Cinematic Environment Art

80lv: James, you have a very interesting specialization concentrating on environments for CGI films and trailers. Can you tell us what the main specifics of this occupation are? How are environments treated in this type of content?

I’d say the goal is always to maximize the content and quality wherever possible. Breaking down an environment that both the client and art director is happy with and working closely with the director, art director, and layout to balance quality, budget and time. That’s a little more high level though. In terms of technical ability you need to be able to model, texture and shade to a high level as standard, then adding in some experience in various programs and techniques like world building, scene assembly, lighting, and compositing comes next – at least for my current position.

Environments as Backgrounds

80lv: It sometimes feels that the environments in the background can be often overlooked. What do you feel makes a 3D background environment good?

Without trying to digress too far, a good environment created in a studio pipeline is usually a combination of more than just the environment department. A good environment is one that works compositionally (which is usually fed into from the director, art director, and layout), is full of high-quality assets, and has the right lighting to support these assets to make sure we’re getting the best out of our hard work. It also has to support the character in character shots, rather than detract/distract. Sometimes there are several people involved in this process, but I find it works best when you have one person responsible for all aspects, including layout and lighting. It’s worth bearing in mind though that every image that comes out from Axis has been worked on by a whole team of talented people.

Kiss Me First: Environment Approach