Metro de Madrid: “Transparente” (Updated)

Transparente” aims at changing people’s perspectives about using the subway in Madrid. Literally.

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These kinds of vfx projects are all about restraint. Props to director Gabriel Ibañez for nailing the pacing and subdued palette.

UPDATE: I’ve updated the video with a larger QuickTime. It also appears our initial information regarding the credits for this spot was incomplete. It turns out that effects studio La Huella did a lot of the heavy lifting on this project, including all the 3D and most of the compositing.

Here’s a little more info on the production process form La Huella’s Jerome Debeve:

All the pre-production work involving pre-viz was done by Gabe Ibañez and Vanesa Iglesias at Usert38.

Camera angles / velocity and focal length were worked out in 3D, so we had all the needed information for the shooting.

Actors were shot from below using a specially constructed structure of several hi-density glass panels. These panels were mounted on a metallic armature 3 meters tall and 10 meters wide, forming a bridge so the motorized travelling rig could move freely and repeat the moves as needed.

A green screen was suspended above the set. The wide shots are all CG, and the close ones a mix between greenscreen elements and CGI.

The team at La Huella spent 6 weeks in total on this production, that won quite a few awards in Spain and outside.

Later we used the same technique for a Gas Natural spot where two children run inside a house during its creation ; you can see it at www.lahuellafx.com.

Credits:
Production company : Tesauro
Producers : Pancho Alted/Miki Heras
Director : Gabe Ibañez
Pre-production : Usert38
Post-production : La Huella Efectos Digitales / Serena
Post-production crew :
Supervision : Jérôme Debève / Juan A. Ruiz
3D artists : Antonio Lado – David Gonzalez – Gerardo Arpide – Vanesa Iglesias –
Juan A. Ruiz – Jérôme Debève
2D Compositing : Jérôme Debève – Régis Barbey
Additional compositing / finishing : Emilio Perez / Serena
Agency : Contrapunto
General Creative Director : Antonio Montero
Creative Directors : Jose Mª Cornejo / Fernando Galindo
Producer : Mamen Puyot

Thanks to Miguel A. Salek for the tip!