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PROJECTS

VR Art Direction

Microsoft, Studio C, West Campus, Redmond, WA, USA.

These are pages from a style guide also used as a creative/proof of concept presentation for VR/AR immersive environments and characters. In this case, Dave directed two companies -Volta and West Studios. They created some of the concepts based on his instructions and the team did the rest, including all the modelling and lighting.

Dave provided environment examples, paint-overs, storyboards, written instructions and conducted real-time meetings within the VR space with the art team to go over lighting and model changes, and also ensure the avatars were non-threatening and would never dip into the 'uncanny valley'. 
Dave created and directed the following concepts as part of a new IP initiative at Zipper/Sony. He explored several creative directions, including spy games, fantasy, medieval, cartoon and futuristic shooters. As the project evolved, the team explored different genre options and ultimately decided to pivot towards an existing SOCOM foundation. The new direction became Unit 13 for the Vita handheld console.

New Game IP Development

Zipper / Sony, Redmond, WA, USA.

Cinematic Direction

Zipper / Sony, Redmond, WA, USA.

At the same time Dave owned the cinematic direction for SOCOM 4. These were mostly step-by-step diagrams and storyboards for the cinematic and FX department to provide look and feel, and clarity.

Industry Background Design

Various Companies, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Dave is at the point in his career where they brief him on what they're looking for, and he develops a look that they then use. He typically hits the mark, and it is simple and straightforward for all. 

Direction on Moble Gambling Games

Gamehouse / Real Networks, Victoria, BC, Canada / Seattle, WA, USA.

As lead artist at Game House/Real Networks Dave owned the task of designing and directing new slot machines on mobile platforms. This included brainstorming workable ideas with team members, selection of viable concepts, exploring title functions via storyboards (showing tile animations when clicked), and developing the overall look and feel, with testing. The parent company liked the Cottage Country concept the best so we went into production. This and other slot games were placed on hold to allow the team to focus on GameHouse Casino Plus Sweepstakes.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Art Direction

Kickstart Entertaiment for Mattel, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

For a straightforward looking product, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks was a surprisingly complex undertaking. From the initial Maya underpinnings, it progressed through 4 major changes over 5 years and contained a multitude of details. Once Mattel realized the shows were increasing the market share the executives got more involved and product scope changed several times making coordination and direction a challenge while maintaining budgets. Along with the overall Art Direction, Dave became adept at Technical Art Direction. He found reuse solutions and workarounds, created modular environments, developed stitched together line of sight models to allow for jumps from one environment to another while providing camera and lighting continuity, comp, and provided fixes for issues the outsource company had difficulties with, especially with the switch to Unreal. During season 4 his team created a short test episode using Blender that needed Dave's Art Direction support and technical 3D knowledge. Season 3 and 4 needed Motion Graphics and AFX support, so Dave dove into that, plus trained Graphic Designers and other artists at the same time. There were also 2D sequences, and music videos that needed his attention. All in all, he found it challenging, involved, and very satisfying.

Texture Creation

Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. USA.

Dave provided Concepts and Textures for JD Augmented Reality experience. Users who have downloaded the free app can point their phones at any bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey bottle, and they’re transported into three experiences - a tour of the distillery, the process of making the whiskey and Jack Daniel himself.
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When introduced the app was a resounding success resulting in more than 30,000 downloads happened in just he first two weeks that the app was available.

Military VR Headsets

Microsoft, Studio C, West Campus, Redmond, WA, USA.

Microsoft for The Pentagon, Washington, DC

Dave helped develop a HoloLens 2 Integrated Visual Augmentation System proposal that paved the way for two major contracts between the Pentagon and Microsoft. These visuals and others helped propel a proposal that resulted in a $480 million US Army headset development contract and ultimately a $22 billion US Army contract to provide customized headsets for military use.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Electronic Arts, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

On top of his other duties as a modeller and concept artist, Dave utilized his past law enforcement experiences to write cop lines, provide consultation for police hazardous pursuits and provided mocap for physical take down actions and procedures. Invited into the sound studio he also provided many of the cop voices and foley.

He even even donned a police uniform and ‘served’ police ‘warrants’ to the execs at the EA finance meeting to promote NFS: Most Wanted.  This involved getting changed in the taxi and then eliciting the help of security in order to gain access to the auditorium unseen.

Beyond this he designed presentation visuals, user interface assists and created concepts for vehicles, vehicle graphics and environments. He also managed an outsourcing team in-house and directed outsourcing companies both in the United States and India.

Electronic Arts, Vancouver (EAX)

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