LOBO Creates AI-Powered Animation To Open This Year’s Ciclope Festival

Multi-hyphenated creative production studio LOBO has created a captivating animation to open Ciclope Festival 2023. Blending traditional artistic concepts with innovative AI-enhanced animation techniques, LOBO produced a kaleidoscope of colors and images that mirror the vast array of creatives involved in this year’s show.

Ciclope Festival is a 3-day live event featuring the most influential players in the advertising and entertainment industries. Held in Berlin since 2013, attendees can expect international speakers, inspiring ideas, and unparalleled networking opportunities. The recurring theme each year is craft, with 2023 emphasizing artificial intelligence.

Francisco Condorelli, Founder/Organizer of Ciclope Festival, said: “We are all talking about how AI will influence our work and our lives. LOBO developed their titles around that idea using machine learning technology.”

The process began with the creation of 3D models using Maya. These initial structures and visual elements were essential in crafting the basic environment and figures of the animation. LOBO then employed a technique known as stable diffusion, which facilitated a smooth and refined fusion of artistic ideas into the 3D animations, ensuring a harmonized visual presentation.

At the core of this innovative process was the use of LORA, a method known for its efficiency in adapting large neural network models for specific tasks. In this project, LORA was meticulously implemented to learn from unique and original artworks created by LOBO’s artists. This method allowed the AI to capture the creative essence and stylistic details of these pieces, effectively utilizing these insights to refine and enhance the 3D models. Through LORA, the team was able to integrate artistic nuances into the animation, ensuring a seamless blend of art and technology.

Following the use of LORA, ControlNet played a pivotal role as a precision-guiding tool. It meticulously oversaw the translation of artistic vision into the animated models, ensuring each nuance was accurately reflected. This system was key in aligning the final animations with the intended aesthetic objectives, enabling a faithful and resonant representation of the artists’ original concepts.

Diogo Kalil, Animation Director at LOBO, added: “It’s a trip through a new world, as it is to use new technology. I think it’s an instigator piece that brings more questions than answers.”

LOBO is no stranger to incorporating advanced technology in their work. For the Pixel Show 2023, LOBO not only provided guest speakers but was also commissioned to produce a teaser for the event. Uniting five of their directors, they brainstormed challenging concepts inspired by the arrival of AI-based image-making technologies. The subsequent short utilized different styles and techniques, from the figurative to the completely abstract, but they all shared the use of AI tools in their creation.

In Unfair City, a powerful short film created with BBDO Dublin, LOBO used AI to highlight the growing inequality of homelessness.

“We love the Ciclope Festival and its purpose and importance for the industry. This is the second time we‘ve been invited to create the opening of the awards show and its bumpers, etc,” says Luis Ribeiro, Managing Partner at LOBO.“This year was a great opportunity for us to play with the usage of AI for its creation and how it can be an excellent tool to aid our directors to explore their creativity.”

However, the expanding use of artificial intelligence remains just one tool in LOBO’s technological armory. They are on a mission to continue pushing creative boundaries.

In VR Vaccine, LOBO was tasked with alleviating a child’s fear of taking vaccine shots. By creating an immersive fantasy world, they were able to position her as the hero of her own story, using the vaccine as a shield to protect the realm from invaders. The use of a headset and smartphone was integral in creating this all-encompassing, inspirational environment.

LOBO was also engaged to disruptively launch the new Volvo S60. Using webAR, they were able to simulate a virtual store, including car customizations, test drive scheduling, and financing simulations.

The breadth of LOBO’s skills, from design and animation to live-action and VFX, and their ability to produce ground-breaking work across many disciplines, made a natural fit for Ciclope, who, of course, value craft above all else.

Francisco Condorelli, Founder/Organizer of Ciclope Festival, concluded by saying: “We know the level of passion and commitment LOBO has towards creativity and craft, so it was a very natural decision to invite them back.”

About LOBO:

More than a creative production, design, animation, and mixed media studio, LOBO is comprised of storytellers, dreamers, and visionaries on a mission to ignite curiosity through captivating narratives that transcend mediums and captivate audiences worldwide.

Based in New York and São Paulo, LOBO is where art, craftsmanship, and technology converge. Our diverse team of directors, artists, and designers are constantly pushing the boundaries of the moving image, crafting immersive films and experiences that leave a lasting impact.

Collaborating with advertising agencies, television networks, film studios, and brands, LOBO redefines visual storytelling. With a commitment toward innovation, we breathe life into stories, infusing them with energy and emotion.

About Ciclope

Ciclope is home to those who believe in the power of craft. A bespoke platform for creative professionals from around the world to get inspired, build professional networks, and elevate their work.

We believe that great craft elevates messages and artistic expressions to become inspiring, move people, and bring them to action to create a future-proof, inclusive, sustainable, and healthy industry. That is why Ciclope benchmarks, analyzes, and showcases excellence in craft.

Downloads:

Social Media:

LinkedIn /lobo-nyc

Instagram /@lobo.cx

X /@lobo_cx

Facebook /lobo.cx