Civilization 6 Nintendo Trailer GFX

Summary

I animated and designed motion graphics for the Civilization VI announcement trailer for Nintendo Switch. Additionally, I created and animated visual effects and graphics cards for the How-to-Play CIV6 series.

Nominations
Best Short Format Promotional Content, Promax 2019
Best Marketing Campaign of the Year – Family Games, Promax 2019

Announcement Trailer

I started with a layered Photoshop file from an illustrator, transferring the assets into After Effects to animate and morph the layers seamlessly between storyboard frames. Using null z-space data from a 3D artist’s airplane model, I guided the camera through space to create dynamic depth. I enhanced the sequence with effects like crumbling text, tearing open a postcard, tuning static on a television, designing news overlays, and compositing stars, Earth, and a ship launching into space. To finalize the sequence, I extruded the game’s logo into 3D and crafted the end card.

Timecode: 0:23–0:47

How-To-Play Civilization 6 Series

I added motion graphics to an external vendor’s stop-motion cinematics, seamlessly integrating them into the world. Inspired by the stop-motion paper materials, I designed and animated the in-world text to appear as though it were made from pen, pencil, and construction paper, with a bubbly, light motion. To complement the voiceover, I animated expressive eyebrows that conveyed the message. Additionally, I animated an illustrator’s hand-drawn line art and various in-world elements, such as architectural colors and terrain that unfolds and flowers that bloom.