You can’t resist WOWing with QG3D’s creation

5 Jul , 2017 Behind The Scene Gab Liu

QG3D is a graphic computer studio based in Brazil. Marcelo Henrique, the creator behind QG3D, has created lots of 360 videos that will blow your mind. If you haven’t checked out his channel, click here and get pumped! 

 

VeeR: When was QG3D founded? How did it get into VR production?

Marcelo: When I started advertising in 2006, QG3D was already operating. So we can say that it is already over 10 years old. In the beginning the focus was on advertising videos and animations to publicize TV shows. Aside from the advertising career, QG3D was already acting as a VJ and did several audiovisual experiments. In 2011 I joined the area of video mapping for corporate events, shows, and parties, which was something that I really enjoy doing … My first contact with VR was a year ago when I watched a VR video Dreams of Dalí. I loved it at once. I found magic in the possibility of interacting with the video. I decided to start studying VR and soon discovered that with the software I already used such as 3ds Max and AE, I could do something similar to “Dreams of Dalí” among others. So when the invitation of recording a rap music video came, I decided to take the opportunity to learn more about VR and to realize this project in 360. The rapper loved the idea and the result.

 

Photo of an Interview (Photo by QG3D)

 

VeeR: What inspired you to make “The Valkyries of VeeRland”? How did you construct the concept of VeeRland?

Marcelo: The idea was to create a pleasant, smooth and tech-savvy environment with a camera roaming around, giving the viewer the opportunity to explore 360 from the scene. I want to create a place where people feel comfortable, an immersive refuge where they feel like visiting friends and wandering around without worries. Maybe we can even putt a “slackline” between the valkyries and walk, what do you think? Haha I love walking on the slackline.

 

 

VeeR: Why did you choose to represent VeeR with a circle of Valkyrie busts? Why Norse goddesses of war? Why was only the upper body shown?

Marcelo: In a circle they look in all directions, representing 360 visual fullness. At first I wanted to use the song The Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner as the soundtrack base of the animation. With this came the idea of naming the characters of Valkyries. In the end I used progressive electronic music with several passages of the mentioned opera, mixed gently in the course of the video. I thought that a classical (1854) and dramatic music would give an interesting contrast to such a high-tech video. On the other hand, the Viking legend says that the Valkyries are responsible for a kind of transition from dead warrior heroes into battles in another dimension. Leaving death aside, I believe in a certain way that this is the proposal of the RV, elevating the viewer to a magical and impossible world. In terms of showing only the upper part, analyzing my references, I believe that this is an aesthetic influence of the motion artist Beeple of whom I am fan. He always uses similar figures in his works and they have always fascinated and inspired me. I think this was the opportunity to get out.

 

Scene of The Valkyries of VeeRland (Photo by QG3D)

 

VeeR: Does this speak for your mental image of the VeeR persona? If not, what do you think a VeeR personification should be?

Marcelo: Under the subjective aspect I think so. The female figure is usually associated with something soft, she (the valkyrie) is strong, well-designed and at the same time seductive and looks in all directions (360), all in a high-tech atmosphere.

Under the publicity aspect, to suggest a character (mascot) for VeeR, the correct thing would be to do a search with the public. But I believe that a charismatic and didactic cartoon mascot would translate well.

 

VeeR Logo in 3D (Photo by QG3D)

 

VeeR: Why did you choose a metallic texture for those 3D models? What message are these images carrying through?

Marcelo: What message are these images transmitting? The metallic texture lent two values to the video; The metallic visual aesthetic left the values reflecting the colors of VeeR, thus collaborating for the brand’s visual identity. On the other hand the metallic texture gives a stainless aspect to the structure, demonstrating that it is durable and robust.

 

VeeR: Could you describe the entire workflow of this video, especially in detail how all the software you employed was involved (3ds Max, Adobe AE, Mettle Skybox, Element 3D)?

Marcelo: This is the fantastic quartet. I love this combination of software. I used 3ds Max to make some adjustments and changes in the character. Things like increasing breasts, inserting a few more mechanical components into the structure and doing some mesh corrections, and exporting this template into .obj format. The template was imported into After Effects using the Element 3D plugin. Finally I applied the Mettle Skybox, which does the 360 work and rig virtual cameras, which greatly facilitates the animation.

 

Reference (Photo by QG3D)

 

VeeR: How long did this video take you to design and render?

Marcelo: I spent a week involved in designing and structuring the project. It took about 20 hours of rendering, using an Intel i7 with Asus Gforce gtx970 video card. It may seem like a long time for someone who is not used to 3D work, but 20 hours to render a 3D 4K video (4320×2160) with so many visuals is time consuming thanks to the rendering system via GPU that Element 3D uses. This process is similar to the processing of games. I’ll leave these numbers as an example: “The Valkyries of VeeRland” has 135 seconds of animation times 30 frames per second equals to 4,050 frames to render. I did a test using traditional rendering, via CPU (not “G” PU), and it would take 1:15 hours to render a frame, multiplying by 4,050 frames, which would give an astonishing 5,040 hours, or 210 days, or 7 months of rendering. It would certainly make the project unfeasible. 

 

 

VeeR: Besides this video, are there any other exciting projects that you’d like to introduce to your fans on VeeR?

Marcelo: Certainly! We released a music video called “Destroy The Planet, Already?”. It’s posted on VeeR TV. The scenario is all in 3D, and the singer was recorded in chroma key and inserted in the virtual environment to make the interaction. The context of the video is built around regional architectonic icons of my city (Brazil, Goiânia) with historical and political elements, all within a rap clip full of action, practically a road movie, haha. It is worth the viewer to check. I am willing to do a report on this, about “Destroy The Planet, Already?“, There are several interesting details to cover about this music video. In addition to these, I have 5 other 360VR projects scheduled for this year of 2017. Two for this first semester, which will be two surreal videos. One with elements of “Atari ” (a game), and the other is something influenced by a work of Salvador Dali. In addition to these two video musics, another one will be for a Brazilian rap singer, Patrick Horla and another for an American rapper, Jitt Romney, who I met here at VeeR. And the fifth is a short horror film. I hope to achieve this goal.

 

360, 3D, artist, VeeR, Virtual Reality, VR, VR video

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