Jump to content
FORUMS
Sign in to follow this  
Starym

Naxxramas Trailer Creator Interview

Recommended Posts

3FOcpdh.jpg

 

We've recently seen the amazing Naxxramas trailer from Hurricane and were so impressed we thought we just had to talk to the man. It's a bit of a long interview, but you're not gonna want to miss it as he not only shares his thoughts and opinions, but also some production stills and before/after pics from in-game and the trailers. He's been at it for quite a while and his latest took him over 6 months to make, but it really shows, so let's take another look at his current masterpiece and then we can get into the interview itself.


Let's get started with basics - who are you and what is your background in video making?

My name is Radim Zeifart. I'm 24 years old and I live in Prague. I'm a motion designer in the advertisement business by trade, which means I create animated characters and make them talk about the great taste of this brand new orange juice or anything else in the world. Despite how it sounds, it's actually a really fun line of work.
 

A lot of the responses to your videos are basically "Blizzard, hire this man!" and you yourself have talked about Blizzard actually approaching you in the past. Is there anything else you can tell us about your situation with Blizzard?

Unfortunately not. That's why I'm happy I can still make my own trailers, which don't belong under any kind of supervision, and are mine own and mine alone.
 

So, just to be clear, you're not currently working at or with Blizzard?

No.
 

What made you get started with this old-school trailer making business?

I was just a kid when retail vanilla was played, but even then I was able to get a glimpse of what was going on. As the years passed I felt the original WoW, or even TBC, was THE content I wanted to be a part of. I managed to make that happen through private servers. Even though it wasn't 100% as it was back then I felt what many before me did.

Kx1rFzE.jpg   Ua1Z04w.jpg


A lot of your earlier videos were done for private servers but you stopped doing that, was the initial reason for doing these oldschool trailers from that or something else? And why did you stop making them for private servers?

Being young and not really well known made me think that private servers were a good platform to make my vision happen - they published my work on their sites and in return I received exposure and publicity. After I learned that the amount of retail fans is so many times bigger I decided to target my work at them as well. Furthermore, Blizzard Entertainment approached me so that was another reason to leave the private server scene and make content for everyone to enjoy.


The Naxxramas trailer really blew a lot of people away, and despite how great your previous work (especially the T5 video) was, this most recent video was far above it. How do you push yourself to put more and more into the videos to get them better and better?

Despite the scale of the project it's quite simple - me and my very good friend Nuke are people of hard logic (maybe because we've been taught a lot about machines and programming languages). It's only logical that there should be some measurable progress when it comes to my videos. Reason number two is just... I love this content.

ql4wOuV.jpg
This poster was supposed to announce the Naxx trailer,
but in the end he went with a teaser video instead.

What exactly is your process for making these? You obviously use in-game assets, but you then add in your own animations?

The one word you need to know is "datamining". I extract every single 3D model/texture and body rig animation from the game. Once that's done I assemble these pieces into a complete scene which is then heavily color graded and tweaked to look cinematic.
 

A lot of people have mentioned that you still use the older game-models in your videos, is that a stylistic choice or a mechanical one?

The old, original content consists of these (currently old) models. They may not be as visually appealing as the new ones, but... I feel I should use them anyway. Another reason (as you mentioned) is a mechanical one - using old models works just fine when it comes to body rigs/bone structure and the export process overall.

0Xv1y7W.jpg


One of the big things with these trailers is that they evoke a lot of memories for players of those eras and they hold a lot of emotion. How do you go about doing that?

I never experienced that, at least not when it was on retail servers. Most of my feelings originate from stories, pictures and videos one can find on the internet. I'd like to thank to french movie maker Jack, who's Ahn'Qiraj movie (which I've seen like 100 times) helped me understand the values on which I built my work on.


What was the very first video you made (as in with editing music etc) and do you think it still holds up today? Was it the DarkRuby one or was there something before it?

You nailed it. Don't know how you got that right, but this was the first project I strongly believed in and gave it all I had (at the time).


All of the voice lines from your trailers are from actual game characters themselves, how far back do you go to get them and how log and involved of a process is it? Do you just listen to thousands upon thousands of lines and then have the "right" one basically pick you or do you write something in advance and then look for the perfect fit?

I've had an extensive library of all WoW sounds and voice lines in the form of .ogg or .wav files for many years now (that's datamining all over again). Let's say you're working on a Tempest Keep trailer - you won't look into... I don't know...  Ragnaros voice lines. You can ignore ALMOST EVERY BOSS and go straight for the folders named "Al'ar" or "Void Reaver". And there you go. That's when you start to put all these quotes together in all sorts of ways and voila - you have your voice-over track.


Also, crucial question: is this you in the video?

Uhm. Yes. The first day (or one of the very first ones) I learned how to key out the background from the WoW Model Viewer footage.


How long does it usually take you for one of these videos, including the concepting stage and then the actual video work?

My limit was about a month or two. I managed to respect that until the Naxxramas Trailer. It wasn't possible to make something like that so quickly so I adjusted my daily life accordingly and stretched the process to six months. Plus I had to raise the bar once again so... take that T5 trailer!
 

Which video was the first where you really thought "Ok this is good, I can do this really well"?

Had to think about that for a moment, since I really wanna give you the right answer. This trailer was created because I just learned how to use After Effects (advanced post-production software). The program is insanely good when it comes to visual effects and that was the exact moment when I said to myself "okay let's do this". The trailer itself is stupid, colorful and over the top, but hey... that's After Effects in the hand of the beginner.


At this point I'm just going to geek-out and go through my favorite moments from the trailers themselves, feel free to comment on any behind the scenes details for them.

Starting with the Naxx trailer, there are so many little details like the animals fleeing, the actual massive size of the floating citadel compared to the heroes and more.

I believe in... how should I put this... Peripheral vision (I guess it's not exactly that but I'm gonna try to explain it). When you're looking at the video your eyes are locked in a certain place. That happens in every single shot. It's important to have a lot of detail in that particular place BUT it's also important to have something going on on the rest of the screen. That's when our little details come into play.
As for the size of the Naxxramas - the inside of the raid is HUGE. I'm talking the size of a couple of football fields. That's why I made it look much bigger than we're used to.


And then my favorite shot of the entire video - the heroes getting ported to the citadel above, shrouded in darkness as the villagers look on.

This shot was intended to make an impact on the viewers. The music in the background helped me to establish the feeling for this scene. It took a bit longer to create it since I had to put together this random village that's not even in the game. I'm really happy it made such an impact since it's difficult to nail a feeling/emotion just right. You never know if you made it until it's out there.

XxFX7ui.jpg


Then there's the the one that will ring true for all raiders ever - "No one goes home until our job here is done" with the ghosts at the graveyard.

I found this voice line during the first days of production (that's January 2017). It made the final cut four months after that. I've waited four months till that specific moment of the trailer set foot into the production process so I could use it. The wait was worth it. That part is funny and represents the countless amount of wipes which is a "feature" that's well associated with this raid instance.

drNKm76.jpg


And from the BC video, the warp-in effect for Tempest Keep and then at the very end, the explosion in BT, which we actually never get to see in the game itself. Amazing stuff.

Warp-in of TK: In my eyes it's this super-modern ship (sorry, I'm not familiar with the lore) so it it felt appropriate to make it do something cool. And for the BT explosion, there is this breach in the outer wall of the Black Temple's facade. I figured I can build upon that fact. Back then there was this idea to make some crazy gnome rig tons of explosives to make it blow up but I had to finish the trailer very quickly so... no gnomes, just this that simple shot.


You're still working on these trailers, with your next project being Black Temple, what motivates you to continue, since it takes you so long to get these done?

I'm severely demotivated because the Naxx trailer was a bit too much even for me, but I'm extremely overmotivated (if that's an expression) because of the WoW community. Their support and appreciation for the Naxx trailer showed me that the effort is worth it.


Do you have a dream project? Something that's perhaps a little too big for you to handle right now but that you'd just love to do?

Believe it or not - I'm actually doing that right now. With steady job in the field of motion design I can spend my spare time working on machinima videos while being able to cover all my expenses. I'm living the life I wanted since I was a kid and I'm not planning to waste such an opportunity.

But if I had to pick one thing I'd really like to do it's a series of videos (up to 1 minute) which would showcase what each class represents.... For example a Warrior's showcase would demonstrate some of his abilities, gear and the mighty weapons he uses - all of that using very advanced 3D machinima, to make it look epic.

FOR THE HORDE!

 

A big thanks to Hurricane for the interview. You should also check out more of his videos on his youtube channel and we have a few production process before and after sliding images you should check out here from the Naxx video:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

  • Similar Content

    • By Staff
      Here comes a big one as Blizzard have unveiled the official War Within cinematic! Featuring some shots we've seen already, this full cinematic expands on them and we get to see Azj-Kahet and Nerub'ar palace, not to mention the Dawnbreaker entering the zone! 
    • By Stan
      Solozerro has defeated Mythic Garrosh alone in MoP Remix! Congrats to the amazing feat that took months of dedication to accomplish!
      In an emotional tribute to a friend who passed away during the transition between World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm expansions, one dedicated player has fulfilled a long-standing promise to leave their mark in the game's history.
      "I promised her I would make a name for myself in WoW history, and today, I can finally say I've done this in her honor," Solozerro said.
      This accomplishment was the result of several evenings of dedicated attempts, each preceded by a week of rigorous farming. The process spanned multiple weeks, with each attempt lasting about 15 minutes.
      The player faced significant challenges, particularly with the Y’Shaarj adds during Garrosh Hellscream’s Empowered Whirlwind phase. "You need a high DPS check just for those adds," Solozerro explained.
      Back when the fight was nearly impossible to solo as a DPS, Solo had to do it in tank specialization to avoid fight resets due to mind control, which significantly impacted their damage output.
      Despite these obstacles, the player remained steadfast. "In total, I collected over 1.5 million threads on my cloak," they said, underscoring the extent of their efforts.

      Even the recent nerfs to Garrosh Hellscream posed a unique challenge. "I overslept and when I woke up and heard about the nerfs, I was sure someone would have tried it. During the fight, I still had adds up, but luckily, I managed to meet the DPS check to avoid the Empowered Whirlwind."
      This achievement not only honors a friend's memory but also serves as an inspiration to the WoW community. "These changes will affect a lot and might actually push more people to try it," the player reflected.
      Here’s the solo video! We want to congratulate Solozerro once again and express how thrilled we are to have been part of this incredible journey!
      Solozerro's journey has come to an end today with 24 days of MoP Remix remaining! The player has soloed Mythic Garrosh after the recent raid nerfs, nearly 1 months after soloing the Paragons of Klaxxi.
    • By Stan
      We've looked at the latest Druid changes that went live on the War Within Beta this week.
      Druid
      Restoration Druid - Restoration Druid core passive: Increases damage/healing by 96%: 74%: Improved Prowl, Pouncing Strikes, Shred, Thrashing Claws Increases damage/healing by 31%: 24%: Improved Prowl and Pouncing Strikes Renewal - Usable in all shapeshift forms. Instantly heals you for 20% 30% of maximum health Rip - Lasts longer per combo point. Finishing move that causes Bleed damage over time 1 point : [ 100.5% 110.5% of Attack Power ] over 8 sec 2 points: [ 150.7% 165.8% of Attack Power ] over 12 sec 3 points: [ 201% 221% of Attack Power ] over 16 sec 4 points: [ 251.2% 276.3% of Attack Power ] over 20 sec 5 points: [ 301.4% 331.6% of Attack Power ] over 24 sec Frenzied Regeneration - Heals you for 15% 24% health over 3 sec, and increases healing received by 20%. Primal Wrath - Lasts longer per combo point. Finishing move that deals instant damage and applies Rip to all enemies within 10 yards 1 point : [ 28.6% 34.4% of Attack Power ] plus Rip for 4 sec 2 points: [ 42.9% 51.6% of Attack Power ] plus Rip for 6 sec 3 points: [ 57.2% 68.8% of Attack Power ] plus Rip for 8 sec 4 points: [ 71.5% 86% of Attack Power ] plus Rip for 10 sec 5 points: [ 85.8% 103.2% of Attack Power ] plus Rip for 12 sec Berserk: Frenzy - During Berserk your combo point-generating abilities bleed the target for an additional 135% 150% of their direct damage over 8 sec. Rampant Ferocity - Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.. Ferocious Bite also deals [ 33.3% of Attack Power ] damage per combo point spent to all nearby enemies affect by your Rip Spending extra Energy on Ferocious Bite increases damage dealt by up to 50% 100% Bursting Growth - Damage reduced above 5 targets. When Symbiotic Blooms expire or you cast Rejuvenation on their target flowers grow around their target, healing them and up to 3 nearby allies for [ 20% of Spell Power ]. When Bloodseeker Vines expire or you use Ferocious Bite on their target they explode in thorns, dealing [ 70% 91% of Attack Power ] physical damage to nearby enemies Adaptive Swarm - Upon expiration, finds a new target, preferring to alternate between friend and foe up to 3 times. Command a swarm that heals [ 157.5% of Spell Power ] or deals [ 180% 216% of Spell Power ] Nature damage over 12 sec to a target, and increases the effectiveness of your periodic effects on them by 25% Rake - While stealthed, Rake will also stun the target for 4 sec and deal 60% increased damage. Awards 1 combo points.. Reduces the target's movement speed by 20% for 12 sec Rake the target for [ 21.54% 28% of Attack Power ] Bleed damage and an additional [ 141.4% of Attack Power ] Bleed damage over 15 sec Lunar Insight - Moonfire deals 20 20% additional damage. Berserk - While Berserk: Generate 1 combo points every 1.5 sec. Go Berserk for 15 sec. Combo point generating abilities generate 1 additional combo points. Finishing moves restore up to 3 combo points generated over the cap All attack and ability damage is increased by 10%. 15%. Brutal Slash - Deals 15% increased damage against bleeding targets. Awards 1 combo points.. Deals reduced damage beyond 5 targets. Awards 1 combo points. Applies the Bleed from Thrash Normal: Strikes all nearby enemies with a massive slash, inflicting [ 147.6% 192% of Attack Power ] Physical damage. Thrashing Claws : Strikes all nearby enemies with a massive slash, inflicting [ 147.6% 192% of Attack Power ] Physical damage Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane - During Incarnation: Energy cost of all Cat Form abilities is reduced by [ 20 25% of Spell Power ]%, and Prowl can be used once while in combat. An improved Cat Form that grants all of your known Berserk effects and lasts 20 sec. Finishing moves restore up to 3 combo points generated over the cap. Generate 1 combo points every 1.5 sec. Combo point generating abilities generate 1 additional combo points. You may shapeshift in and out of this improved Cat Form for its duration All attack and ability damage is increased by 10%. 15%. Thriving Growth - Multiple instances of these can overlap.. Wild Growth, Regrowth, and Efflorescence healing has a chance to cause Symbiotic Blooms to grow on the target, healing for [ 120% of Spell Power ] over 6 sec Rip and Rake damage has a chance to cause Bloodseeker Vines to grow on the victim, dealing [ 135% 121.5% of Attack Power ] Bleed damage over 6 sec Bond with Nature - Healing you receive is increased by 3%. 4%. Druid Guardian 11.0 Class Set 4pc - Arcane damage you deal is increased by 5% and bleed damage you deal is increased by 5%. 8%. Taste for Blood - Ferocious Bite deals 15% 12% increased damage and an additional 15% 12% during Tiger's Fury. Evoker
      Animosity - Casting an empower spell extends the duration of Dragonrage by 4 5 sec, up to a maximum of 16 20 sec. Titanic Wrath - Essence Burst increases the damage of affected spells by 8.0%. 15.0%.
    • By Stan
      As of the War Within pre-patch, Alysrazor in the Firelands raid is bugged, preventing players from getting the Flametalon of Alysrazor mount.
      Blizzard made various updates to flying in the War Within pre-patch, and a possible side-effect could be tied to Alysrazor not leaving her spawn location when you engage her in the raid.
      Hopefully, Blizzard will soon release a fix for the issue. Until then, don't bother soloing the Firelands!
    • By Starym
      It's time for some more preliminary stats, as the pre-patch has been here a whole 3 days (well, not exactly "whole", especially considering the game time gifts)! We're taking a look at how the class changes shifted the dungeon meta, but keep in mind these are really early numbers and fewer players do Mythic+ in post-season.
      Warcraft Logs Points
      The below logs are based on POINTS, and not actual damage or healing, meaning they log the timed completion for the specs, with higher keys getting more points, obviously. The time in which the dungeon is completed is also a factor, but a much, much smaller one, as it grants very few points if you do it significantly faster than just any in-time completion. We're also using the Normalized Aggregate Scores numbers, for clarity, meaning the top spec is marked as 100 and then the rest are ranked in relation to that peak point.
      All Keys
      95th percentile DPS
      While the very top spot remains unchallenged, as Augmentation is set to rule M+ forever, the rest is pretty different! We have some Fyr'alath action right after the Evoker, as Fury and Ret fight it out over the silver, while Shadow falls down to 4th, but is still very much in the game. Unholy makes a solid leap up and passes Elemental, with Fire dropping down some. Devastation and Demonology are newcomers to the bottom 3, where Enhancement welcomes them as a pretty much permanent resident.

      Mythic+ All Keys 95th Percentile Data by Warcraft Logs.
      All Percentiles
      Things are looking similar in the generalist bracket, but Retribution takes down Fury here and Fire is significantly higher. Survival is also doing a lot better than in the top percentiles, and Beast Mastery makes the top 10 as well.

      Mythic+ All Keys All Percentile Data by Warcraft Logs.
      All Percentiles Tank (Points)
      The tanks show basically no change whatsoever, as is customary, with only Protection Warrior managing to climb one up and leave Brewmaster at the bottom.
      Mythic+ All Keys All Percentile Data by Warcraft Logs.
      Healer (Points)
      Holy is pushing up and then some, claiming 2nd right below the long-time emperor, Resto Druid. Shaman climbs up from much lower to grab 3rd, while Discipline falls down to the bottom.

      Mythic+ All Keys All Percentile Data by Warcraft Logs.
       
      For even more in-depth data for each individual key head on over to Warcraft Logs. And if you're interested in more info on the specs themselves you can always check out our class guides (updated for the pre-patch), as well as our Mythic+ guides and Mythic+ tier list.
×
×
  • Create New...