Want to be on Motionographer? Submit your work now!

Get a daily digest of Motionographer's posts in your inbox. Subscribe now.

Meindbender Duplicates for Cartoon Network

duplicator

Meindbender Animation Studio in Sweden has really done a nice job for Cartoon Network. They’ve reproduced stop motion-like animation with a real clay feeling—but with all the advantages of CG.

The Duplicator Series was animated in Maya and rendered with Maxwell Renderer using HDR’s Rendernet. Check out the series on Meindbender’s site or individually here:

The Duplicators
Evolution
Audition
It´s Magic
Push The Button

Some background information from Meindbender’s Olov Burman:

In 2007 we released an animation test called Rabbit vs Football. This film got quite a lot of attention on the internet, and one the companies that contacted us was Cartoon Network. We were at that point looking for buyers for a film called Gifts for Greta.

Cartoon Network bought this as a Christmas ID short film, and it ended up winning awards in Promax/DBA Europe and world awards. Cartoon Network then ordered 5 more ID shorties, and we started working on the “Duplicator Series.”

We put together a small but dedicated crew of world class CGI artists and got to work. After several months of hard work we completed the production. We hope you enjoy the films.

Title: The Duplicator Series
Director: Olov Burman

CLIENT:
Client: Cartoon Network

ANIMATION:
Animation Studio: Meindbender Animation Studio

Lighting, Shading, Rendering: Michael Bengtsson
Animation, Rigging: Calle Halldin
Music and Sound Design: Robert Lundgren
Animation, Modeling: Marcus Ottosson
Rigging: Tony Österlund
Props: Ola Larsson
Intern: Rickard Germundsson

MUSIC AND SOUND DESIGN:
Music and Sound Design: AD Union

Posted on 7 December 2009 |

Tags: , , , , ,

  • Patrick Smith

    Wow amazing, the plasticine feel and look brings them to life like normal CG wouldn’t normally get. The animation is top notch, the life in the characters is incredible, plus got to love the walk cycles.

    They do have a style that feels like they’d be irritating after a while (like It’s Magic), but watching them a second time I reckon they get even better! There’s great attention to detail.

  • ddd_dave

    These are addictive! The music and sound FX are right on target too. Great attitude and branding :)

  • http://www.todayistomorrow.net suprememoves

    Wow. These are really brilliant… from all aspects. They all had me cracking up. More!

  • bard

    this is really impressive! love the animation and the ideas for these.
    considering the rendering system is incredibly slow (due to the realistic lighting calculations), this is quite a feat. I’m not surprised they needed a renderfarm to get these done. One frame at 1080p must have taken at least 20 hours!

  • oeuf

    Great spots and work. A little disappointed that there isn’t more to see on their site. In the Gifts for Greta credits, there’s a credit for armature, was that real clay?
    Would love to hear a little about the process too.

  • http://9north.com/ 9north

    I had seen Rabbit vs. Football a long time ago and forgot who did it, so it’s nice to see them back on the map. Everything works in these new spots!

  • r3awak3n

    freakin nice… funny, creative and smart… great job.

  • http://www.tricefalo.com tricefalo

    Very fun ID´s.
    I was surprised how close the promos with the logo, something more organic that the refaced in USA. Nice, nice work.
    :D:D:D

  • http://www.arjenklaverstijn.com arjhun

    Wow, just amazing, I’m a big fan! everything has volume and bounciness to it…

  • http://www.mateuniverse.com Mate Steinforth

    CG claymation, 2006: http://www.psyop.tv/cokefilms02

    • r3awak3n

      yep, looks 2006.

      • dshaw

        hahaha

        nat’l killed it with the amex stuff too. too bad computers killed the claymation star.

        regardless, these idents are kick ass.

  • http://najork.net najork

    Super great.

    I can’t quite decide if the clay treatment is a gimmick or if it’s really the best way to make this sort of movement physically relatable.
    One could argue that going for a real-world analogue misses the point of animation, and there is some truer aesthetic to be coaxed from CG.
    I have no idea what that would be though.

  • http://deoclicianocgiportfolio.wordpress.com/ ochyming

    Very clever rig and animation.
    Lovely!

  • http://www.ramin.nl Ramin

    Aweseome, I could watch these over and over again. The 3D calymation is executed perfectly!

  • jpcroque

    Hey there from Palermo (Buenos Aires – Argentina)
    We love your blog and think you are right to raise this important issue.
    We have been thinking along similar lines here in BS. It is good to connect with other like minded thinkers on these issues. Keep up the good work and keep the debate going.

    Cheers

    Animation Dance Association
    http://www.adasport.com