irock entertainment | SCREAMFEST HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL

I was privileged to be asked by my client of 10 years iRock Entertainment to work on Screamfest Halloween Festival held at Sydney University Manning Bar and surrounding areas on 26th October 2024. I was involved primarily in creating various 3D Key Visual assets that established a ‘look and feel’ for the event and were to be used as hero pieces on a wide variety of different collateral including print, digital, social and live on LED screens at the event.

The work involved a lot of 3D work created using Cinema 4D + Redshift Renderer where I used a combination of existing models provided and elements I modelled myself to build entire scenes that all aligned consistently with the Screamfest playfully spooky, low polly look & feel. All 3D work was then composited in After Effects to optimise colour and lighting then add any desired effects. I also made all sound mixes myself in Premier Pro.

The following are a list of some of the deliverables which I also created:

  • The Key Visual Teaser Social Reel

  • The 3D Fantasy Festival Map Animation Loop

  • The Key Visual 3D ‘Scary Island’ Animation Loop

  • The Main Stage Fantasy Map Area Animation Loops

  • The LED Screen Animations played live at the event

  • The Raise The Dead Final Release Tickets social ad

  • Happy Halloween & Thanks for Coming Social Posts

  • The Screamfest 3D Logo Animation

  • The Key Visual Poster Animation

 

The Key Visual Teaser Social Reel

This piece of content for social was very important to the campaign for both visual and informative reasons and served as a paid 1:1 ad and 9:16 reel on Instagram. The KV Teaser Reel served as visual cornerstone piece of content as it combined 3 major key visual assets made prior, those being the Screamfest 3D Logo Animation, the 3D ‘Scary Island’ Animation and the Key Visual Poster Animation (all featured separately below for detailed explanations) as well as combining carefully selected and graphically treated live footage from some of iRock’s previous Halloween events and events held by the host venue Manning Bar. The Teaser Reel also served as a key informative piece in the early ‘Educational’ phase of the marketing campaign by advising the target audience of what type of event it was and what they could expect if they attended. Finally the visual and communicative elements of the reel were brought to life with a bespoke spooky audio mix.

I designed and animated all text, graphics and footage treatments bespoke for this piece of content to align with the style and theme of the event.

[Concept / Storyboard / Asset Creation / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]

 
 
 
 
 

The 3D Fantasy Festival Map Animation Loop

Using a combination of existing models provided and elements I built myself I created the Screamfest Halloween Festival Fantasy Map in which each different Map Area & Stage has it’s own look and feel and visual identity. This key visual asset served as a visual representation of the festival to help punters get an idea of what there was to see at Screamfest as a rotating 3D island. This Animation was used in various digital collateral leading up to the event and the map concept was also further refined into 4x individual Main Stage Map Areas.

In the creation of this piece of content there were a few aspects that needed to be kept in balance, such as the dark and spooky vibe with a playful undertone, the clear Halloween Theme while making it obvious it was also a music festival, and giving each map area and stage it’s own visual identity while keeping it all within the same look and feel. Finally I brought it all together with a spooky sound mix.

[Concept / Storyboard / Asset Creation / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]

 
 
 
 
 

The Key Visual 3D ‘Scary Island’ Animation Loop

Welcome to Scary Island!

I created this spooky satanic circle of creepy characters as the central focus of the Key Visual ‘Scary Island’ animation which was used in various digital collateral leading up to the event such as the KV Teaser Reel and KV Poster Animation. Often when this ‘Scary Island’ animation is used in other pieces of content it included sourrounding smaller islands which rotate around it.

I animated each of the main characters bespoke to reflect the kind of movement you’d expect from each respectively as well as bringing their own personality to the circle. I built out this scene in C4D which contains a combination of provided 3D models as well as a few bits and pieces I made myself (such as the Satanic Star, Altar, Fire & Stone Circle) , then composited in After Effects where I could enhance the spooky Halloween lighting, add some hell fire coming up from below and finally thunder and lightning. Finally I made the animation to loop and made a spooky sound mix to bring it to life.

[Concept / 3D Scene Build / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Main Stage Fantasy Map Area Animation Loops

I created a series of separated Fantasy Map Area ‘Islands’ from the main festival map that comprised of the 4x main stages of the event. These animations were created to be key visual assets that were used across a variety of different advertising collateral. Each Map Area Island had it’s own visual identity and unique look and feel while still working together as a set. I also created an individual sound mix bespoke for each one to set the vibe. This was a great opportunity for me to improve and hone in on the detail of these map areas as they first appeared in the original larger full festival map animation. Each Map Area also have their own unique colour and spooky charachters that help to distinguish them apart (E.g. Red laser & background + Ghosts & Skeletons at the Graveyard Stage, Blue lasers & background + Clowns & Cannons in the Creepy Circus Stage etc). I conceptualised and built all Map Area scenes in 3D using a combination of existing models provided and elements I modelled myself to build entire scenes that all aligned consistently with the Screamfest Look & Feel, and made a bespoke sound mix for each one to bring them to life.

 

The Graveyard Stage - Fantasy Map Area Animation Loop

I thoroughly enjoyed building and animating one of Screamfest’s main stages the Bacardi Graveyard Stage, where bass-y beats will certainly wake the undead as patrons stomp amongst the tombstones and spine tingling visuals. 

Lit by flickering flames with ghosts circulating the cemetary, zombie hands emerging from their dirt graves and skeletons prying open their coffins, the Graveyard Stage is an eerie place to party!

[Concept / 3D Scene Build / Visual Identity / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Creepy Circus Stage - Fantasy Map Area Animation Loop

Another one of Screamfest’s main stages, I had so much fun building and animating the Creepy Circus Stage then bringing it to life with a spooky circus sound mix. A twisted carnival vibe with pyro shows, giant creepy clown heads and eerie circus performers surrounded by warped mirrors, not to mention bad ass beats. Entering through a giant sharp toothed clown mouth into the circus tent where creepy jack-in-the-boxes jump around a fire stage with pointing cannons, this circus is not exactly a family day out!

[Concept / 3D Scene Build / Visual Identity / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Lab Stage - Fantasy Map Area Animation Loop

Screamfests very own neon lit Mad Scientist Lab meets Boiler Room stage where no amount of weird, strange or twisted is ever enough. Whether it’s the paranormal activity, aliens experiments or tinkering with essence of life and death, it can be witnessed at The Lab. Floating over a sea of bubbling and steaming toxic goo, the sterile steel mechanics of the lab chug away and slowly extract the life out of whatever unfortunate being they happen to be experimenting on. I had a blast building and animating this scene, then bringing it to life with a weird but funky glitch hop audio mix. 

[Concept / 3D Scene Build / Visual Identity / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Quiet Place (Silent Disco) - Fantasy Map Area Animation Loop

Screamfest’s very own Silent Disco where patrons tune in to the vibe of their choice as 3 DJs battle it out with twisted tunes. I had a blast building and animating this scene then giving it some context with a mashup audio mix that jumps between different spooky beats. The Quiet Place has a fun, colourful disco vibe with neon glowing elements and a retro vibe with the illuminating multi-coloured LED panels on the dance floor and in front of the DJ booths, which I’ve tried to enhance by including some spooky retro music tracks in the sound mix (Thriller and Ghost Busters).

[Concept / 3D Scene Build / Visual Identity / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

Live LED Screen Animations

I had the privilage of creating animations to be played on LED screens live at the event on two of the stages at Screamfest; The Graveyard Stage and the Creepy Circus Stage. The challenge in creating these animated backdrops was to achieve a balance whereby there was enough visual interest and engagement while also carefully not taking attention off the performers on stage. These were great animations to work on, it felt great to create something that the audience could experience on the night which added to the vibe.

[Concept / Storyboard / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation]

 

The Graveyard Stage LED Screen AnimationS

I was very appreciative to have my animations played live on the LED stage screens at the Bacardi Graveyard Stage where I utilised 2 screens to tantalise the audience, which were 4m x 2m and 4m x 0.5m in size.

The challenge with these animations was to reflect the theme and capture the vibe of the Graveyard Stage to contribute to a fully cohesive experience for the crowd, while also satisfying brand requirements of the sponsor Bacardi.

[Concept / Storyboard / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation]

 
 
 

Graveyard Stage Back Screen 4m x 2m LED Screen Animation - Original Concept

This was my original animation concept to be displayed on the 4x2 metre LED screen at the back of the Bacardi Graveyard Stage behind the DJ booth at ScreamFest Halloween Festival 26th October this year, which I’ve brought to life with a creepy sound mix. As these animated backdrop aren’t supposed to take the attention away from the performers on stage, unfortunately for in final live animation we had to remove the first two scenes with the hand and the skeleton. It still felt great to create something that added to the vibe on the night.

 

The Creepy Circus Stage LED Screen Animation

I was privileged to have my animation work displayed live on the 3x3 metre LED stage screen behind the DJ at the Creepy Circus Stage.

As the animation loop was played continuously throughout the night, it was important that it was engaging enough and captured the vibe and theme of the stage, while (hopefully) not get boring and not take too much attention from the performers. 

[Concept / Storyboard / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation]

 
 
 

The Raise The Dead: Final Release Tickets (1:1 Paid social ad)

I thoroughly enjoyed animating some closeup scenes of the 3D Graveyard Stage Island animation and include them in this Final Release Promo Video for social as well as other assets (Graveyard Stage Live LED Screen and Happy Halloween animations). I created a bespoke sound mix for this video to which I intentionally aligned the animation to. As this video was released just before the date of the event the purpose of this video was aimed at both selling the rest of the tickets as well as getting patrons pumped for it, so it was made to be high energy for maximum engagement, or in other words, raising the dead!

[Concept / Storyboard / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

Happy Halloween & Thanks for Coming (Social Posts)

A word from the underground, Happy Halloween and Creep it Real! 🧟‍♂️

I enjoyed repurposing this animated closeup ‘Hand & Tombstone’ scene from the 3D Graveyard Stage Island animation to thank all the guests for coming after the Screamfest event and wishing them all a Happy Halloween! 🎃

[Concept / Storyboard / Asset Creation / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

There ain’t no rest for the wicked… and when they wake, they’ll have a bone to pick! Happy Halloween! 💀

I enjoyed repurposing this animated closeup ‘Skeleton & Coffin’ scene from the 3D Graveyard Stage Island animation to thank all the guests for coming after the Screamfest event and wishing them all a Happy Halloween! 🎃

[Concept / Storyboard / Asset Creation / Design / 3D Scene Builds / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Screamfest Halloween Festival 3D Logo Animation

The logo animation was the first key visual asset to be created and released to the public. It was also the most used asset in the whole campaign. The video shown below displays the ‘write on’ and ‘Centred’ logo animation over the Key Visual Poster Background which is how the logo animation was first presented publicly as the ‘Logo Animation Teaser’, however there were a number of different variations of the logo animation that were also used and the logo animation was used over many different backgrounds throughout the campaign.

I was given the Screamfest Halloween Festival 3D logo one connected 3D object which I separated and arranged accordingly to create the logo animation in Cinema 4D. The ‘red goo’ around the letters I recreated and applied a displacer deformer with animating noise driving the displacement to give it a ‘ blood curdling’ vibe. The ‘red goo’ melts on first from left to right / top to bottom and the actual letters then push through the goo slightly later in time. The individual letters and their ‘red goo’ counterparts oscilate vertically independant of each other while the screamfest Halloween Festival logotype as a whole oscilates horrizontally. The characters of the date line animate on separately and each letter bounces in vertical scale while rotating independently of one another. Finally 2 flickering jackolanterns, two bats and a skull with glowing eyes emerge from behind the logotype to join in the fun as they playout their respective animated loops.

[Concept / Storyboard / Design / 3D Scene Build / Animation / Sound Mix]

 
 
 

The Key Visual Poster Animation

The Key Visual Poster Animation was the strongest hero pieces and visual cornerstone to the entire campaign and comprised of 3 core components, the 3D Screamfest Logo Animation, the 3D KV ‘Scary Island’ and the animating KV Poster Background. The Key Visual Poster Animation was first released to the public as this Teaser video below however it was later used as an endframe to other pieces of content also often accompanied with a CTA like ‘Buy Tickets Now’. The most successful piece of content that used the the Key Visual Poster Animation was the Key Visual Teaser Social Reel (shown at the top of this page) which spliced graphically treated footage and text graphics together and served as an education piece early on in the marketing campaign. The Key Visual Poster Animation was the second key visual artwork to be released to the public after the logo animation.

[Concept / Storyboard / Asset Creation / Design / 3D Scene Build / Animation / Editing / Sound Mix]