Imaginary Forces created a gallant main-on-end title sequence for Guillermo Del Toro's sci-fi blockbuster, Pacific Rim. The now-humanized monster infantry is portrayed with an aggrandized homage to their epic feats, with stylized shots of the characters alongside the equally bold and cinematic titles.
The sequence heightens the intensity of the saga, amplified by a pounding track by Grammy-nominated film and television composer Ramin Djwadi, who is well known for his work for Iron Man as well as TV series "Game of Thrones" and "Prison Break." Imaginary Forces handled the entire 2:30 3D end title sequence as well as a striking :27 main title sequence at the beginning of the film.
To tackle a sequence for such a visually epic film, Imaginary Forces assembled a lean team to deliver a hands-on artistic approach in crafting a main-on-end title sequence that would appropriately conclude the action-packed, futuristic saga. Imaginary Forces director Miguel Lee led a small team of artists to craft a stereoscopic 3D sequence that would encapsulate the visceral and expansive presence of the film's uniquely grotesque stars.
After presenting several idea concepts, the team immediately got to work on the chosen design, which would take viewers on a visual adventure through the character schematics. The team lit and stylized the 3D models from ILM in Maxon's Cinema 4D and finished the look in Adobe After Effects. "We wanted to create a hybrid look that blended a graphic novel aesthetic with macro-photographic techniques," Lee noted. "The goal was to display the characters in a unique style and vernacular, while not diminishing their colossal presence already established in the film."
The team mimicked photographic techniques in 3D to achieve the looks of the robots and creatures. The first step was to complete a single-eye version of the entire sequence that would then be converted into the stereoscopic 3D that appears in theaters. Lee and his team worked closely with Del Toro, collaborating to create an arc to the action of the sequence with the intrinsic excitement of the saga continually present. In addition to the main-on-end title sequence that appears at the end of the film, the Imaginary Forces team also crafted the 3D main title sequence, creating a memorable crumbling of a map that moves seamlessly into the intrepid title frame for Pacific Rim.