Heckler Lends Its Unreal Expertise to Create Movember Campaign Desert World

Creating a colourful desert world to set the stage for the new Movember campaign, ‘The Mo Is Calling’, Heckler was excited to bring to life the VFX, post production and sound design on an energy packed spot for an important cause. 

 

Collaborating with Revolver director Matt Devine for client DDB Melbourne, Heckler was briefed to create a photorealistic environment that could house a bunch of eclectic characters as they race full speed along a desert highway. Heckler Sound also helped bring the sound design to life working alongside UK comedian and voice over artist Matt Berry.

 

Using real-time software Unreal Engine, the Heckler VFX crew got to work on combining a live action shoot with a 3D environment to achieve a world that seamlessly connects.

 

Heckler Unreal Engine artist Maud Chapuis explains, “This game-changing platform has revolutionized my craft by enabling the rapid creation of hyper-realistic environments seamlessly integrated with live-action footage. A task that used to be complex and time-consuming is now executed much quicker.

 

“During the storyboarding phase of Movember, I sat with the director and analysed the 3D environment in 360 degrees, moving the camera around as we went and altering the lighting and landscape instantly. Unreal Engine is also great because it allows us to replicate a reference shot super accurately. It can recreate places or scenes that would typically be hard to shoot, such as a desert or underwater, while still fitting in really well with the pipeline of a live action shoot.



“The engine's capabilities are nothing short of extraordinary, and they continue to evolve with each update. While originally designed for gaming, recent iterations have found a substantial place in the realm of visual effects and post-production. It's akin to painting with pixels, and the end result is a captivating visual masterpiece that enthrals audiences and leaves them in awe when we tell it's been computer generated.”



Shot on a windy cold winter’s day on an airstrip down in Wollongong NSW, Heckler VFX supervisor Julian Ford agrees using Unreal Engine was instrumental in recreating the campaign’s desert environment, and that the VFX house got the chance to refine its approach to Unreal Engine to further embed it into the studio’s pipeline.

 

Julian said, “Looking at what the film crew shot and where we ended up, this project is a classic example of the before and after pictures that everyone so enjoys comparing.

 

“Revolver director Matt was very open to the best ways of executing the job; from the way we shot some of the plates through to working on ungraded plates and then grading everything at the end. It was a very collaborative process.”

 

“It’s great working with a director that we have a strong relationship with, and we jumped at the chance to work with Matt on a job that we could all bring our skills together. It’s also nice to work on a campaign with purpose and for a good cause.”