Consider this a good-humored version of an elaborate shell game–except in this case the shells belong to a procession of CG turtles compliments of Dallas-based visual effects/CGI house Janimation for client the University of Maryland.
The impetus to deploy this particular brand of reptile power is the fact that the university’s longstanding mascot is a terrapin diamondback turtle named Testudo. We open on a shot of a turtle leg that fills the screen. It moves slowly but surely, at which point we see the turtle it’s attached to, a photo-real CG creation.
A voiceover relates, “Wherever you see greatness, there’s much you don’t see. The paths that led to the goal.” At this point, we see that our lead turtle is but one of many in a long line of turtles walking in concert.
“The support of others,” continues the voiceover as we see a baby turtle going for a piggyback ride on an adult terrapin. Another baby turtle walks behind them, nudged along from the back by an elder turtle.
“The careful way everything is choreographed to create an effortless end,” says the voiceover, identifying another behind-the-scenes mark of success. At this moment, we see that the turtle movements are forming a pattern, a whole greater than the sum of their parts.
The voiceover chimes in, “Fueled by 150 years of teamwork between alumni, students, faculty and staff, the University of Maryland is now a leading public research university and together there’s so much more we can do.”
The procession of turtles slowly morphs into a globe, which transitions to an end tag with the University of Maryland logo and an accompanying Web site address. Suddenly a turtle breaks through the scene ala the MGM lion at the beginning of a movie. The turtle then roars and the voiceover concludes, “The University of Maryland. Feel the Turtle.”
Janimation took on this client-direct spot, which is airing regionally during college sports telecasts.
The production was handled on-campus by UniversityVideo, College Park, Md. Mac Nelson served as executive producer/director for UniversityVideo.
The Janimation ensemble consisted of executive producer Steve Gaconnier, senior creative director Greg Punchatz, technical director Ludo Michaud, operations supervisor Mike Duffy, 3D animators John McInnis and John Griffith, compositor Josh Bray, digital artist Rares Halmagean, and senior producer Pete Herzog.
Editor was UniversityVideo’s Christopher Abolt. Audio mixer/music composer was John Dennis at The Sound Spot, Dallas.