Here, we bring you the side-by-side for "Ice World 2". Mill+ and Sid Lee Toronto worked with Adidas and Sport Chek to create a surreal ice world setting for the Olympic athletes to train in. Metaphorical of their hard - and often solitary - training routines, the environments had to look hostile and imposing.
Half imagined and half real, the idea was to use the environment as the opposing character in the story of each athlete. A big design challenge for the films was to find the right balance of reality and imagination and set the right tone.
Even though it was the middle of summer in Montreal, the spots were shot on location, giving it better framing reference for the final vfx backgrounds, and more realistic lighting for the talent and in camera elements. For the most part, the weather cooperated, with overcast clouds providing the flat lighting that was needed. When the sun did come out, silks we used to diffuse the light and create the same effect.
The guys at Intrigue-FX provided some great practical ice and snow elements for the foreground, which worked really well as a starting point for the VFX work.
Lead 2D Artist Westley Sarokin notes, "Adidas is a perfect example of what can be created when every aspect of client interaction, production, and VFX all come together perfectly. Shooting the scenes in practical environments with natural lighting rather than in a studio on greenscreen ensured that all the performances looked real. Using a combination of CG environments, matte paintings, and atmospheric elements, the world we created looks fantastic but believable, with just the right amount of naturalistic art direction that allowed the films really come together."
Editing Company: Mill+
Editor: Jessica Ledoux
VFX & Design: The Mill
Executive Producer: Zu Al-Kadiri
VFX Producer: Lily Tilton
Shoot Supervisor: Rob Petrie
2D Lead Artist: Westley Sarokin
3D Lead Artist: Rob Petrie
2D Artists: Emily Bloom, Martin Lazaro, Rob Meade
3D Artists: Olivier Varteressian, Corey Langelotti
Matte Painting: Rob Petrie, Somnio Studios
Colourist: Damien Van Der Cruyssen
Assistant Producer: Mandy Harris
Color Producer: Heath Raymond