When Opel were looking to make a powerful impact with their new range of Ampera-e electric cars, they turned to creature animation and visual effects specialists, Alt.vfx.
Instead of using a technical explanation to introduce the range, the car giant’s latest viral clip instead used black humor to deliver the message. In the spot, from Scholz & Friends in Hamburg, the Ampera-e not only surprises the animal kingdom but also the Almighty himself, as two cockchafer bugs attempt to cross a quiet country road. Who could expect an electric car to come along in the middle of nowhere? However, at least one of the cockchafers in the spot finds out the hard way that he should expect the unexpected.
The special charm of the humanized cockchafers is brought to life via Motion Capture Animation. This technique captures the motion sequences of real actors and transfers them to 3D models. Alt’s Lead Animator Chris Rentoul donned a mocap suit, with his movements captured and then animated as two life-like bugs.