August 7, 2023
This past week, the team at Remāngu journeyed to the stunning UNESCO city of Cesky Krumlov, home to our friends at Anomalia. Anomalia, renowned for their traditional summer animation school, presented an opportunity for the team to see firsthand how creativity and technology merge in an educational setting.
What sets Anomalia apart is their unique approach to animation education. Their summer school is not a typical one - it’s led by industry experts who have made a significant impact on the world of animation and game development. Over a two-week period, these experts guide three teams as they work on creating movie trailers, entirely using Unreal Engine, a powerful tool typically used in game development.
The process begins with a prepared animatic storyboard and a set of 3D assets. Teams then leap into the world of motion capture, employing a suit to quickly obtain raw working animations. This cutting-edge technology allows them to swiftly bring their storyboards to life, offering an early glimpse of their final product.
These raw animations are then fine-tuned meticulously, tailored to be compatible with the Unreal Engine. The refining process ensures that the animations look natural and immersive, providing the high-quality output that the summer school aims for.
At the end of the two intense weeks, each team emerges with a pitch-ready trailer for a unique movie idea. This impressive outcome is a testament to the rigorous training, dedication, and creativity fostered in Anomalia's summer school.
Training mentor, Animation Director, recently promoted to Character Director, Bill Buckley, has been working as a developer in the video game industry since 2005. His roles have included Senior Animator, Story Artist, Writer, Digital Cinematographer, and Concept Artist, and he is currently at First Contact Entertainment. Having worked on popular titles for companies such as THQ, Disney Interactive, Limbic Entertainment, SCEA, Activision (Neversoft and Infinity Ward), and Starbreeze Studios, Bill’s resume includes significant titles such as Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, NBA Live 07, Disney’s Club Penguin, 8 Guitar Hero titles, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, John Wick: The Impossible Task in VR, ROM: Extraction, Firewall: Zero Hour and, most currently, Solaris Offworld Combat.
The visit to Anomalia proved to be a valuable experience for the team at Remāngu. It was awe-inspiring to witness the use of the Unreal Engine outside of its traditional gaming domain. Seeing how the tool could be leveraged to create movie trailers expanded their understanding and appreciation of the engine's potential.
In conclusion, this visit was more than just an excursion; it was an opportunity for the Remāngu team to witness firsthand how technological tools, when combined with creativity and expertise, could transcend their usual boundaries. The trip to Cesky Krumlov and Anomalia served as a potent reminder of the limitless possibilities that lie at the intersection of technology and art.
For more information about Anomalia visit https://www.anomalia.eu/
