Ark develops CGI for Chocapic ad...

For this French ad, Ark VFX worked alongside Be Animation to produce the latest in a series of Chocapic commercials. Ark produced the CG for the ad, Be did all the character cel animation.

Take a look: Chocapic Ad

April 12th 2006: Driver Parallel Lines

<< See the images and download the movie HERE

March 9th 2006: ARK at GDC

ARK will be at GDC in San Jose 22nd-24th March. If you'd like to arrange a meeting with Michael Powell to see our latest work or discuss any of our services either email michael@arkvfx.net or call on +44 114 268 4999

March 8th 2006: Long awaited news update!

ARK has been working away in secret on its biggest project to date, over 30 minutes of full cinematic quality animation for the latest installment in Atari and Reflections' Driver series, equivalent in running time to a third of a full feature-film. Sixteen separate linking scenes were created; to introduce new characters, give out mission instructions, expose plot twists and advance the game's storyline. The game takes place in both 1978 and 2006, and the brief was to capture the look of both eras. An unlikely cast of over 32 characters were all modelled in painstaking detail, a cast that included pimps, geeks, strippers, an ex-military type, and even a corrupt police chief.

An updated showreel will be available soon along with a totally new website but in the meantime take a look here Driver: Parallel Lines - all the character work you see was created by ARK.

July 2005

New viral ad released...

Ark VFX was commissioned to produce a viral ad for Danish Bacon. It has just been released and is wasting office workers' time up and down the nation!

Take a look here: Danish Bacon

May 2005

ARK expands...

Ark VFX is expanding. Particle Systems founder Michael Powell has joined Ark VFX from the videogame world to take up the post of Managing Director. At the same time Ark has invested in new technology, moved into new larger office suites at the same address and taken on new staff. All this to enable the studio to complete several large projects. No details can be given immediately but amongst other projects the studio is working on a large CG animation project for a major videogame developer.

May 2005

ARK Game services...

Ark VFX can offer a full range of art outsourcing services to the videogame production industry. These include concept design, pre-production paintings, high and low resolution modelling, and a full range of FMV services from pre-visualisation, cut-scenes to intro movies.

See our game services website: http://www.ark-game.net

 

SECOND ACCLAIMED VIDEO BY ARK
'You' Shaznay Lewis

Ark has just completed a 'fantastical' new video for Shaznay Lewis. The second single 'You', from her new album is to be released this month.

The company was approached by Colonel Blimp, because of its creativity and project management. Ark's directorial debut for Muse's Sing for Absolution was greatly received by the commissioning world - and Cara Brady, commissioner for the Shaznay video, is keen to work with new directors and has a great instinct for talent. She championed Dougal Wilson in the early days and still does. Award winning editor Dayne Williams was attracted by the narrative content of the treatment.

The entire 'You' video was shot 'bluescreen', giving Ark an opportunity to create its own environments using Matte painting techniques. A set of storyboards were drawn and cut to the music in the form of a rough edit. From this, a shot list was compiled and the bluescreen requirements put together. Production paintings to illustrate the final look of the video were sent to the record company.

'We knew we wanted something ethereal and fantastical looking right from the start' explained Steve Tappin of Ark. 'Shaznay was professional and easy to direct, and we were able to shoot extra footage in Wales of some moving waves which was composited into the painted backgrounds during the edit. The amount of post-production work - in particular the bluescreen keying - was enormous and meant that we had to find a post house that could produce the quality we wanted and deliver it on time - we did, Golden Square'.

Both Muse and Shaznay occupy fantastical environments and the videos share an 'epic' big production feel. They are both 'artistcally' driven. It may be too soon to say whether this is the 'Ark' way, the next video they are working on might just be something entirely different….. but these videos give a good taste of the team's visual style.

Watch this space….

July 2004

ARK IS SHORTLISTED FOR MUSIC VIDEO AWARD

Ark's music video for Muse has been selected from over 1800 entries to this year's Rushes Soho Shorts Festival in London.

The company launched its directorial debut last month with what it describes as a 'mini sci-fi disaster movie' to accompany the band's Sing for Absolution single.

With patrons that include the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) and the Directors Guild of Great Britain, the Soho Shorts festival is one of the highlights of London's film calendar. The judging panel is made up of highly respected professionals from the film, television, advertising, music and media industries.

The company's video has been shortlisted for the Sound Music Video Award which honours the relationship between music and the moving image. 'We're delighted that our work has been shortlisted - it's great to have such recognition from other industry professionals', said Steve Tappin, co-founder of Ark.

Free screenings of the shortlisted films are shown in venues throughout Soho between Saturday 31st July and Friday 6th August. The festival culminates in an awards ceremony in Leicester Square.

June 2004

NESTLÉ AD COLLABORATION FOR ARK VFX

Ark VFX and BE Animation have collaborated to produce an animated commercial for Nestlé's Chocapic cereal.

Ark was commissioned by BE Animation in London to produce 3D and 2D painted backgrounds for the commercial which is part of the latest campaign for Nestlé from McCann Erickson Paris.

The ad features a story-telling dog called Pico who convinces his young owner, Pierrre, to give him some of his favourite cereal by making up an heroic tale that sees the two characters battle against chocolate-stealing Barbarians in order to save mankind from a world without chocolate.

'I was really pleased to be able to bring Ark in on the project - I knew they would create some great artwork', explains Gayle Beukani, head of production at BE Animation. 'It was reassuring to know that outsourced elements of the project were being managed by an exceptional team of artists and we're looking forward to working with them in the future'.

'Chocapic "Barbarians" can be viewed online at www.beanimation.com

May 2004

COLONEL BLIMP SIGNS ARK

Ark has become the latest signing to London based music video production company, Colonel Blimp. The company recently made its directorial debut with an epic sci-fi promo for Sing for Absolution, the new single from Muse which is released on 17 May.

'I literally stumbled across Ark when I saw some of the guys' work for the ABC Warriors and Slaine on a monitor in the Blue Source studio. These were a pair of iconic strips from 2000AD which I'd been a fan of since my school days so the chance to work with the artists was too good to miss', explains John Hassay, commissioner at Colonel Blimp. 'I just had to find out if the boys could make their stunning imagery move - I wasn't disappointed'.

'As Ark hadn't directed or produced a music video before, I was expecting them to have to spend time proving themselves with lower budget work', says Hassay, 'But the commissioner, Richard Skinner (EastWest), was so enthusiastic about their treatment from the moment it was submitted, he took a chance. A welcome leap of faith in an increasingly conservative market', Hassay continues.

'And it's paid off. As the video commissioner responsible for Fatboy Slim I have to say that the Muse video is quite simply the most stunning debut video I've ever seen.'

April 2004

ARK VFX SENDS MUSE TO THE OUTER LIMITS

The latest video for UK indie rock trio Muse, has been produced and directed by Ark.

2001:A Space Odyssey meets Planet of the Apes is how the artists at Ark VFX describe the concept for the video, which is based on man's attempt to save the earth from an ecological disaster of man's own making.

'We wanted the video to capture the sentiment of the song in a powerful, epic way. We first developed a narrative that would support some stunning imagery', explains Steve Tappin, co-founder of Ark. 'What we've created is a mini sci-fi disaster movie which reflects the apocalyptic feel of the album'.

The video was produced using a combination of live action and 3D computer animation which was integrated with skilfully rendered matte paintings.

The first-time directors worked hard to ensure that the high standard of artwork and imagery was never compromised, despite the fact that they had only seven weeks in which to complete the video. Meticulous scheduling and dedication of the whole team ensured that the project was completed on time and to budget.

'Being given the opportunity to direct and produce our own work is what keeps us inspired and it's why we enjoy what we do', says Tappin.

The video premieres on MTV on April 9th.