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Culture
Digital drinks with Where Giants Roam
We talk to Rhiannon and Blair Porter about the process behind the striking drinks imagery they create for some of the world's biggest brands.
Where Giants Roam is a virtual photography, VFX, and animation studio renowned for its photorealistic imagery. We talk to founders Rhiannon and Blair Porter to learn more about their creative process, collaborations with drink brands, the advantages of CGI over traditional photography, and their thoughts on AI-generated imagery.
Can you tell us a little about yourselves and how the studio came to be?
We are a creative production agency specialising in photorealistic computer-generated imagery and 3D motion. Our founders, Blair (Creative Director) and Rhiannon (Managing Director) come from different backgrounds - architecture and marketing, respectively. The studio's journey began 15 years ago with Blair's passion for self-taught 3D visualisation. Our breakthrough into the drinks brands sector came via interior visuals created for Thomas Heatherwick’s Bombay Sapphire Distillery in 2011, which paved the way for our reputation in the industry.
What does the early ideation phase look like, and how does your work evolve from there?
Collaboration is central to our process. We start by understanding the client's objectives and brand identity, crucial for delivering successful projects. Our creative process varies from brief to brief, but typically involves brief development, modeling, texturing, moodboarding, storyboard creation, R&D, and drafts before finalisation. We treat our 3D assets like pieces of architecture or sculpture, aiming for authenticity and attention to detail. Experimentation and refinement play a key role in developing the project's mood and visual style.
Your portfolio includes many spirits and beverages. How are you typically engaged by these brands, and how is your work used to help bring these products to life?
We're fortunate to work with renowned drink brands, often engaged by creative agencies to visualise packaging for e-commerce, provide hero visuals for launches, and contribute to the agency's portfolio and PR efforts. Today, we collaborate more closely with brands, crafting animated content for product launches with storytelling at its core. Recent projects include The Kraken Rum’s Legendary Survivor Series and Woven Whisky’s Superblend launch animation, where we showcased intricate flavour notes through compelling visuals.
Drinks naturally have complex variables like liquids and reflections. How do you approach these, and is it a highly technical process?
The complexity of liquids, refractions, and reflections presents challenges in convincingly presenting products. Our approach involves creating a standard scene for most drink products and experimenting with lighting and materials to achieve the desired effect. Real-world and photographic references guide our process, ensuring natural and visually appealing results.
Your work is often indistinguishable from 'real life' photography. What are the advantages of creating virtual images and compositions over traditional photography?
Both mediums have their benefits, but CGI offers unique advantages such as brand consistency over time, allowing future SKUs to be virtually photographed in the same scene as previous ones. CGI also excels in delivering print finishes as intended by design agencies, ensuring perfect execution. Additionally, advancements in AI are enhancing CGI capabilities, making it a competitive option for various applications.
What are your thoughts on the advances of AI-generated imagery? Is there an aspect of human craft that cannot be replicated?
AI is a significant development in the industry, enhancing efficiency and aiding in concept creation. While AI lacks certain aspects of human craft, continued advancements may bridge this gap in the future. We embrace AI in our workflow, leveraging its capabilities while maintaining a commitment to creativity and innovation in our work.
See more incredible work from Where Giants Roam on their website and follow them on Instagram.
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