Chicago-based Optimus Design recently created the main titles for FITC FORM – a two-day celebration of the best in design, web, photography and media – held in Chicago, Nov. 2-3. Led by creative director Donnie Bauer, the opening sequence set the tone for the conference.
“When we decided to do FORM in Chicago, we knew that we’d want to showcase and work with local talent, so we made a short list of studios in Chicago and contacted them to discuss the project,” said FITC founding director Shawn Pucknell. “We were referred to Optimus Design by a few associates and friends, and after reviewing their work and looking at their pitch, we knew we had found the right company to work with.”
The opening sequence is completely CGI-generated. In it, Optimus Design worked to portray abstract, morphing landscapes that move from organic and abstract to recognizable shapes and forms. In keeping with the idea of FORM, the sequence brings to life the journey from the spark of an idea to something more architectural, rigid and recognizable.
“We’ve always wanted to create a piece that allowed us to flex our creative muscle for an organization that’s so important to our industry,” said Bauer. “FITC has hosted events in Amsterdam, Tokyo, Toronto and all around the globe. For them to host this landmark event in Chicago is a huge deal, and we are honored to be involved in it.”
Optimus Design uses Maxon‘s Cinema 4D (C4D) for its CGI needs. For this project, the group integrated the latest release of Solid Angle‘s Arnold (C4DtoA) into its C4D pipeline. Arnold is a third-party render engine used widely by film and VFX studios around the world. It was recently made available to C4D users.
