Re-Vite: Second Catch
Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation
Join us on one girl's journey fishing with her Dad as a child and how she eventually finds her way back out on the water. It is a generational story that teaches us the joy and value of handing the tradition of fishing down to our children. We loved working with takemefishing.org and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation to bring Second Catch to life. There is a nationwide campaign to get women and children back on the water for Father’s Day and we hope the momentum behind this trend grows into a meaningful cultural change that lasts.
A TRADITION ON THE WATER
Research tells us girls stop fishing at a 10% higher rate than boys and often feel excluded from fishing and boating trips. RBFF wanted to spread awareness about this trend (and how to change it) by sending out a nationwide invitation to go fishing on Father’s Day. In her youth, our hero shares a wonderful connection with her Dad while fishing together. For many reasons, life gets in the way and she loses touch with her joy out on the water. What follows is a journey into adulthood where she reconnects with her love of fishing. Together with her Dad, she passes down the experience of fishing to her daughter, making it a lasting generational tradition.
FATHER AND DAUGHTER
At the heart of this story is the vibrant connection between a Father and Daughter. The Daughter is an energetic angler-in-training who is happiest outdoors. The Father is a patient and seasoned fisherman. The most intriguing part about designing these characters was envisioning them at different ages. We see the daughter at different ages throughout her childhood and eventually when she becomes a mother. We watch a young and silly father become a spry and gentle grandfather. We crafted a ton of details so the characters expressed meaningful change in their lives while remaining true to themselves.
FATHER AND DAUGHTER
At the heart of this story is the vibrant connection between a Father and Daughter. The Daughter is an energetic angler-in-training who is happiest outdoors. The Father is a patient and seasoned fisherman. The most intriguing part about designing these characters was envisioning them at different ages. We see the daughter at different ages throughout her childhood and eventually when she becomes a mother. We watch a young and silly father become a spry and gentle grandfather. We crafted a ton of details so the characters expressed meaningful change in their lives while remaining true to themselves.
3D ANGLERS
After a robust discovery process with traditional illustrations, we set out to fashion these anglers in the round. They had to carry the charm of the illustrations while sporting all the right kinds of safety gear. We had a lot of fun with the daughter's hair—buoyant and wild curls filled with hair clips made her burst with the energy of a free spirit. An efficient mesh and rig system meant we could make multiple characters based on the same animation rig. Watching the characters come alive is the most rewarding part of the process.
After a robust discovery process with traditional illustrations, we set out to fashion these anglers in the round. They had to carry the charm of the illustrations while sporting all the right kinds of safety gear. We had a lot of fun with the daughter's hair—buoyant and wild curls filled with hair clips made her burst with the energy of a free spirit. An efficient mesh and rig system meant we could make multiple characters based on the same animation rig. Watching the characters come alive is the most rewarding part of the process.
FISHING IS IN THE DETAILS
The other part of our story is what happens out on the water. This has an entire whole world of details that enrich the themes and atmosphere of Second Catch. The props that carry the most weight in the story are the tackle box and rod. At first, we see them being used out on the water, and we feel that lost connection when we find them stuffed in a closet and languishing in a box. The tackle boxes are also a mirror of its owner, displaying all kinds of dad vibes and girl power.
We created three locations; The interior and exterior of a family home and a lakeside dock. The goal was to create sets that are icons of the American family fishing experience. Soft lake inspired blues and greens give the color story a through-line that calls us to the water.
Animation/VFX
A lot happens between the first and final version of a shot. It is important to get all the pieces included and moving around, even if they only have basic details in the beginning. The value of blocking a shot is you can more easily approach the motion and composition first. After that, our CG team smashes it out of the park by converting each shot into a final pass with lighting and details. For character performances, we film ourselves to use as reference. Even if we feel a little silly.
USING REFERENCE
Here we have one of our CG artists practicing his best fatherly smirk, and doing his best impression of a child fishing—knees knocked and fighting to see around the fishing pole. It's cute. From the reference, we can pick out what is most iconic and valuable about the performance and carry it forward into finished animation.
WATER AND SIMULATIONS
There is an important balance to good water animation. On one hand, it must move and feel like water. On the other hand, it must reflect the stylized vision of the world—it can’t be too real if it's going to match the style of the characters. More involved simulations include things like hair. It is a messy process full of missing eyebrows, half-grown beards and peach fuzz the size of doll hairs. With a metric ton of elbow grease and enough CPU power, we can make all hair become a dynamic part of the character.
SECOND CATCHES, SECOND CHANCES
Second Catch seeks to get more girls and children out on the water and having fun. It empowers fathers to reconnect with their daughters as they go out fishing on Father's Day. This piece walks in lockstep with the larger mission of RBFF to support our country’s aquatic natural resources. There is nothing better than when our craft aligns with such a meaningful set of goals.
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