Vivid Vision - Storytelling, AI & Much More | Studio Tour #4 by Chaos

Arch Viz Artist
9 Aug 202317:51

TLDRIn this studio tour video, Thomas and Casper, co-founders of Baby Division, an architectural visualization studio, take the audience on a tour of their office. They discuss the company's growth from a small rented room to a thriving business with 22 employees. The studio focuses on storytelling, greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations. They emphasize the importance of coherent and strong storytelling in architectural competitions and the challenges of meeting clients' specific ideas for images. The studio's workflow is divided into five stages, from initial white clay renderings to final image delivery, with a focus on client choice and artistic freedom. They also discuss the role of AI in their workflow, using it for tasks like upscaling frames and denoising, and its potential impact on the industry. The video concludes with a look at the studio's culture, including monthly competitions and a focus on fun and artistic growth.

Takeaways

  • 🎓 Vivid Vision was founded by two architecture students and has grown into a company of 22 talented individuals.
  • 🏢 The company moved to a historic building in Wrocław, Poland, and renovated the office themselves, resulting in exceptional design.
  • 👥 Vivid Vision maintains a horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees, emphasizing responsibility for projects from start to finish.
  • 🏆 They initially gained recognition through successful images for architectural competitions in Poland, which shaped their approach and style.
  • 📈 Their work is characterized by storytelling, the importance of greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations.
  • 🌿 They often collaborate with landscape designers and urbanists, focusing on the space between buildings and community activities.
  • 📸 They do not pursue photorealism but use it as a tool to highlight architectural strengths and sometimes hide underdeveloped parts of a project.
  • 🎨 Their process involves five stages, from initial white clay renderings to final images, with a focus on client choice and artistic freedom.
  • 🤖 They use AI solutions, such as Topaz and stable diffusion, for upscaling, denoising, and making adjustments to renders, which significantly improves efficiency.
  • 🛠️ The standard software pipeline includes 3ds Max, Corona, Forest Pack, and other add-ons for rendering management.
  • 📈 They also create a variety of visual content, including VR tours, floor plans, and animations, to meet the diverse needs of real estate agencies and developers.
  • 🌟 Vivid Vision fosters a sense of fun and artistic growth, with monthly competitions and discussions to share knowledge and receive feedback.

Q & A

  • Who are the co-founders of Vivid Vision and what is their background?

    -The co-founders of Vivid Vision are Thomas and Casper, who are also the co-founders of Baby Division, an architectural visualization studio. They were architecture students when they started their journey.

  • How did Vivid Vision start and how has it grown since its inception?

    -Vivid Vision was founded by two architecture student friends six years ago, starting in a rented 16 square meter room. It has now grown into a prospering company of 22 talented individuals.

  • What is the current office location of Vivid Vision and what is special about the building?

    -Vivid Vision's current office is located in a historic building in the epic part of Fratsworth, Poland. The office has been renovated by the company themselves, and the results are truly exceptional.

  • What is unique about Vivid Vision's company structure?

    -Vivid Vision has a standard horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees. What's unique is that despite the growing size of the studio, they have kept the idea that everyone is responsible for the project from start to finish, which their employees enjoy.

  • What are the three qualities or trademarks that Vivid Vision prides itself on?

    -The three qualities that Vivid Vision prides itself on are storytelling, the importance of greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations.

  • How does Vivid Vision approach architectural competitions?

    -Vivid Vision approaches architectural competitions by focusing on storytelling and considering community aspects and ecology. They understand that these competitions are often judged by city authorities who care more about these aspects than architecture itself.

  • What is the process Vivid Vision follows for creating a compelling story in their visualizations?

    -To create a compelling story, Vivid Vision ensures coherence by building the story around a general idea. They ask questions about the time of day, the day of the week, and consider the activities that could happen in the visualized space to choose the types of people and clothing.

  • Why does Vivid Vision not pursue photorealism in their work?

    -Vivid Vision does not pursue photorealism because they find it to be a great tool for highlighting the strengths of a concept in architectural competitions, especially when projects are underdeveloped. It also allows them to focus on composition and atmospheric perspective.

  • How does Vivid Vision use AI in their workflow?

    -Vivid Vision uses AI, particularly through software like Topaz, for upscaling frames, improving efficiency, and denoising rendered frames. They also use AI solutions for adjustments of renders and to apply client comments more efficiently.

  • What is the typical project scope for Vivid Vision apart from architectural competitions?

    -Apart from architectural competitions, Vivid Vision works on commercial projects for real estate agencies or developers. They provide a range of visual content including still images, VR tours, colored floor plans, 3D rendered floor plans, and animations.

  • What software does Vivid Vision use for their rendering and post-production processes?

    -Vivid Vision uses 3ds Max with Corona as a rendering engine, Forest Pack for greenery, and various add-ons and scripts for rendering management. For post-production, they use Photoshop and After Effects.

  • How does Vivid Vision maintain a balance between efficiency and artistic freedom in their workflow?

    -Vivid Vision maintains a balance by using presets for repetitive tasks, which allows their team to focus on creative aspects like lighting, mood, and storytelling. They also involve clients in the decision-making process, providing them with options and control over their projects.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Studio Tour Introduction

Thomas and Casper, co-founders of Baby Division, an architectural visualization studio, invite viewers on a tour of their studio. Vivid Vision, the studio, started six years ago by two architecture students in a small rented room and has now grown into a company of 22 talented individuals. The studio is located in a historic building in Fratsworth, Poland, and has a unique structure where every employee is responsible for projects from start to finish. They emphasize storytelling, greenery, and an atmospheric approach in their work. The founders discuss the importance of creating a coherent story in their visualizations, considering factors like time of day and the activities depicted to make the images stand out.

05:02

🌿 Greenery and Client Relations

The studio's work often involves landscape architecture, focusing heavily on greenery. Their process is divided into five stages, starting with simple renderings and moving through art direction, where they test different lights, moods, and even seasons. The goal is to give clients options and maintain artistic freedom. They also discuss the importance of communication with clients, suggesting that 3D artists should use their artistic license to propose views and potentially change the client's mind. The studio's versatility includes still images, VR tours, and animations, with a focus on providing various types of visual content for real estate agencies and developers.

10:03

🖥️ Workflow and Software Usage

The studio uses a standard pipeline with 3ds Max and Corona as the rendering engine, supplemented by various add-ons and scripts for efficient rendering management. They emphasize the importance of workflow and use presets to speed up the process without taking away from the creative work. AI solutions, particularly Topaz, are used for upscaling frames, denoising, and optimizing rendering times. The studio also uses stable diffusion for making adjustments to renders, which can save significant time compared to re-rendering in 3D software. They discuss the potential of AI to change the industry, viewing it as a tool rather than a threat.

15:06

📈 AI and Creative Growth

The studio has integrated AI into their workflow, using it for adjustments and optimizations in image rendering. They find that AI tools like stable diffusion are particularly useful for modifying natural parts of images and for implementing client feedback quickly. The studio also holds a monthly 'image of the month' competition, which fosters a sense of community and allows for feedback and discussion on each other's work. The founders highlight the balance between providing a great environment for artistic growth and maintaining a fun work culture.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Architectural Visualization

Architectural visualization is the process of creating visual representations of proposed architectural designs. It involves using computer graphics to generate images or animations that depict how a building or space will look once it's constructed. In the video, Vivid Vision, a company specializing in this field, showcases their work and studio, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and atmospheric approach in their visualizations.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling in the context of architectural visualization refers to the art of creating narratives that give life to the architectural designs. It's about conveying the intended use, activities, and experiences within a space through the images. The video mentions that Vivid Vision's work is 'very storytelling heavy,' meaning they focus on creating images that tell a story about how people will interact with the architecture.

💡Greenery

Greenery in architectural visualization represents the incorporation of natural elements such as plants, trees, and landscapes into the design. The video emphasizes the importance of greenery as a trademark quality of Vivid Vision's work, noting that it's often a central theme in their projects, reflecting a growing client interest in eco-friendly and sustainable designs.

💡Atmospheric Approach

An atmospheric approach in architectural visualization is about creating a mood or feeling through the use of lighting, color, and composition. It's not necessarily about achieving photorealism but rather about capturing the essence and emotional impact of a space. The video describes how Vivid Vision uses this approach to highlight the strengths of their architectural concepts.

💡Architectural Competitions

Architectural competitions are events where architects and designers submit proposals for new buildings or spaces, often judged by panels that include city authorities and the public. In the video, it's mentioned that Vivid Vision has done a lot of successful work for such competitions in Poland, which has contributed to their growth and shaped their style.

💡AI Solutions

AI solutions refer to the use of artificial intelligence in various aspects of architectural visualization, such as image upscaling, denoising, and generating natural elements like greenery. The video discusses how Vivid Vision is increasingly using AI tools, like Topaz and stable diffusion, to enhance their workflow and create more efficient and higher-quality visualizations.

💡Post-Production

Post-production in the context of architectural visualization involves editing and enhancing rendered images to improve their visual appeal, coherence, and storytelling. The video describes how Vivid Vision uses post-production to simplify color schemes, apply atmospheric perspective, and refine their images to create a strong composition.

💡3D Artist

A 3D artist is a professional who creates three-dimensional models and animations using specialized software. In the video, the role of a 3D artist at Vivid Vision is discussed, emphasizing the importance of artistic license and the ability to provide clients with options while maintaining control over their projects.

💡Rendering Engine

A rendering engine is software used to generate two-dimensional images from 3D models by applying lighting, textures, and colors. The video mentions the use of Corona as a rendering engine for both still images and animations, highlighting the benefits of consistency and efficiency it provides in their workflow.

💡Project Management

Project management involves organizing, planning, and overseeing the production of creative projects. In the video, Vivid Vision discusses their process, which includes stages like white clay renderings, art direction, and final image delivery. They use project management tools to streamline their workflow and maintain efficiency.

💡Animation

Animation in architectural visualization is the process of creating a series of images or frames that depict movement or changes in a 3D model over time. The video talks about Vivid Vision's expansion into animations, noting the increasing demand for this type of content for marketing purposes by developers and real estate agencies.

Highlights

Vivid Vision is an architectural visualization studio founded by two architecture students, now a prospering company with 22 talented individuals.

The studio has evolved from a 16 square meter rented room to a historic building in Poland, renovated by the team themselves.

Vivid Vision maintains a horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees, emphasizing responsibility for projects from start to finish.

The studio's work is characterized by storytelling, greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations rather than photorealism.

Architectural competitions played a significant role in the studio's growth, shaping their style and approach.

Vivid Vision focuses on the importance of community aspects and ecology in their designs, which often take precedence over architecture itself.

The studio uses a five-stage process for their projects, starting with simple renderings and culminating in final images with client feedback.

AI solutions, particularly Topaz, are used extensively for upscaling, denoising, and optimizing rendering times in animations.

Vivid Vision emphasizes the use of atmospheric perspective and composition to create strong, readable visuals.

The studio has transitioned from fully 3D renderings to incorporating post-production and AI for greenery, enhancing efficiency.

Vivid Vision's workflow is streamlined with the use of industry-standard software like 3ds Max, Corona, and Forest Pack.

The studio's process leaves artistic choices to the client, providing a sense of control while offering creative freedom.

Communication with clients is key, with Vivid Vision encouraging 3D artists to propose views and listen to client feedback.

The studio offers a range of services from still images to VR tours and animations, adapting to the needs of real estate agencies and developers.

Vivid Vision has embraced AI as a tool for the industry, using it to enhance their workflow and output quality.

The studio uses stable diffusion for adjustments and quick client feedback implementations, showcasing its versatility in their workflow.

Vivid Vision holds monthly internal competitions, fostering a sense of community and continuous improvement among team members.

The studio's commitment to artistic growth and fun is evident in their office environment and company culture.