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Matthias Christen — Head of CG Design, The Scope

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Matthias Christen, the main 3D artist from The Scope on Ray Tracing FTW, shares his fascinating journey from traditional analog painting to becoming an expert in 3D and virtual production. Starting with a passion for drawing, Matthias entered the advertising industry, where he honed his skills in Photoshop and Illustrator before transitioning into 3D work. He talks about his growth at The Scope, where he’s been involved in creating cutting-edge car commercials and collaborating with top-tier photographers and filmmakers. Matthias also highlights the challenges and creative satisfaction of working on photorealistic environments that elevate product imagery.

In this episode, Matthias dives into his role in creating the massive virtual set for Ray Tracing FTW, a short film produced by Chaos and Martini Giant. He worked closely with production designer Erick Schiele to build one expansive set, containing nearly 2 trillion triangles, that was used seamlessly from pre-production to post-production. Running in real-time with Project Arena, this incredible asset allowed for consistent lighting and textures throughout the entire project, pushing the boundaries of real-time rendering. Matthias reflects on the technical achievements and creative process behind creating lifelike visuals that brought the world of Ray Tracing FTW to life. 

Links:

The Scope >

Matthias Christen on LinkedIn >


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0:05:53 Introduction & Matthias’ Journey into 3D

0:09:04 Early Career in Advertising & 3D

0:13:38 Working with The Scope and Pioneering Visuals

0:19:14 Collaborating on Ray Tracing FTW with Chaos

0:25:34 Building the Massive Virtual Set for Ray Tracing FTW

0:34:19 Pre-production to Post-Production Workflow on Ray Tracing FTW

0:40:54 Integrating Real-world Textures and Lighting in Virtual Production

0:47:09 Pushing the Limits of Real-time Rendering

0:52:09 Challenges of Massive Virtual Sets in Real-time

0:58:44 Looking Ahead: Future of Virtual Production 

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About the author

Christopher Nichols

Chris is a CG industry veteran and Director of Chaos Labs. He can also be heard regularly as the host of the CG Garage podcast which attracts 20,000 weekly listeners. With a background in both VFX and Design, Chris has worked for Gensler, Digital Domain, Imageworks and Method Studios. His credits include Maleficent, Oblivion and Tron: Legacy.

Originally published: September 23, 2024.
© Škoda Design

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