WOLFSPEED
WOLFSPEED
ROLESEXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mack Garrison
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Cory Livengood
PRODUCER: Meryn Hayes
SCRIPTING: Adam Zammiello
STYLE FRAMES: Jay Brown, Cory Livengood, Will Fortanbary, Mikey Zoppo,
STORYBOARDS: Jake Page, Meg Snyder, Megan DeMarco
ANIMATION: Joey Judkins, Thom Haig, Ben Nichols, Jay Brown, Arturo Echeverria, Taylor Cox, Cory Livengood, Mikey Zoppo, Will Fortanbary
MUSIC & SFX: Sono Sanctus
DETAILSWolfspeed is driving the future of semiconductor markets and their passion for success has been proven through innovation, technical strength and with a staff of the most forward-looking thinkers makers and doers the scientific community has to offer. So when it came time to reflect this passion, energy, and drive in a series of videos, we had to balance the technical expertise that Wolfspeed provides with high-level messaging that could reach their large community. That resulted in five videos:
The Wolfspeed Brand Overview
Silicon Carbide 101
Wolfspeed RF
Wolfspeed Power
The Wolfspeed Wolfpack Power Module
DISCOVERYThere are a myriad of different types of animation approaches. From classic 2d explainer videos, to mixed-media projects which include footage and imagery, to more robust 3d endeavors, but the key to choosing a medium relies on the brand, audience, and purpose. Wolfspeed wanted to tap into the reality of how their products work today but also show the capabilities of tomorrow. This mix of current and future technologies shaped a path for 3d animation. We played around with abstract environments coupled with elements of realism to stretch the audience's imagination but also show real world examples of their products at work.
Developing content for the one of the biggest players in the semiconductor markets required a strategic approach to understand the core message at the heart of each video. Here are some of the adjectives we strived to incorporate in this series of animations.
Innovative
Reliable
Strong
Efficient
Scientific
Passionate
IDEATIONOnce we decided to run with the 3d approach, the next step was determining the aesthetic which started with the development of style frames. Style frames are still images that convey the overall look and feel of a project. What does the color palette look like? How are compositions arranged and balanced? How are products represented and what does the environment start to look like? This look and feel portion of the project allowed us to play around with different directions, some in abstract ways and other grounded in reality, to determine an overarching aesthetic we could translate into all the videos into.
Process Breakdown
Each video in the series required some unique, creative innovations tailored towards the need of that specific piece of content, but in general, each animation for Wolfspeed followed a process similar to below. Here is a process breakdown for the Wolfspeed WolfPACK™ animated video.
IDEATIONOnce we had our initial look established, we began to focus on scripting. We needed to introduce audiences to the brand with just enough details to provide overarching information but also avoid information overload. Since Wolfspeed is the leader in the Silicon Carbide space the voice and cadence of the animation needed to reflect that. We used a direct and impactful tone accented with a voiceover that was optimist but also direct. Below is an example of the script for our overview animation.
The product based videos, like the ones we made for their family of power modules required more specificity. These deep dive videos needed subject matter expertise that was presented in a digestible way. Below is a script that highlights the Wolfspeed WolfPACK™ Power Modules and the supplemental style frames that show early aesthetic iterations.
Excerpt from the script.
PRE-PRODUCTIONWorking within 3d environments requires an extra level of attention to detail. Lighting, textures, and camera moves are all unique components that need to be accounted for. Before we start, we focus on the story. Building robust storyboards, models, animatics, and previzualizations (Pre-Viz) to create a map for the creative to follow This ensures that we only animate exactly what is needed. Clients can provide feedback before compositions are fully rendered and animated. Below are some style frames for the project which are meant to convey the overall look and feel for the project.
WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module in abstract space.
Lighting exploration of the WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Continued exploration of a 3d modeled WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Continued lighting exploration of the WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Success is in the details. Using reference imagery and some existing wire-frames, the dash crew was able to build life-like 3d models of the Wolfspeed WolfPACK™ Power Modules for use in the animation. This allowed us to show the product from any angle and cater it towards any scene.
PRE-PRODUCTION cont.
From there, we then turned our focus to storyboards that highlight the overarching flow of the story and how scenes transition from one frame to the next. Because this is visualized through rough sketches, it’s easy to make adjustments and alterations before the investment in motion.
PRE-PRODUCTION cont.
An animatic or pre-viz is one of the final steps before polishing the animation. It provides insights on timing and flow of the video. Using a temporary scratch track for the voiceover allows the animator to roughly time-out each scene. This gives us insight into pacing and length of the piece so we can extend timing where necessary or shorten the video if it’s feeling too long.
Once the pre-vis or animatic has been established, it’s on to animation. Our videos are divided into sections for and assigned to a team of animators. Some are in charge of assets that get handed to other animators for compositing and some animators will take on full scenes themselves. Because of all the pre-production elements and planning that goes into the project, our animation team can all be sprinting in the same direction to ensure we hit the final deliverables on time and with the quality our high-end clients expect.
ProductionWe think of every video project as a mini campaign, and as a result, we’re always looking for auxiliary elements we can use to accent the video. That can be static content or even cutdowns (exemplified below) that can be used for pre-roll advertisements and paid social ads like the ones below.
And with a unified style across a multitude of videos this package of deliverables and auxiliary elements begin to work together to build brand awareness and create a cohesive campaign of content.
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