How to convince my company to use 3D

#1

I work in Tokyo for a conventional advertising production company that creates Web and print content. The company does not yet use 3D applications. Half the management, with my encouragement, wants to start using 3D. The other half claims that it is not worthwhile because even clients that like 3D in the content are not willing to pay extra for it. I see a growing demand for 3D-generated content and feel the company may start falling behind. If the management decides to give 3D a try, we will probably use ElectricImage.

Any recommendations for getting the ball rolling?
Online examples of related presentations?
Examples of success in similar situations?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.

Jim Mulcahy

#2

Its a lot cheaper to do product shots in 3d then it is to hire a photographer/studio
to have a photoshoot.

Also, I find that it is easier to retouch a 3d image then it is to retouch a photo, being that
one is able to easily create selection sets via the renderer.

Mike Fitz
www.3dartz.com

#3

If they are creating web and print content, the first plan of attack would be to address the source of their content imagery. A cost analysis would need to be done to determine if using 3D images vs stock photography would be more beneficial.

The premise behind this is the same mentality that filmmakers use when debating to use 3D. Take a film like Beowulf. Why do this in 3D when shooting real human actors is usually easier and less costly? Well perhaps that last statement isn’t necessarily true and there may be very specific design reasons what lend itself to the 3D process.

If you want to get them to start using 3D, you have to give them a reason why. Money is usually the biggest reason…so start there. The second reason is usually productivity. A company is going to be very resistant to processes that may reduce productivity. The Japanese, as you’re well aware, are usually pretty conservative. You may be swimming upstream if they’re not open to new thinking.

#4

I recall way back in 1993 the great John Knoll was giving a talk at the Electric Image booth. He was discussing a proof-of-concept Star Wars shot he had done on his own time with EI to prove that Star Wars effects work could be done in CGI effectively and efficiently.

I asked him to compare doing the shot in CG versus doing it with traditional models and motion-control cameras. He said that it saved about a month’s work.

Today the efficacy of CG seems obvious but back then it was a relatively unproven approach. Certainly to the bean counters who have no understanding of what it takes to produce things, being able to say “It’ll save a month’s work” is easily understood.

#5

For product shots/packaging, 3D is a great time saver. Using actual product/packaging for photo shoots leads to extensive retouching due to poor printing (we work with products that require printing on plastic tubes - you can imaging how bad that comes out), manufacturing defects in the product packaging; or poor quality product samples provided by the client or even out-dated labels on the packaging. Using 3D gives us great hero shots plus 3d give us the ability to generate new angles, new label art, lighting and perspectives without a new photo shoot.

#6

Great input, guys. Thanks.

MIKE: Good point. This is one possibility I’ve been considering. One of our clients in particular has a line of products that could easily be reproduced in 3D (with a little help from MForge and maybe HDRI-Studio). The first job might not be cost-effective, but thereafter it should be cheaper than hiring a professional photographer. Some coworkers spend lots of time creating masks for photographed products and that step, at least, could be eliminated.

BRIAN: Dead on, as usual. Money is what talks around here and the president isn’t very open to new thinking. So I am swimming upstream. But the VP and some others are. I’ll discuss cost analysis options with the VP and see what he thinks (I’m useless with finance). Our company goes for stock images whenever possible, but often has photoshoots for new products. One animation I created for the company helped land a client, but the president still couldn’t see the potential.

BLAIR: If it’s good enough for John Knoll it’s good enough for me. And that’s part of my problem. To me the benefits are so obvious that I can’t really understand the resistance to at least testing the waters. Some of the ways they do things in my company are outrageously inefficient and I know they could be done faster and more effectively with ElectricImage. But it’s hard to change people’s mindset. Just saying they’ll save money won’t work. I have to find a way to clearly prove it.

JOE: Thanks for sharing your actual, proven experience. I’ll make exactly these points to the VP. The more I think about it (and listen to you guys), the more I think I may just go ahead and do a project (on my own time) exactly the way I think the company should do it and then provide a detailed cost comparison of their way versus my way.

This was most helpful, guys.
Thanks a lot and wish me luck!

Jim Mulcahy

#7 
  they model in formZ and Swivel3D. John Knoll also did the first 3D eposide, not LightWave with babylon 5. 
  
 Anyway...the point is.

“Lead by example”

  website done in EIAS

  [http://www.puma.com/holiday/](http://www.puma.com/holiday/)
  
  When you walk in the door with their project done faster and more economic  with 3D...what are they going to say? Eventually they will figure it out.
  
  If you are concern they will get behind...then show them the competition.
  
  Also, 3D is 3D. That's a selling point. It's more versatile.  There's things that traditional "CAN'T" do. No matter what the budget is. 
  
  Jurrasic Park was done in 3D when they use tradition stop motion for eons. Why?
  
  It was simply "Better" media. 
  
  Maybe what they are really concerned about is training cost...I know of one low cost solution for rigging :)
#8

Thanks Alonzo,

I agree with you and will likely take your advice to lead by example. Like you, I’m sold on the advantages of 3D. It’s just a matter of convincing the doubters. I may not be the best man for the job, but nobody else wants to take the lead…

I saw the puma website before. Excellent work! And there were HUGE, two-story Puma posters of your robot in an upscale shopping mall in Yokohoma Japan in December. You would have loved it.

If I ever get back into character animation, I’ll get your DVD. I’ve enjoyed your EI tutorials and videos on YouTube. You’re a great EI resource and I hope they get you seriously involved in the creation of V8.

Jim Mulcahy

#9

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