Archive notice: This article was originally published on December 9, 2014. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Due to the relentless exploitation of resources, the earth is at its end. The last inhabitants have to leave the planet and try their luck in space – with the “Seed of Hope” project.
This is the starting point for the short film project “Seed of Hope” (SOH), which is organised as an international competition. Individual parts, scenes and sections of the film can be designed by artists. Whether concept art, modelling, look development, compositing or sound design – there is a challenge for every specialist. The entries will be selected by a jury in 2015. The artists whose work is included in the final film will be honoured in autumn 2015 and receive a non-cash prize.
Here is the first teaser of the project:
Seed of Hope teaser from NAKOfx on Vimeo.
If you would like to take part, you can take part in the following “challenges”, which will be activated depending on the progress of the project. Concept Art and Modelling are already running, the start dates for the other three challenges can be found on the Seed of Hope website.
Concept Art
The background story is to be developed further as part of this challenge. The task is to capture the drama on Earth in an image that prompted the crew to flee with the spaceship. All digital tools are permitted.
Submission requirements:
Image in 16:9 ratio, at least 1,920 x 1,080 pixels in PNG format.
Send to challenge@seedofhopeprojet.com,
Subject “SOH challenge/concept art/your name”,
File name: SOH_challenge_concept_art_your_name.png.
This challenge is already running. The deadline for submissions is 15 February 2015.
Modelling
The aim here is to build a giant maintenance robot that can be found as an extra in the large hangar of the spaceship. What could Nasa’s robot technology look like in the near future? The robot must fit into the design language of the film. A mesh with simple textures should be submitted so that it can be modified and the Nakofx pipeline can be integrated.
Submission requirements:
C4D, OBJ and FBX formats are accepted.
Submissions to challenge@seedofhopeprojet.com,
Subject “SOH challenge/modelling/your name”,
File name: SOH_challenge_modelling_your_name.C4D
Work can also be submitted for this challenge. The submission deadline for “Modelling” is also 15 February 2015.
Look Development
For this challenge, a basic 3D scene of the spaceship corridor is to be created, with textures, materials, lighting and atmospheric elements.
Submission requirements:
Submissions should be sent to challenge@seedofhopeprojet.com,
Subject “SOH challenge/look_development/your name”,
File name: SOH_challenge_look_development_your_name.PNG
Start of this challenge: First quarter of 2015, when a basic scene will be available for download.
Compositing
The aim here is to create a high-end look in the tool of your choice and create an atmospheric look.
Submission requirements:
Submission of an MP4 video with a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 px in H264 codec via wetransfer.com to challenge@seedofhopeprojet.com,
Subject “SOH challenge/compositing/your name”,
File name: SOH_challenge_compositing_your_name.mov
The competition for “Compositing” is expected to start in Q2 2015, when footage will be made available for download on the project website.
Sound design
What should the dystopian science fiction universe sound like? We are looking for the sound for the user interface in the near future. Anything is possible, except music.
Conditions for submission:
Send the MP3 file in stereo 48,000 kHz, 16bit, 192 Kbit to challenge@seedofhopeprojet.com,
Subject “SOH challenge/sounddesign/your name”,
File name: SOH_challenge_sounddesign_your_name.mp3
Entries for this challenge are expected to be submitted in the 3rd quarter of 2015. Sound footage will be made available for download as a working basis at the start.
Interview with director and SEO initiator Claude Kongs from Nakofx
DP: How did you come to this project?
Claude Kongs: There were various influences here. On the one hand, I took a socially critical approach. The seemingly insatiable hunger for cheap food, the lack of respect, the selfish use of the planet’s resources and the naïve belief in miracle-working technical solutions are alarming. This film is another attempt to make people think about the future and their own ecological footprint. I also aim to make 3D animated films visually indistinguishable from a real film. The quality of the light, the materials, the textures, all the fine details … you have to push all of this to the limit in order to break up the usual symmetrical, sterile and artificial 3D look.
DP: How would you like to realise this in “SOH”?
Claude Kongs: The story elements take into account the fact that it is almost impossible to depict realistic people in 3D. But by using the spacesuits with the reflective helmets and using a subjective perspective, the difference between reality and 3D-generated content becomes blurred. Another factor that works in our favour is that normally animating human life forms is quite tricky, as viewers instinctively know whether the animation of a human is right or wrong. But in an environment like space, where there is no gravity, we can get round this problem quite well.
DP: How is your pipeline for “Seed Of Hope” structured?
Claude Kongs: We start with The Foundrys Hiero. In this step, we define the naming conventions and export the scripts. In the case of Seed of Hope (SOH), the storyboard is immediately integrated into Hiero as a video board. During production, we use Shotgun to distribute tasks to the artists or to organise reviews. Our main tool Maxon’s Cinema 4D. For the rendering of the SOH project, we are currently testing Otoy Octane and V-Ray for C4D. This is not an easy decision, as we want to push the limits in terms of the complexity of the scenes. We have set ourselves the goal of achieving a very realistic look.
In addition, we would also like to realise a stereoscopic version and/or a 4K version. It goes without saying that this will push rendering times to unimaginable heights, not to mention the even more complex level of detail. However, we will only be able to make the final decision at a later stage in production. Both renderers are constantly being developed further. Even the smallest feature can quickly turn the tide here.
We primarily use Nuke for compositing. After Effects is used for smaller jobs such as motion design for user interfaces, graphic elements or title sequences.
We work with Windows workstations that are connected to fast file servers via a 10-gigabit network. We are also in the fortunate position of having access to a high-end grading suite at Espera Productions and can therefore test our renderings under cinema conditions.
DP: How do you finance yourselves?
Claude Kongs: The project is partly financed by the Film Fund Luxembourg with 120,000 euros. On the one hand, we naturally want to make a good film from a technical and artistic point of view. On the other hand, we also want to showcase our know-how and expertise with this project. We would like to find co-production partners for this film or other projects that are still in our pipeline. We are looking for contact with studios, producers and brand manufacturers as well as sponsors who can provide us with software and hardware prizes for the SOH project.
DP: When will the prizes be awarded to the participants?
Claude Kongs: An event will be held in Luxembourg in autumn 2015 to celebrate the official premiere of the film and also to recognise the work of all those who took part, under the eyes of renowned professionals from the animation and production industry. The finished film will then be shown in cinemas and at festivals. In Luxembourg, it will be shown in the cinemas of the Utopolis Group.
DP: How far has the project progressed?
Claude Kongs. The modelling of the characters is finished and was done by Adam Sacco. The storyboard has also been finalised. We are currently working on the animatic, rigging and modelling.
About Nakofx
Founded in 2012, the VFX and 3D animation studio is based at Filmland Studios in Luxembourg (filmland.lu). Founding member Claude Kongs is a 3D and VFX artist and brought Raoul Nadalet on board, who is a VFX artist, colourist and already owner of the post-production studio Espera Productions. The team currently consists of a total of six employees.
The aim of Nakofx is to provide technical and creative services for feature films and to develop its own projects – from the initial idea to the final film – for the entertainment and media industry. The service portfolio includes pre-production, i.e. pre-vis and 3D storyboards, VFX supervision, production design and artwork, the production itself (motion design, 3D and character animation, live action with CGI elements) and post-production (keying, matte painting, 3D environments, title sequences).
Nakofx has contributed VFXs to films such as “Hannah Arendt“, “The Möbius Affair” and “Wiplala”.
Nakofx is part of the company That’s us, which provides various services for the film industry in Luxembourg. In addition to Nakofx, the group of companies includes Antevita Films, which acts as producer for “Seed Of Hope” (SOH), Espera Productions (production) and Think Twice, which is responsible for marketing and organising the challenge for SOH.
Projects
Seed of hope
Status: In production
Short film by Claude Kongs Produced by Antevita Films and co-produced by Nakofx Genre: realistic 3D animation/science fiction/stereoscopy Release in 2015
The Purge
Status: In development
Short film by Claude Kongs Produced by Antevita Films and co-produced by Nakofx Genre: live-action film with 3D characters Synopsis: In a dystopian future, robots attempt to wipe out the human race, which they believe is carrying a deadly virus, one man tries to stay alive as long as possible and change the course of events.
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