Product Demo

A 3D graphic or animation of a new or existing product has been proving time and again to be a great marketing tool to draw in potential clients and customers. A 3D animation can demonstrate a products usefulness and potential in ways that sometimes just can’t be duplicated in real life. For example: A tool that’s used on a pipeline in underground drilling can’t be filmed in action in real life thousands of feet below the surface. An animated video can demonstrate its capabilities in a cutaway video to show customers how it can benefit them in the work field. A 3D demo can present a product, tool, service, procedure or anything your company offers in a compelling, visually stimulate way that will bring the public’s attention to you.

3D graphics are being used by many companies around the world in ways most people may not realize. IKEA, for instance, uses 3D models and environments for as much as 75% of all their furniture product images in their catalogs, website and poster displays.

Source - Building 3D with IKEA   

Industrial Animation

Industrial animations can be used in a wide range of useful endeavors and have far reaching benefits to any company. One of the greater benefits that many companies use a 3D animation is too secure funding for a new project. A 3D animated marketing video is a fantastic way to demonstrate to potential investors the benefits and results of their financial investment. As much as 65% of the population are visual learners and process images quicker than reading text. Video combined with audio is retained in our minds much easier than text and can be recalled, later on, much quicker. An eye catching 3D animation during a presentation will focus your audiences attention on your message. 

Years ago I was involved on a project for a middle eastern oil company for a large refinery proposal. My group and I created a 3D animation for one of the company divisions that was being used in a presentation. Several divisions in the company were presenting their proposals to the company executives one afternoon to get funding for their projects. All the other groups had used power point presentations, mostly text, a few images and some graphs. During each presentation, there was constant interruptions from the executives asking questions and seeking clarification on one point or another. When the 3D video presentation was shown, the room remained silent as they watched from start to finish and then asked to watch it a second time. That project was funded!

Industrial animations are great for employee orientation and in many cases could be much more cost effective than on site training. It can be used for tool, equipment or procedure training, marketing demonstrations and public forum presentations. Every year, more and more companies are realizing the potential and benefiting from 3D industrial animation.

Architectural Visualization

Architectural Visualization is a highly useful tool in the industrial, commercial and residential real estate markets. From designing the simple layout of a room to the development of an entire community. 3D architectural images and videos can show you a building project from perspectives that can be difficult to achieve from conventional 2D drawings and photographs. A 3D video can show you inside and out of a new or existing development. This can be an extremely useful marking tool for many reasons. When developing condos, you can show the public what their units will look like once complete, helping to sell them before construction even begins. It's a great way to gain investors when planning a commercial development to show exactly what the results of their investment will be. A commercial or residential development might upset some surrounding residents who may not comprehend the benefits of a the new project in their area. A 3D animation of what the completed development will be like, once completed, is a great way to alleviate concerns or to aid in the building permit approval process.   

Character Animation

Character animation is beneficial and sometimes essential to many 3D productions. Even when the animated character isn't the main focus of the production, it can still add a sense of familiarity and understanding. For example, if you had a 3d video showing a job site such as a factory or a power plant, it might be difficult to get a proper sense of scale on the size of the facility. But by adding some background characters or vehicles moving around and working, it gives us something familiar to use as a reference point. 

3D characters can be used for many purposes in corporate and industrial animations. Some examples include:

• Corporate and industrial employee training videos. This may include software or equipment training, new employee orientation or classroom instruction

• Procedure instruction or re-certification. If it's a new employee or an experienced worker, sometimes procedures are updated or changed within a company and employees need to be brought up to speed.

• Safety training. 3D characters are ideal to use for safety training when showing employees the dangerous consequences when not following proper procedures in the work place. 

• Marketing presentations. Use 3D characters to demonstrate and promote a product or service in a 3D animation. Bring clients and customers to you with an exciting video to promote your company on your website, TV commercial, YouTube, trade shows, etc...

Below are some examples of creature animations that I've done for the Discovery Channel and the David Suzuki show, The Nature of Things.

Patent Drawings

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work on several patent drawing projects. Using information provided by the inventor or patent lawyers, a 3D model of the invention will be created with proper proportions. Unlike traditional 2D illustrations, this allows the invention to be viewed from any angle with little effort once the model is complete. A drawing of the model can then be created from any perspective needed for the patent documentation. This also allows for a quick turnaround of any changes that may be required or if a certain component of the invention needs to be isolated in the documentation.The 3D model could then be used for marketing purposes. By adding realistic materials, lighting effects and animation, a video presentation could be produced as a product demo to demonstrate the invention’s usefulness.