It wasn’t long ago that computer graphics for feature films and video games were mutually exclusive, but the technology driving them has become so similar that it’s now common to find the same artists working across both mediums. It’s an envious position to be in, contributing to two influential entertainment outlets, which is how Computer Animation alum Matthew Bauer has built his career since graduating in 2007.
Matthew is a cinematic animator at The Third Floor, a visual effects studio in Los Angeles, California that specializes in pre-visualization for movies and games. The studio has worked on a number of high profile releases, and Matt has handled pre-production for blockbusters like Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Thor, and Mars Needs Moms, as well a string of hit software that includes Lost Planet 2 and Starcraft 2.
“The bar is constantly being raised so that what you can do in games is getting as good as the movies,” he says. “I think by the next console generation it’s all going to be on the same level as far as the production value. That’s the cool thing about doing pre-vis at this company, I get to see that all first hand.”
Pre-visualization comes early in a project’s production, with the results similar to animated storyboards. Matt and his team will meet with the filmmakers or game designers to discuss their vision for an effects sequence or in-game cinematic, and then produce 3D animations that offer an outline of what they’ll look like on screen – allowing for tweaking of camera angles and pacing before the final versions are created.
“With pre-vis everything is still in the early stages so you’ve got the chance to spitball ideas and sometimes they end up changing the action,” he says. “We can easily put together something representative of what they want, and people are really impressed by the speed and quality of the results. It’s an amazing tool, and when you get a director saying, ‘You guys are awesome, I don’t even need storyboard artists, I can just use you to make my movie,’ that’s very gratifying.”
The speed and flexibility of pre-visualization is also a welcome perk to Matthew, who enjoys the ability to be a part of so many different types of projects throughout the year. Just one look at his upcoming roster of releases showcases the range of opportunities this role continues to afford him, including films like Battleship, Jack the Giant Killer, and The Avengers, as well as the eagerly anticipated game sequel Diablo III.
“It’s humbling what I’ve been a part of,” he says. “The fact that I get paid to play with these franchises, and come up with action scenarios like I used to as a kid with my action figures, is just surreal – like the first time I sat down and actually animated Thor. It’s one of those things that I always knew I had it in me, but I never would have imagined that I would touch these projects.”
