tHE QC PROCESS A / B 

Draft A  // First look

This is where the Artist, Lead artist, Art director PM, Lead stylist and stylist get together to chat through the first iteration of the work.  

• Client Brief - Are all brief requirements being met?

• Architecture – Realistic & true to SB? (styleboard)

• Lighting – Achieving L&F (Look & Feel) is it enhancing the product?

• Cameras – Composition looking good, are we showing off the product? 

• Product – Accurate and complete?

• Décor & – True to SB and working with product?

• Propping - True to SB? Is the propping story working?

• Background / Backplate – Is this suitable for the space/client/inhabitants/demographic?

Draft B // More Detailed comments

This is an offline review for Artists, Lead artists and the Project manager to check on the progress of sets and make comments to get the next draft to the best possible place for client sharing.

• Have all previous comments been addressed?

• Architecture – Is it realistic and have previous comments been actioned?

• Décor – Is it true to SB? is everything working together?

• Cameras - Do we need any additional/alternate options - are all shots working?

• Props – Is it true to SB? Are all propping stories coherent and adjusted for cameras?

• Detail checks – quality QC on whole image – check nothing is floating and that all materials are present and correct etc

• Product checks – shadow gaps / finishes / handles etc

REALLY CLEAR INDEX LINK

3d Overview + Workfront proof terminology

Think of the 3D space where we make these virtual photographs for clients in movie terms... You will hear the terms 'set' & 'scene'. These apply to all imagery; whether you're looking at a room set with multiple shots or a single 'cameo' shot, also known as a detail shot. 

Useful Terms:

SB Style board

L&F Look and Feel A section of the Style board

LHS Left hand side

RHS Right hand side

Shader Shading determines the way that light affects a surface

Texture Texture maps are applied to the surfaces of 3D models

Render The rendering process = generation of 3D imagery

Readable  Refers to visibility or readability of transparent objects i.e. glasses on a shelf

More useful 3D Terms

Product Accuracy 

Throughout the QC process the producer is responsible for product accuracy. They facilitate the delivery of technical information to the wider team via Ftrack, where they add in relevant information and links to modelled products.
 

QC Questions @DRAFT B:

Is the shader correct?

Is this material correct?

Is this product a placeholder?

Are the colours correct?

Is the wood grain going in the right direction?

Are flooring tiles turned as per brief?

See our handy References page for British standards and technical information. 

3d lighting:

3D Artists have two ways to light things;

 1) SUN & SKY 

A Physical Sun & Sky Environment is an environment map used to generate the background of a scene as well as to add lighting and atmospheric effects. 

  2)  HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)

HDRI Lighting is technically called 'image-based lighting'. Image-based lighting works by applying a high dynamic range image map (HDRI map) onto an environment light in 3D software. The environment light surrounds the 3D scene and provides HDR illumination, HDR reflections, and a HDR background for the render.

Source: https://www.lightmap.co.uk/blog/whatisanhdrimap/

Good to know: Secondary lights i.e. bounce cards, spot light, bounce lights, fill lights, and artificial ambient lighting can also be added.

Backgrounds

Many of our clients require photorealistic lifestyle scenes. Think kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms! These scenes are given context by what we see through the windows or openings of the 3D sets.

Backgrounds or backplates are usually green spaces or cityscapes, depending on what the client requires and the 'story' of a scene. 

Choices  for a 3D artist:

3D Elements

HDRI backgrounds 

2D (Stock photography)

Sometimes these elements are combined (3D Trees with a 2D backplate for example) 

This can be a challenge but given that all of our scenes can be animated it's important to choose the best approach to ensure quality and consistency.

QC Questions:

• Does the background look hi-res enough?

• Is it correctly exposed ?

• Is the location and look in-line with the brief?

• Is the time of day in keeping with the ambient / interior lighting?

• 
  

Artist tutorial: Backplate set-up

RETOUCH & FINAL QC

Retouch at CCW is 99% colour correction and fixing minor errors - this usually happens AFTER the client has approved the 3D scene. If post-production includes more intensive work, like grading for example, this would need to be done BEFORE client approval. The general consensus is that work affecting the overall look is done in Fusion by the 3D artist; to prevent duplication of work if the client makes an amend.

Standard practice includes checking fine details and the colour correction of products against their references to ensure both product accuracy and consistency of images across a series. Colour references can be digital and physical. Supplied by the client or created by the Scanning & Referencing team. 

Good to know: 3D artists create object masks to improve the Retouch workflow, sometimes these might have 'slipped' or have not been exported so might need to be requested additionally.

If it is a batch job where Retouch is not required, final images will be saved out for the Producer to deliver.

PhotographIC Compositing 

Comping (compositing) relates to any elements that may need to be photographed or purchased separately for a scene and added later. Things like bedding, flowers , clothes, even the occasional pet...John Lewis asked for a dog in a kitchen scene, so for the purposes of clarity let's stick with that. 

For speed it's probably best to buy your dog online rather than photograph one. Shutterstock etc purchases will be requested by the relevant producer and approved by finance - Lucinda Rosson.

If something does need shooting specifically such as bedding, considerations include matching cameras between 3DS Max and Studio Photography. This can be a challenge as the 3D production comes before the photography. To help the photographer in studio the 3D artist will provide their virtual camera setting, as well as a basic floor plan with the position of the camera in the 3D space; usually a screenshot from Top view in 3Ds max viewport will suffice. 

Camera settings to be supplied by artist : 

• Focal length

• Zoom

• Camera height from floor

• The distance of the camera from the object / product

Good to know:

1) If the photo shooting is done before the 3D stage, then the photographer should provide the 3D team with the same camera information mentioned above.

2) Comping is also used as a term referring to the 3D artists themselves and the post-production work they perform in FUSION.

the lifestyle process 

Find out more HERE

Quality Control at CCW is a highly collaborative process. Review calls are led by Producers , via MS teams using Adobe Workfront Proof and involve all the relevant 3D artists and stylists. From the CCW Creative team an Art Director or Creative Director will be present. All feedback is equally valid and up for discussion, however the responsibility of overall guidance and decision making rests with the AD or CD. Producers are responsible for project timelines, but the common goal is for imagery to look as good and realistic as possible on time and in-budget.

QC Feedback comes in two main stages before, and during the call. 

Nb Feedback & Direction can and does carry on in MS teams, as well as Adobe Workfront Proof known as an 'offline review'

1) Team adds comments relating to Lighting, Cameras, Composition, Styling and Realism in Adobe Workfront proof.                                                                                   

2) Comments are discussed on the producer led call.

Input will vary between the team members but generally speaking will cover architecture, lighting, styling, realism, product accuracy and CGI details.

The QC process itself varies between projects due to the variety of work and unique client requirements.