Eye candy: Immersive Cocoon “2011”
Ever since it was released in 1968, fans have been debating what the haunting penultimate sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey actually means. Now director Oliver Zeller has offered his own twist, re-enacting the sequence as a mock commercial for interface technology.
Based on a concept by legendary production designer Tino Schaedler, Immersive Cocoon “2011” was produced by Zeller’s design collective, NAU.
For the three-minute short, the team even persuaded actor Keir Dullea to reprise his role as stranded astronaut David Bowman, shooting the actor on a backlit plexi floor before compositing him into a fully rendered 3D environment that nods to that of the original movie.
According to Zeller: “I personally handled all 3D duties and was joined on compositing by on-set VFX supervisor Quan Tran, and Miguel Bautista and Anthony Vu: partners of the Invisible Light Agency.
“Modeling took place in modo, animation and rendering in 3ds Max with V-Ray 1.5, and compositing in Nuke and After Effects. Supplemental tools included Maya and Mudbox.”
The result, which resembles something that Apple’s concept designers might dream up during a long session channelling Stanley Kubrick, doesn’t shed much light on the original. But at 1080 resolution, it sure looks lovely.
Updated 04.27.11: you can now watch the Making Of video on Vimeo.