WOLFSPEED
WOLFSPEED
ROLESPRODUCER: Mack Garrison
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Cory Livengood
PRODUCER: Meryn Hayes
ILLUSTRATION: Jake Page
DESIGN: Will Fortanbary & Joey Judkins
ANIMATION: Joey Judkins, Thom Haig, & Ben Nichols
MUSIC & SFX: Sono Sanctus
DETAILSWolfspeed is a company of the future. Their range of products include innovations like Silicon Carbide materials, power-switching and RF devices which are used for amazing applications like electric vehicles, fast charging inverters, power supplies, telecom, military, and even aerospace purposes. The complexity of their products also made them hard to explain which is why Wolfspeed reached out to dash for a series of videos that would highlight the current capabilities as well as show a future built around Silicon Carbide.
DISCOVERYThere are a myriad of different animation approaches. From classic 2d explainer videos, to mixed-media projects which include footage and imagery, to more robust 3d endeavors, but the key to choosing a medium relies on the brand, audience, and purpose. Wolfspeed wanted to tap into the reality of how their products work today but also show the capabilities of tomorrow. This mix of current and future technologies shaped a path for 3d animation. We played around with abstract environments coupled with elements of realism to stretch the audience's imagination but also show real world examples of their products at work.
IDEATIONOnce we had our initial look established, we began to focus on scripting. We needed to introduce audiences to the brand with just enough details to provide overarching information but also avoid information overload. Since Wolfspeed is the leader in the Silicon Carbide space the voice and cadence of the animation needed to reflect that. We used a direct and impactful tone accented with a voiceover that was optimist but also direct. Below is an example of the script for our overview animation.
The product based videos, like the ones we made for their family of power modules required more specificity. These deep dive videos needed subject matter expertise that was presented in a digestible way. Below is a script that highlights the WolfspeedWOLFPACK Power Modules and the supplemental style frames that show early aesthetic iterations.
Caption for the photo above
PRE-PRODUCTIONWorking within 3d environments requires an extra level of attention to detail. Lighting, textures, and camera moves are all unique components that need to be accounted for. Before we start, we focus on the story. Building robust storyboards, models, animatics, and previzualizations (Pre-Viz) to our overall intent. This ensures that we only animate exactly what is needed. Clients can provide feedback before compositions are fully rendered and animated. Here is some of our pre-production process for the Wolfspeed WOLFPACK videos.
Success is in the details. Using reference imagery and some existing wire-frames, the dash crew was able to build life-like 3d models of the WOLFPACK power modules for use in the animation. This allowed us to show the product from any angle and cater it towards any scene.
Storyboards show the overarching flow of the story and not only what happens in each scene, but also how scenes transition from one frame to the next. Because this is visualized through rough sketches, it’s easy to make adjustments and alterations before the investment in motion.
An animatic or pre-Viz provides insights on timing and flow. Using a temporary scratch track for the voiceover allows the animator to roughly time-out each scene. This gives us insight into pacing and length of the piece so we can extend timing where necessary or shorten the video if it’s feeling too long.
WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module in abstract space.
Lighting exploration of the WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Continued exploration of a 3d modeled WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Continued lighting exploration of the WolfspeedWOLFPACK power module.
Working within 3d environments requires an extra level of attention to detail. Lighting, textures, and camera moves are all unique components that need to be accounted for. Before we start, we focus on the story. Building robust storyboards, models, animatics, and previzualizations (Pre-Viz) to our overall intent. This ensures that we only animate exactly what is needed. Clients can provide feedback before compositions are fully rendered and animated. Here is some of our pre-production process for the WolfspeedWOLFPACK videos.
PRE-PRODUCTION cont.
Success is in the details. Using reference imagery and some existing wire-frames, the dash crew was able to build life-like 3d models of the WOLFPACK power modules for use in the animation. This allowed us to show the product from any angle and cater it towards any scene.
Storyboards show the overarching flow of the story and not only what happens in each scene, but also how scenes transition from one frame to the next. Because this is visualized through rough sketches, it’s easy to make adjustments and alterations before the investment in motion.
PRE-PRODUCTION cont.
An animatic or pre-Viz provides insights on timing and flow. Using a temporary scratch track for the voiceover allows the animator to roughly time-out each scene. This gives us insight into pacing and length of the piece so we can extend timing where necessary or shorten the video if it’s feeling too long.
PRE-PRODUCTION cont.We think of every video project as a mini campaign, and as a result, we’re always looking for auxiliary elements we can use to accent the video. That can be static content or even cutdowns that can be used for pre-roll advertisements and paid social ads like the ones below.
And with a unified style across a multitude of videos this package of deliverables and auxiliary elements begin to work together to build brand awareness and create a cohesive video campaign of content.
Final Files