TV3 Summer Waterslide
A summer ident, a hidden word and two simulation systems that refused to speak
A playful summer ident for TV3 Denmark built around branded beach balls racing through a giant waterslide that reveals the word 'Sommer' from above. I developed the concept and built the piece in 3D, including a workaround that let rigid-body balls and simulated water appear to interact at a time when the software had other opinions.
Brief
TV3 wanted a seasonal ident that felt unmistakably summery, energetic and a little unexpected. The easy route was beaches, sunshine and palm trees. We wanted something with more of an idea behind it.
The concept became a giant waterslide carrying TV3-branded beach balls, with the final camera move revealing that the slide itself forms the word 'Sommer'.
The Challenge
There were two problems hiding inside the fun idea.
First, the slide had to work physically as geometry while still spelling a readable word from the reveal angle. Second, the rigid-body simulation controlling the balls and the fluid simulation controlling the water did not interact properly with each other at the time.
In other words, the concept required two systems to cooperate that had never agreed to meet.
Execution
I designed and modelled the slide around both requirements: it needed believable curves for the ball motion while forming 'Sommer' from above.
I simulated the balls first, baked their rigid-body animation, then used that baked movement as collision data for the water pass. The fluid could then react around the moving balls even though the simulations were not solving together.
Textures, soft lighting and a bright beach environment completed the seasonal tone, with the camera pulling back at the end to reveal the hidden word.
Stills & Styleframes
Results
The ident aired as part of TV3 Denmark's summer presentation and delivered the light, playful feeling the brief called for, with the final reveal giving it a simple visual payoff.
It also turned a fairly awkward technical limitation into something invisible to the viewer, which is generally where I prefer technical problems to end up.
Personal Reflection
This was an early reminder that software limitations are often just invitations to cheat more intelligently.
I loved the combination of concept, modelling and simulation problem-solving. The pink waterslide was considerably more relaxing to watch than it was to build.