Brief & Live Layout
Converted director feedback into live shot sessions, testing sequence structure, camera language and timing without waiting for a traditional storyboard.
Case Study / CG Supervision & Technical Direction
G-SHOCK
G-SHOCK
GA-V01 Animation
A one-month, character-driven campaign production built through live blocking, specialist artists, cross-software handoffs and close creative and technical supervision.
Project Overview
The G-SHOCK GA-V01 campaign translated the watch’s organic exterior, oversized geometry, shock-resistant identity and youthful attitude into a character-driven social film. With no traditional storyboard and only about one month of production, the project depended on live blocking, disciplined handoffs and an early, render-ready look.
Client / Brand
CASIO G-SHOCK
Production Partner
Marumedia LLC, Japan
My Role
CG Supervisor / CG Technical Lead / Animation Supervisor
Year
2024-2025
Team
7-person team: CG Supervisor / Technical Lead, 2 Animators, 2 Lookdev Artists, 1 Render Artist, 1 Compositor
Deliverables
Hero Film / Social Media Formats
Production Scope
Animation, Lookdev, Lighting, Rendering, Compositing
Core Tools
ZBrush / Cinema 4D / Maya / Alembic / Redshift / NukeX
Final Film
Created for G-SHOCK’s social channels, the film targeted a youth-oriented audience spanning teens through adults in their 40s. It combined the GA-V01’s organic, sharply edged design with G-SHOCK mascots and visual references to the brand’s shock-resistant heritage, presenting toughness and new technology through playful, high-energy character performance.
The Challenge
Building the film without a storyboard—and animating a limited mascot
The project was produced in approximately one month without a traditional storyboard. To keep production moving, I introduced live layout and blocking sessions so shot composition, camera movement and timing could be approved before full production began.
The mascot’s oversized body, lack of articulated knees and absence of hands made conventional dance and DJ animation difficult. I developed a body-driven performance language that shifted expression into silhouette, balance, rhythm and full-body posing while preserving the original character design.
My Role
Creative and technical supervision across the sequence
As CG Supervisor and Technical Lead, I translated director reviews into shot-level tasks, controlled file handoffs and reviewed animation, look development, rendering and compositing. I created the master blocking and initial lookdev so every department began from an approved visual foundation, then prepared scenes for the render farm and completed final retouches to keep the film consistent.
- Directed production priorities and cross-department handoffs.
- Created the master layout, camera blocking and animation foundation.
- Established the initial lookdev and supervised the team’s refinements.
- Controlled render readiness, noise, final quality and delivery.
Technical Direction
The effects-heavy shots were designed from previs through final render so technical complexity supported the watch and mascot instead of obscuring them. Glass fracture, layered particles, shock-driven transitions and environment passes were tested early, then refined for timing, silhouette, readability and continuity.
Production Process
The schedule required each department to begin from an approved foundation. Live layout, specialist artists and reliable interchange formats allowed work to progress in parallel without losing shot consistency.
Character Preparation
Prepared the ZBrush mascot assets for production while protecting the unusual proportions and recognizable G-SHOCK character design.
Cinema 4D Blocking
Built proxy layouts, cameras and master blocking in Cinema 4D so shot intent and performance targets were clear before detailed animation.
Maya Animation
Animators refined dance, DJ and acrobatic performance in Maya using the approved blocking as a precise foundation.
Alembic & Lookdev
Approved animation returned to Cinema 4D through Alembic for scene assembly, effects, look development, lighting and continuity checks.
Render & Final Polish
Redshift scenes were optimized for noise and render-farm delivery, with NukeX used for final consistency, limited correction and retouching.
Cross-Software Pipeline
The workflow was built around the strongest tool and artist for each task. Alembic separated character animation from scene assembly, allowing departments to work efficiently while preserving approved timing, scale and camera relationships.
ZBrush
Mascot sculpting and production asset preparation.
Cinema 4D
Live layout, proxy blocking, cameras and shot foundation.
Maya
Detailed character animation and performance refinement.
Alembic
Stable transfer of approved animation back into the final scenes.
Cinema 4D / Redshift
Scene assembly, effects, lookdev, lighting and rendering.
NukeX
Final consistency, selective correction and finishing retouches.
Look Development
A render-ready look built before final output
The look development balanced playful color and mascot energy with the GA-V01’s industrial, impact-resistant design. Materials and lighting were built to preserve the organic integrated exterior, sharp bumper-like indexes, spherical glass, full-screen LCD and oversized hands across fast camera movement and effects-heavy shots.
I established the master look early and the team refined it under controlled lighting and color targets. Because most contrast, atmosphere and color relationships were resolved inside the 3D scenes, compositing focused on consistency and final polish rather than rebuilding the image after rendering.
Base Render
Final Render
Drag the slider to compare the same synchronized shot before and after final look development, lighting and finishing.
Leadership & Problem Solving
A pipeline built around specialist strengths
With no storyboard and a one-month schedule, I designed the workflow so each artist could begin from an approved foundation and work in the software best suited to their specialty. Alembic handoffs kept animation and final scene assembly independent while preserving timing, scale and shot intent.
Pipeline Design
Distributed work across ZBrush, Cinema 4D and Maya, using Alembic to move approved animation into the final scenes and keep departments working at full speed.
Animation Foundation
Built the proxy layouts, cameras and master blocking so animators could focus on performance and refinement instead of starting each shot from zero.
Quality Ownership
Created the master lookdev, supervised render readiness and noise control, and completed final retouches to keep the output visually consistent across artists and shots.
Selected Frames
These frames show the range of the campaign across mascot performance, product detail, technical effects, environmental scale, lighting variation and the final GA-V01 reveal.
Cinematic CG / VFX Leadership
Turning visual direction into a production-ready system.
For cinematic, animation, CG supervision, visual-development or technical-production opportunities, contact me directly or review the broader portfolio and resume.