The City of Red
The theme for this year’s opening video was The City of Red. The goal was to showcase the heartbeat that the Flames are to the city. My aim was to make it look like the players are powering Calgary and bringing the C of Red to life.
Over the past six months, I’ve spent time learning Unreal Engine 5. Using that knowledge, I incorporated a 3D model of Calgary, which I then tweaked in After Effects. It’s incredible to be able to render complex 3D animations like this in real time.
One of the main effects used throughout the video is rotoscoping the players to make it look like they are breaking out of the cinematic letterbox. Hats off to Adobe, as the Rotobrush has come a long way and is a joy to use. In the second part of the video, you can see the heartbeat effect and the rotoscoping in full display.
For the media day shoot, Austin Shaw had the idea for the “hallway to hell.” I worked with our team to create a powerful look that showcased the players up close as they walked down the hallway. These clips were used throughout the video and were a main focus for this year’s headshots. You can see some of the photos I captured below during the shoot. With the new Sportsnet+ Jumbotron being installed in the Saddledome, our goal was to put the players front and center.
The alternate shots of the players on ice were captured by Jessekiah Jost. He worked with his team to produce a cinematic look that complemented my set. Once the players enter the ice from the “hallway to hell”, all the production shots from that point on are featured on the ice to help tell the story.
Lighting and LED setup were directed by Darrell Gratton and his team at EK Productions.
A big thank you to Geordie Macleod, Austin Shaw, Riley Jans, Luca Cioffi, Carlo Petrini, and Peter Stewart for the support, direction, and guidance.
Audio SFX: Pam Petrini
Song Credit: “Another Level” by Oh The Larceny
Programs: Unreal Engine 5 + C4D + After Effects + Premiere Pro
Gear: Canon EOS R5 II + Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens
