Combining Film and Game Technology - A Collaboration between Blindflug Studios and Samir

Blindflug Studios and Dschoint Ventschr are proud to announce that they are collaborating for the latest film project by Swiss filmmaker Samir titled THE MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORKING CLASS INTO FOREIGNERS.

For his new documentary movie, Samir uses short animated sequences that represent his memories of growing up in the working-class milieu in Switzerland. But instead of going the traditional animation route, these sequences are being produced inside «Unreal Engine», a game engine. A game engine is the software framework in which the actual game system is programmed and 3D objects get assembled.

The scenes do not get animated frame by frame as it would be the case in typical animation. Instead, the filmmaker can use the camera freely in a «virtual set». Based on Samir’s storyboards, we prepared a list of needed assets for each scene, and together with an outsourcing company Blindflug Studios produced 3D models of the protagonists, the buildings, furniture and other objects.

One example is a 3D model of the Zurich main station building as it looked like in the 1960ies, which will be used for the first animation sequence.

3D model of the Zurich main station building as it looked in the 1960ies (work in progress)

These objects get assembled in the virtual space of the game engine and the light and weather effects like snow can be added as it is needed.

The animation for the human characters gets realized thanks to motion capturing technology. For that, Blindflug Studios and Samir worked with the motion capturing studio Quantum Stage in Winterthur to act out the scenes with real actors in motion capture suits.

When all the assets and animated characters are prepared for the virtual set in the game engine, the filmmaker can choose the light source, camera position and framing in real time however they like. This whole process is quicker, more flexible and cheaper than traditional 2D or 3D animation. The goal is to create a modern audiovisual experience and to use the new design possibilities of game technology, which allow a mixture of photorealistic and fantastical representations.

Filmmaker Samir explains what drew him to this kind of collaboration:

«With the successful docu-animation film CHRIS THE SWISS, I gained extensive experience as a producer in the possibilities of incorporating animation into documentary film work. I have always liked the fact that animated sequences in documentary films also allow for a ‹liberation› of the classic documentary narration. Based on these experiences, I would like to delve into these new possibilities of documentary animation in my documentary essay project THE MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORKING CLASS INTO FOREIGNERS. In particular, I have been drawn to the new technological possibilities created in the game industry for quite some time. It was a stroke of luck that the professional game specialists at Blindflug Studios in Zurich were willing to cooperate. I'm happy that we're both moving into new territory and creating a bridge with this work in the two previously separate fields of ‹audio vision›.»

Blindflug Studios president Moritz Zumbühl adds to this: «I have always been very interested in producing cinema and games from a single mold and merging the two media. With this project, we're one step closer to this great goal.»