Microsoft XBOX | X-Ray Kid Studios

Vitals

X-Ray Kid Studios contacted us with a secret project from an unnamed client and said that it was going to be a tight schedule and A LOT of compositing and 3D animations. With that kind of intrigue how could we say no?

After an initial somewhat vague meeting about the content with X-Ray Kid Studios we realized an immediate synergy existed between the two companies. Within days of that meeting we found out the project had been green lit and that we would need to begin shooting in less than a week. The only problem? We still did not know who the client was and there was no script!

Then came the proverbial NDA and the revelation that the client was none other than Microsoft and it was for a new game being developed for Project NATAL. This is the XBOX's revolutionary platform that works without a physical controller. COOL!

Now that we got the inside scoop (of which we are still under NDA... so we can't reveal all the details... or the video) we set out to write the script, cast, get the crew ready and devise a post workflow that required 2D and 3D compositing, motion graphics and RED conversions. It would be one hellava week.

X-Ray Kid Studios is an animation powerhouse and would handle all the 3D in-game elements and we had to coordinate the final edits to match the human counterparts on screen. The final results were incredible and our workflow, although we were on a strict deadline (ie LATE NIGHTS) worked out perfectly and the end result was a believable interaction between the live and animated characters.

For such a creative endeavor we were able to get from concept to deliverable within three weeks. A grueling, but amazing experience that we are incredibly proud of.... and AS Soon as humanly possible we will post the video.

Credits:

Client: X-ray Kid Studios, Microsoft XBOX

Director: Ali Akbarzadeh

Producer: Jeffrey Horn

DP: Rich Schaefer

Grip/Lighting: High Impact Pictures

Editor: Ali Akbarzadeh

Compositing: Kip Hewitt

Motion Graphics: Jeffrey Horn

3D Animation: X-Ray Kid Studios