Specializing in practical visual effects and animatronics, Creative Character Engineering relied heavily on LightWave to create 3D models of the organs that would eventually become tangible objects. Working from 2D concept art, CCE designed the life-size 3D models of all the organs, except the spine, to easily fit together like a puzzle. To create physical 3D prototypes of the organs, LightWave OBJ files were converted into STL files, and outsourced to a 3D printer. The prototypes were then mass-produced, painted, plated, and later reassembled, to create the onscreen representations of the mechanical organs featured in the movie.
Barcoding was an effective way to identify, and inventory the mechanical organs in "Repo Men." The barcodes, which were about the size of a dime, were created using a combination of LightWave 3D and Adobe Illustrator; images were imported from an Illustrator file into LightWave, and extruded to incorporate the barcode into the model geometry.
"LightWave is extremely easy to use, has a full featured modeler, solid animation tools, and the best render engine in the industry," says Andrew Clement, owner of Creative Character Engineering. "It was an ideal way to model the artificial organs for 'Repo Men'-creating 3D art, to part in a fast, efficient way. Using LightWave allows us to stay focused on delivering a quality product to our clients-even on a tight deadline."
See the "Repo Men" trailer at www.repomenarecoming.com.
NewTek LightWave 3D combines a state-of-the-art renderer with powerful, intuitive modeling, and animation tools. Tools that may cost extra in other professional 3D applications are part of the product package, including unlimited render nodes, hard-body and soft-body dynamics, hair, fur, cloth simulation, and more. LightWave is enjoyed worldwide, as a complete 3D production solution for visual effects in film, television, broadcast graphics, games, visualization, print, and Web.
About NewTek Benefiting producers and artists with cost-effective and groundbreaking technologies, NewTek is a leader in 3D animation and special effects tools, portable live production and video editing including LightWave 3D®, the TriCaster™ product line and 3PLAY™. NewTek has won numerous industry accolades, including two Emmy® Awards. In addition to "Repo Men," NewTek products have been used in blockbuster films and television shows, including "Avatar," "Angels and Demons," "Battle for Terra," "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Tropic Thunder," "V," "FlashForward," "Lost," "Fringe" and more.
