Six tennis legends. Eight VFX worlds. “Call Of The Kings” is a trailer promoting Riyadh Season’s “Six Kings Slam,” a one-of-its-kind tennis tournament. This five-minute film was developed by BigTime Creative Shop and directed by Los Pérez, with visual effects from Electric Theatre Collective.
Tennis players Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune and Jannick Sinner star, each integrated into a bespoke VFX environment which mirrors their unique skill set. Djokovic, synonymous with mental strength, uses his power to stop a hurtling ball, whilst King-of-clay-courts Nadal shatters a gigantic clay effigy to take his shot. A viking explosion on seriously choppy waters, a near-invisible robot in a sandstorm and an armor-clad roaring bear are other elements of the film, deploying assorted VFX disciplines.
Fire torches, crumbling rocks, exploding waves, parting oceans, creature animation, flaming tennis courts, electric rackets, avalanches and other FX elements were crafted in Houdini, while traditional digital matte painting allowed for set extension and enhancement throughout.
With a host of celebrity talent with tight diaries shot against green screens and set builds, Electric Theatre Collective began concepting the scenes from the early stages, gathering photographic references, utilizing Midjourney and drafting concept art, while considering lighting and camera language and timing in pre-vis. Meanwhile, photogrammetry scans of sand dunes and cliffs helped to cement a huge scale 3D world, allowing for dynamic camera moves which are integral to the flow of the campaign.
Dean Robinson, CG creative director, commented, “This job was far bigger and broader than anything Electric has ever dealt with before. The film is almost entirely in post, like a full CG feature or a Marvel film. The project had a tight turnaround due to the players’ schedules, so we eagerly hit the ground running, working with Los Pérez to world-build eight distinct environments, each with its own VFX challenges. The end result is a true homage to visual effects and Electric’s unfaltering crew.”
Held at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, “Six Kings Slam” runs from today (10/16) through Oct. 19.
