Wireframe Studios debuts, “Once Upon a Time”" a feature length iClone film

Binu Sasidharan, Director

Details on how iClone has been part of our production:
Wireframe Animation studio was formed in 2005 and step-by-step we build up our team. Even though our team is extremely good in blender, our previous major projects were all done in 2d. Once we started discussion on feature film “Once upon a Time” we thought of creating a 2d animated version but our producers were more interested in 3d. Also the time frame was very short.

We knew the project could not be completed in the time limit with the software we were familiar with. The budget also played a major factor. So then we had to find the best software available in a decent budget, which led us to iClone.

We found iClone superior in many aspects.
It is very user-friendly and studio like ours with limited resources could easily handle big projects. It took only few weeks for us to learn iClone. We were wondering why nobody had already used iClone for a theatrical film, which naturally led us to an uncertainty whether we would get the desired result. So we thought of testing the final output on big screen. The results were quite satisfactory. Now we are actually moving ahead of the schedule.

IClone is an all in one software, which can be used professionally both in television broadcast and feature film. We still believe if iClone were not available, we would not have even started our film. For me, main aim of a film is storytelling, iClone helps me to do it in style.

Wireframe studio has started using iClone in 2008 after the release of iClone 3. We are using iClone for our entire production now. IClone helps us in quickly creating, customizing 3D characters with faces from just a photo. Texturing features, lighting, water etc are all unbelievable. Lots and lots of features are there in iClone, which were only available on all so-called high-end 3d animation software’s.

About “Once Upon a Time”
The story depicts a strange happening in the life of an adventurous and mischievous boy named Rahul who learns about a magical kingdom from a book gifted by a sage. The Story moves to a new dimension when Rahul and his toy kunjan accidentally lands up in a mysterious world similar to that he had read in the book. Rahul’s quest to unfold the mystery of the magical land changes him to the chosen one for saving the kingdom from the evil forces of Kukkoosan the black magician and the power hungry minister.
The film based on this fantasy story is treated to entertain the viewers and hook them to the story by retaining the curiosity element and the suspense factor till the end.

Animator for SKY & Mediaset national TV and music videos chooses iClone

Stefano De Carli, musician & videomaker

I'm a musician and videomaker living in Italy and I have been professionally using Reallusion products since 2005. I have other 3d avatar software, the usual stuff, but gave up my search for my favorite workflow after discovering iClone.

What i love the most about IClone is the face import feature, I can model a digital clone of my actors in minutes and with the clone cloth system I can dress my avatars just like the original human figures.

I've used the program in many ways, i produced music videos and tv opening credits, broadcasted by major tv stations like Sky and Mediaset, and i'm still amazed by the versatility of iClone.

Now, with the new features of iClone 4, motion paths, HDR lighting but most of all video import as a texture,I think Reallusion has made a huge step towards a professional yet very user friendly program, it can be used by everyone.

Personally i'm more than satisfied with the iC4 release, now i can mix real footage and 3d creations,the only problem is that this software is addictive, you become an iClone junkie!

A professional Hollywood film, tv & theater actor brings his voice to iClone

Richard Grove, professional actor

Why does iClone work for you?
Primarily because it's well designed and provides tools for machinima filmmakers that really aren't available in most video game SDK's. Also, I think the
management is committed to developing the application with major feedback from it's user base. You can see this in the development from iClone 2 all the
way through the recent release of iClone 4; all have improvements and upgrades that had their start with community feedback. In other words, this is a tool
that is also being developed by it's users. Plus, iClone is affordable compared to other 3D programs.

How does your experience as an actor parlay into a filmmaker or machinima voice actor with iClone?
My acting experience allows me to focus on the characterization in my films and in those films I collaborate on.

Reallusion's CrazyTalk is a dream program for actors as it allows you to create facial animation and lip sync for any image with ease. Now that this great tool is integrated into iClone 4, I'm able to create characters that have a life of their own. Improved character animation allows me to use my acting experience to also create believable character animation inside of iClone.

One of the biggest drawbacks to machinima created inside of a game engine is the inability (or extreme difficulty) in creating or importing new animations
for your characters. IClone is one of the very few standalone machinima programs that allows you to create new animations from scratch and to import
motion capture animation in the BVH format. This is an ideal situation for an actor with skill. And I'm very excited about that.

I'd also like to say that iClone and Reallusion are committed to supporting the growing machinima community. With contests, awards and support
of major machinima events like the MachinExpo, Reallusion has proven they are in it for the long haul. So when Video games come and go, Reallusion's
iClone will still be developing it's functionality so that the every day machinima filmmaker is given more creativity and ease of use.

While there is competition (and I'm glad for that), at this point iClone 4 is really at the forefront of machinima tools. It's really a super program to
create animated movies with and the user base is growing and growing.

Hobbyist storyteller becomes featured filmmaker

Gabe Abchanzar, Anima Technica

Why I Use iClone:
By day I am a marketing analyst for a microprocessor company and after work, i turn into Anima Technica, a machinima movie maker, digital artist and character designer. When i am not making machinima, i am often at various internet radio shows commenting on the use of iClone for machinima, as well as driving my daughter to her soccer games. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy and adventure stories, I had always wanted to try my hand at writing stories in these genres but never got around to it.
When i first ran into iClone it just opened my eyes to the possibility that here at last is a easy enough tool to not only tell my stories, but also allow me to visualize pictures i've had in my head.

With the rise of user created content and machinima - i coined a term to describe my activity as MyCinema - movies created by me, for me, that hopefully others can enjoy as well. My current project is called The Voyages of the Sojourner which is a sci-fi Steampunked themed story. I use iClone exclusively for generating most if not all of the shots in this as well as my older movies. iClone produces amazing visual quality for a machinima creation tool. It offers such a range of flexibility that movie genres is only limited by your imagination.

Artist & creator of the virtual Medieval art exhibit, Mushroom village & Thi Mai

Neil Armstrong, Fine artist & Illustrator

Why I use iClone.
The reasons for continually using iclone as an Animation and Digital Comic Super-tool is because it's evolution is so fast that content & ability are almost a daily additive.
Another reason why iClone leads the field, I believe, is that almost every request for a beneficial feature is added on the following updates regardless of the users diversity or workload origin. The communication level with the developers is snappy and efficient.
If you use this as a money making tool as I do and your bank is involed, using leading software enables a higher degree of output sophistication to better entice potential clientelle.

The Benefits of Using iClone.
The main benefits of using iClone comes from a rich but very uncluttered workspace that alows a multitude of working environments. Crucial if, like me, you work with modern off-beat formats which comprise several hundred props and elements.

Commercially iClone's output is probably one of the most disarming, entertaining, intrigueing and charming ways you can catch someones attention on the internet.

Couple this with a racing degree of content that becomes available almost hourly and improves just as fast as the software does from many international developers and modellers, and complimentary set / prop combinations run leagues ahead of your imagination. Even if the diversity of the item you need isn't available it's very easy to make it yourself with the vast array of raw arhitecture included as standard.