Overview

BUCK was hired by Meta to create graphics for their annual 2022 Connect conference. I was brought on early to help with 3D design and lookdev of certain effects for the project.

You can find BUCK’s project page for this here.

Lookdev

Early on in lookdev, we were trying to create something unique and interesting that had life. We explored many concepts but ultimately landed on projected light across physical, grounded objects. I did R&D with simulations of fingerpainting and ripples emanating from that across the surface of the object, but ultimately were not used.

Displacement Maps

During production, I ended up making animated displacement maps as assets for the team, to create things like slowly rippling surfaces that followed the projected light pattern, as well as deforming a surface as if it was being drawn into by a finger. For this I actually used a thin grain simulation, as well as terrain tools to smooth out, streak, and pile up a front while reacting physically like a thick sand or clay.

Another shot had a drop of ink land on a piece of glass, and I did wave function simulations to get an accurate and satisfying ripple across the glass surface.