lighting with Houdini Redshift, and tracking, comping, and grading with Foundry Nuke. Our dedication to detail extends to utilizing photogrammetry, with over 3,000 drone-captured photos forming the base for our beachfront setting. The film is elegantly pieced together in Davinci Resolve.

Final Film

IMAGE BREAKDOWN

BEHIND THE SCENES WORKFLOW AND PROCESSES

We're about to take a behind-the-scenes look at "Code Phoenix" to show you the digital processes that brought our VFX film to life. From concept art to final editing, we'll be covering the tools and techniques we used, including 3D modelling in Zbrush and Autodesk Maya, texturing and simulation with Mari, Substance, and Houdini, lighting and rendering with Houdini Redshift, and tracking, comping, and grading with Foundry Nuke. Let's dive right in!

Concept Arts and Character Developments

Concept Art By Dan Herbert

This is where we began our design process, brainstorming and visualizing what these evolving adversaries might look like. Through these illustrations, we explored various forms, structures, and appearances, ultimately shaping the formidable creatures you see in our film. Each piece represents a step in our creative journey, guiding us from initial ideas to the final creature designs.

Colour Concept Art By Dan Herbert
Texture Concept Art By Sandra Baiju Prasad

The texturing process is crucial in making the creatures feel tangible and lifelike, adding depth and detail to their forms. We've used tools like Mari and Substance to develop intricate textures that give each creature its unique look and feel, from skin roughness and color patterns to specific features like scales or scars. These texture concepts served as our roadmap, guiding us to create visually stunning and realistic creatures for "Code Phoenix."

Mecha Concept Art made by Jacky Lee

Model Progressions and Development

Now, we're going to unpack the evolution of our key characters in "Code Phoenix" – the monstrous creatures and the Mecha. From initial concepts to intricate texturing and lighting with tools like Mari, Substance, and Houdini Redshift, we've worked meticulously to breathe life into these figures. Whether it's the unique traits of our creatures or the formidable power of the Mecha, every detail has been carefully crafted to immerse our audience in this intense battle.

Kaiju and Mecha

Rigging

Rigging By Jashua Jeremiah Fernandez

Next, we'll explore the rigging process of our film "Code Phoenix". This crucial step ensured that our creatures and the Mecha were fully animate-able, setting up a system of bones and controls that allowed us to bring our characters to life with realistic movement and expressions.

Animation 

Animation by Jashua Jeremiah Fernandez & Jacky Lee

We're now going to highlight specific shots from "Code Phoenix" that exemplify our animation process. These key sequences showcase how we've used rigging and movement to bring our characters to life, infusing them with personality and dynamic action.

In "Code Phoenix", the heart and soul of our narrative was brought to life by our dedicated animators, Jashua Jeremiah Fernandez and Jacky Lee. The task at hand was not merely to animate, but to create a world in motion, imbuing both our humanoid machines and monstrous creatures with distinct characteristics and energy.

The animation journey was full of challenges, due to the iterative nature of our creative process. Changes to the story and shots meant revisiting and revising our animation sequences, demanding flexibility and resilience from Jashua and Jacky.

They handled these challenges with grace and determination, continuously refining their work to suit the evolving narrative. This involved meticulous crafting of intricate movements, conveying the weight and enormity of the characters, and merging the human performance of our pilot with the mechanical operation of the Mecha.

Through it all, Jashua and Jacky's dedication to their craft was unwavering. Their tireless efforts are testament to their passion and commitment, and were instrumental in the success of "Code Phoenix".

EXTRA PROJECT Development

Another facet of our project was incorporating anamorphic compatibility into our tracking process. This was an additional development step that we decided to undertake, understanding its potential to greatly enhance the visual impact of our film. Anamorphic lenses create a unique cinematic look, but they also introduce new complexities in tracking and compositing. We worked diligently to understand and incorporate this compatibility, a challenge that demanded both technical acuity and creative problem-solving. This added layer of sophistication helped us to achieve the visually compelling results you see in "Code Phoenix".

Photogrammetry

A unique aspect of our project was the creation of the photogrammetry for our beachfront setting. I personally took on this task, which involved a new skill set that I had to learn from scratch. This process required capturing over 3,000 drone-photographed images, which were then integrated into the software to construct an accurate 3D representation of the beach. Not only did this process add a layer of realism to our film, but it also allowed me to deepen my understanding of this cutting-edge technique. Overcoming the challenges that came with learning photogrammetry was a rewarding experience.

PRODUCTION PROGRESSION

Before we delve deeper into the final stages of "Code Phoenix" Rookies Entry, it's important to acknowledge the journey that led us here. The development of this film was built on a foundation of earlier works and learnings, each project contributing to the skills and insights we applied to our final year project. From conceptualization to execution, our growth as a team and as individual artists is evident in the progress we've made. Let's take a step back and explore these previous works, as they provide a fascinating insight into our progression and the stepping stones that shaped the development of "Code Phoenix".

VFX Dev 

One of our core team members, Vasco Fernandes, has been instrumental in the realization of "Code Phoenix". Vasco's exceptional skills in VFX, combined with his profound understanding of Houdini simulations, played a pivotal role in bringing our vision to life. His dedication to research and development resulted in dynamic, realistic effects that elevated our narrative. His work underscores the importance of continuous learning and exploration in the realm of visual effects. Let's take a closer look at Vasco's invaluable contributions to our project.

Before "Code Phoenix" came to be, there were a multitude of ideas, iterations, and projects that paved the way for its development. Each of these earlier works holds an integral part in our journey, serving as stepping stones in our progression as a team. They shaped our understanding of VFX, honed our skills, and provided invaluable lessons that influenced our current work. These projects were the testing grounds where we experimented, made mistakes, learned, and grew. Let's revisit these past endeavors to appreciate the evolution and refinement of our work leading up to "Code Phoenix".

First Story Development

Second Story Development

Third Story Development

Pre-Production Previs

Now, we're going back to the very beginning, to the first previsualization, or previs, of "Code Phoenix". This is where it all started, our very first attempt at visualizing the story we wanted to tell. This early previs, while not as refined or detailed as what you've seen in the final film, is the foundation on which everything else was built. It gave us a preliminary look at our narrative flow, character movements, and key action sequences. By revisiting this stage, we can truly appreciate how far we've come. Let's take a step back and explore these first steps of our development.

Alpha Previs

What we're about to showcase is the alpha previsualization, or previs, of "Code Phoenix". This stage of development is crucial as it represents our initial vision for the film, allowing us to map out scenes, sequences, and interactions. Essentially, the alpha previs serves as our blueprint, offering a rough but valuable representation of the film before the intensive work of detailed VFX and animation is applied. Let's take a look at these early stages, understanding that this is where our ideas first started taking tangible shape.

Beta Previs

Next, we're going to examine the beta previsualization, or previs, stage of "Code Phoenix". This stage represents a significant leap from our initial previs, incorporating more refined CG elements and beginning to hint at the complexity and detail of the final film.

We have two versions of the beta previs to showcase. The first version is a purely CG representation, where we've fleshed out the environments, creatures, and the Mecha in greater detail. It gives a clearer understanding of the visual dynamics and the intended pacing of our story.

The second version is a pivotal one as it introduces David Rubin, the actor who lends life to our veteran pilot character. This previs integrates David's performance, allowing us to better visualize and plan for the human element amidst our CG spectacle.

BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOS

We've shared a lot about the technical side of "Code Phoenix", but now it's time to lighten things up a bit and have some fun. We're about to show you a collection of behind-the-scenes photos from our journey of making this film. These candid shots capture the camaraderie, the hard work, and the joyous moments that made our experience so memorable. Whether it's late-night editing sessions, laughter-filled breaks, or team celebrations after a breakthrough, these snapshots are a testament to the team spirit and dedication that brought "Code Phoenix" to life. Let's take a moment to appreciate these fun, unfiltered glimpses of our journey.

Final Mentions & Special Thanks

As we reach the final piece of "Code Phoenix" Rookies 2023 Entry, it's important to acknowledge that this film is a product of countless hours of dedication, creative brainstorming, and collaboration. None of this would have been possible without the incredible team that stood behind this project, each contributing their unique skills and perspectives.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us along the way - our mentors, friends, and families, who believed in us and our vision. A special shout-out to the alumni from the industry who provided invaluable advice and support throughout this journey.

"Code Phoenix" is more than just a film; it's a testament to our collective passion, perseverance, and creativity. To everyone who played a part in this journey, thank you. Your contributions made "Code Phoenix" not just a project, but an unforgettable experience.

We are thrilled to present to you the culmination of our hard work, and we hope you enjoy watching "Code Phoenix" as much as we enjoyed creating it.

With Heartfelt love from Sumo. <3 The Team Leader.

Before we conclude, it's crucial to acknowledge some individuals who have been integral support to the realization of "Code Phoenix".

Sandra Baiju Prasad, we extend our sincere appreciation for your invaluable support in look development and rendering. Your expertise has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life.

Gabriel Monteiro, your remarkable skills in modelling the Mecha have added an extraordinary level of detail and realism to our project.

Marlon Gouieva, your fantastic work on the Sound OST greatly enhanced the immersive experience of our film.

Layla Elton, your adept project management skills and emotional support were the backbone that kept us going throughout this journey.

Alice Pott, your love and support have been the fuel that kept us going, even in the face of daunting challenges. Your faith in our abilities and our vision has been a constant source of motivation and encouragement.

Nikolai Maderthoner, our mentor, your guidance and rigging support were instrumental in ensuring our characters moved and behaved realistically.

Charlie Humphrey, your insights, advice, and support on research and development and look development have contributed significantly to the visual impact of our film.

Fred Austin and Gerard Murphy, your expertise in animation and your unwavering support has breathed life into our characters and narrative.

Yujin Chang, your efforts in modelling the hangar have added depth and authenticity to our film's setting.

Aadel Matoorianpour, your assistance in Nuke tracking has been essential in seamlessly integrating our VFX elements.

Our friends at Electric Theatre Collective, your advice, support, and love have been a constant source of encouragement.

And to everyone else who trusted and believed in us, your faith has been our driving force.

We sincerely appreciate the efforts of each one of you. "Code Phoenix" is not just our project; it's a testament to your dedication, talent, and teamwork. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.