With the release of the next part of video game Company of Heroes from Relic Entertainment, Platige Image has prepared a behind-the-scenes video depicting what it was like to develop the trailer. The footage, among other things, presents the director’s work with the actors featuring the protagonists of the iconic game. It also offers a sneak-peek into the production and post-production specialists’ tasks.
"Experience with Relic Entertainment - a Canadian giant of the computer game market and 'Company of Heroes' series creators - as well as SEGA Europe Limited meant that the trailer production was not only another professional challenge, but a true combination of passion and pleasure. While creating materials for the previous scenes, we learned most of the brand nuances but also expanded its historical and military knowledge of World War II, which made it a bit easier," comments Platige's Tomek Suwalski.
The real test of the studio’s skill was in rendering the story of two comrades who fought in Africa with the First Armored Division and then made their way to the Italian front. It is their story that we follow in the game’s trailer.
"The key to success was the right choice of actors, who could really make you feel the spirit of camaraderie. Fortunately, we were able to match people who had a long history behind them dating back to their film academy days," Suwalski adds.
Apart from soldiers, the trailer features historical weapons. We see 100% computer-generated 3D models of Panzer IV and Churchill tanks, an Opel Blitz truck, a P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft and the famous 8.8 cm Flak 18 anti-aircraft gun.
"Since this is a historical production, we naturally drew inspiration from the past. Based on the photo and video archives, we detailed each piece of armaments and vehicles and recreated them to match the originals," says Bartek Kmita, VFX supervisor responsible for graphic elements.
Hanna Drewek, producer, comments: "Both Relic and SEGA were truly open to our suggestions. This allowed us to co-create very cinematic, artistic trailers that get better and better with every new release, despite the production challenges we faced."