Case Study: Kleiser-Walczak Production achieves faster, more lifelike character sculpting for Corkscrew Hill with 3D Systems' Geomagic Freeform

Corkscrew Hill Extreme Hd Created with Geomagic Freeform Sculpting Software

3D Systems’ Geomagic Freeform helped Kleiser-Walczak Productions tackle the challenge of creating highly expressive, naturalistic CG characters and richly detailed environments for Corkscrew Hill, a large-format stereoscopic ride film for Busch Gardens. Directors Jeff Kleiser and Diana Walczak needed a faster, more intuitive way to sculpt facial expressions and phonetic poses at varying levels of detail while delivering bright, sharp 3D projection and avoiding the risks of traditional film-out workflows.

Using the Freeform haptic system and Phantom input device, the team sculpted character models as if working with clay, dialing in fine detail where needed and exporting the results into Maya for modeling, animation, and rendering. The workflow sped creation of complex shapes, gave animators reliable expression bases, enabled quick re-rendering of problem frames, and — combined with paired projectors and edge blending for stereo projection — produced believable characters and stunning, high-resolution 3D imagery that tested well with audiences.