Studio AKA animate sequence for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Skwigly
Studio AKA director Marcus Armitage has crafted a spellbinding animation sequence for Sony Pictures’ newest Ghostbusters instalment: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.
In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse –to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discoveryof an ancient artifact unleashes an army of ghosts that cast a death chill upon the city, Ghostbusters, new and old, must join forces to protect theirhome and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Following a prior creative collaboration in 2021, Frozen Empire director Gil Kenan approached Armitage to help break new ground in the Ghostbusters universe in the unveiling of a formidable antagonist: Garraka, the maestro of the death chill. Rising to the challenge, Armitage and his team embarked on the vital task of unravelling Garraka’s origin story to help usher this new villain into the series lore. Kenan and Armitage worked very closely at each stage of the storytelling process, making sure that each detail and movement felt essential. Kenan’s background in animation was a valuable asset in the creative dialogue, allowing Armitage and his team to hit the ground running.
Given Ghostbusters’ cinematic heritage, our mandate from Kenan was to craft a sequence that unveils Garraka’s genesis with clarity and visual allure,all while honouring the franchise’s essence. To deliver this, Armitage and his crew employed a blend of 2D hieroglyphic-style imagery, meticulouslyrendered in grayscale, before being transposed into a three-dimensional realm – as if they had been carved into stone. Realistic textures mimickingrock surfaces and cracks were infused alongside dynamic 3D camera movements, guiding us through the narrative. Armitage, in collaboration with our 3D artists, rigorously tested iterations of this idea until they found an approach that struck the perfect balance between impact and efficiency.
Our collaboration with Sony Pictures has been a delight and an irresistible dive into the ever-developing saga of Ghostbusters. It’s always a pleasure towork alongside Kenan and his team, bringing their ideas to life, and we look forward to the collective thrill of witnessing another spectral showdown onthe silver screen.
-Studio AKA
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now in cinemas.