Michael Limber: CG

COMPUTER GRAPHICS

My professional career seems to follow the arc of the 3D computer graphics industry. Starting in 1985 at 3D computer graphics pioneer Digital Productions doing pre-rendered CG effects, then onto Angel Studios and interactive 3D video games, then developing interfaces for photorealistic rendering tools, and most recently at HERE, pioneering styling and rendered visualization for 3D maps.

3D Map Customization The same map data, different styles. Worked closely with rendering team to define features and parameters that enable extensive map customization.	CAMINO: HD Map Visualizer Directed the development of an interactive prototype to visually demonstrate the features of the new HERE HD Map -- a high-definition lane-level hidden "dark" map for autonomous vehicle navigation. This prototype was shown at HERE's booth at CES in 2016 and 2107.	Bunkspeed rendering Bunkspeed's focus was on fast, simple and accurate photorealistic rendering. The combination of unique technology and the simple interface I designed makes rendering these images a snap for anyone to do.
Snorkell product concept 3D CAD for fresh-air dual tube snorkel product. Rendered with Bunkspeed's hypershot.	Savage Quest PC-Arcade Game Just before Angel Studios moved exclusively into interactive entertainment we developed Savage Quest, a PC-based arcade game allowing players to control an angry T-Rex in a rampage across a prehistoric world. Worked closely with R&D team to bring to life the game's pioneering physically-based tech	Xbox: launch demo prototype Interactive test application for Microsoft for the launch of the XBox. Kind of an interactive friend project, XGirl had natural and engaging facial animations and reacted to various controller inputs.
Disney Virtual Jungle Cruise Angel Studios Creative Director on Disney's Virtual Jungle Cruise river raft motion base attraction. Rubber raft with working oars, a real-time interactive branching river scene projected from Silicon Graphics Reality Engines. Client: Disney Imagineering.	Nikita: game concept art Created model and animation test for a Femme Nikita game proposal. (Unrealized).	Peter Gabriel: Kiss that Frog Originally a motion-base ride film promotion, Angel Studios animated Peter Gabriel's music video Kiss that Frog. The video won a 1994 MTV Music Award for Best Special Effects.
Enertopia 1994 Animator Director for 70mm stereoscopic film entitled Enertopia for Korean energy company KEPCO for EXPO 1994. Production design by Ron Cobb.	Lawnmower Man Cover Animation Director for Angel Studios computer graphics special effects for the 1992 film The LawnMower Man. The 8 minutes of Virtual Reality focused effects helped the film reach a measure of sci-fi cult status for several pioneering 3D moments—the first "cyber sex" scene in a movie and the first time a human actor was completely replaced (during the climax of the film) by a CG avatar.	Lawnmower Man 1992 3D VR scenes from Lawnmower Man
CG Commercials Up to 1992 Angel Studios produced CG commercials and visualizations. Client's included Viper car alarms, Asiana Airlines, Spidewire, and NASA, among many others.	Union Tribune: Power Zoom 1989 Animator and Technical Director on Power Zoom commercial. Awarded 1989 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement-Animation	Heatwave 1986 Digital Productions Technical Director on exploding thermometer ad for a BBD&O client. These are some of the last frames ever rendered on DP's CRAY-XMP super computer in 1986 before it was shut down.
Star Trek CG screen test 1986 Modeler, Animator, and Technical Director for Digital Productions digital screen test of Star Trek Enterprise for Paramount Pictures in 1986.	Marvel Logo 1987 Technical Director on Marvel Productions logo animation. Awarded 1987 Monitor Award for Best Computer Technical Director.	Maze 1985 Digital Productions Technical Director for scary-maze-followed-by-exploding-volcano commercial for Dianetics in 1985.
Tinkerbell CRAY render test My first ever 3D animation using Digital Productions CRAY-XMP supercomputer in 1985. Features a motion test of Tinkerbell.	Me and the CRAY Moody shot of me sitting on the bench of the CRAY-XMP supercomputer in the machine room at Digital Productions in 1985

COMPUTER GRAPHICS

3D Map Customization

The same map data, different styles. Worked closely with rendering team to define features and parameters that enable extensive map customization.

CAMINO: HD Map Visualizer

Directed the development of an interactive prototype to visually demonstrate the features of the new HERE HD Map -- a high-definition lane-level hidden "dark" map for autonomous vehicle navigation. This prototype was shown at HERE's booth at CES in 2016 and 2107.

Bunkspeed rendering

Bunkspeed's focus was on fast, simple and accurate photorealistic rendering. The combination of unique technology and the simple interface I designed makes rendering these images a snap for anyone to do.

Snorkell product concept

3D CAD for fresh-air dual tube snorkel product. Rendered with Bunkspeed's hypershot.

Savage Quest PC-Arcade Game

Just before Angel Studios moved exclusively into interactive entertainment we developed Savage Quest, a PC-based arcade game allowing players to control an angry T-Rex in a rampage across a prehistoric world. Worked closely with R&D team to bring to life the game's pioneering physically-based tech

Xbox: launch demo prototype

Interactive test application for Microsoft for the launch of the XBox. Kind of an interactive friend project, XGirl had natural and engaging facial animations and reacted to various controller inputs.

Disney Virtual Jungle Cruise

Angel Studios Creative Director on Disney's Virtual Jungle Cruise river raft motion base attraction. Rubber raft with working oars, a real-time interactive branching river scene projected from Silicon Graphics Reality Engines. Client: Disney Imagineering.

Nikita: game concept art

Created model and animation test for a Femme Nikita game proposal. (Unrealized).

Peter Gabriel: Kiss that Frog

Originally a motion-base ride film promotion, Angel Studios animated Peter Gabriel's music video Kiss that Frog. The video won a 1994 MTV Music Award for Best Special Effects.

Enertopia 1994

Animator Director for 70mm stereoscopic film entitled Enertopia for Korean energy company KEPCO for EXPO 1994. Production design by Ron Cobb.

Lawnmower Man Cover

Lawnmower Man 1992

3D VR scenes from Lawnmower Man

CG Commercials

Up to 1992 Angel Studios produced CG commercials and visualizations. Client's included Viper car alarms, Asiana Airlines, Spidewire, and NASA, among many others.

Union Tribune: Power Zoom 1989

Animator and Technical Director on Power Zoom commercial. Awarded 1989 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement-Animation

Heatwave 1986

Digital Productions Technical Director on exploding thermometer ad for a BBD&O client. These are some of the last frames ever rendered on DP's CRAY-XMP super computer in 1986 before it was shut down.

Star Trek CG screen test 1986

Modeler, Animator, and Technical Director for Digital Productions digital screen test of Star Trek Enterprise for Paramount Pictures in 1986.

Marvel Logo 1987

Technical Director on Marvel Productions logo animation. Awarded 1987 Monitor Award for Best Computer Technical Director.

Maze 1985

Digital Productions Technical Director for scary-maze-followed-by-exploding-volcano commercial for Dianetics in 1985.

Tinkerbell CRAY render test

My first ever 3D animation using Digital Productions CRAY-XMP supercomputer in 1985. Features a motion test of Tinkerbell.

Me and the CRAY

Moody shot of me sitting on the bench of the CRAY-XMP supercomputer in the machine room at Digital Productions in 1985

Me and the CRAY