"Using the photo as my guide, I built a 3D accurate model of the building" click image to see full size

Explosion takes from Artbeats Real Explosions click image to see full size

"In addition to using Blaster, I also used a standard plugin of ElectricImage called Mr.Nitro" click image to see full size

Modeling:
Using the standard shape blocks created in ElectricImage, I built a more detailed model in FormZ. To make sure my model was accurate, I was constantly cross checking it in ElectricImage. The process was somewhat tedious, but it was important for the model to closely match the matte painting. When the model was about 90 percent there, I made some simple modifications to the matte painting to insure a good fit to the model.

The Explosion Footage:
Before delving into the 3D explosion, it was crucial to work out the timing and composition of the explosion. There was no way I was going to create cg fire, so I grabbed several explosion takes from Artbeats Real Explosions CD's and composed them together into a multi-detonated blast.

Blowing Apart The Model:
With a complete solid model and the explosion footage selected, the next task was to blow apart the geometry. This was done by scoring the model into thousands of chunks in FormZ. The scoring was based primarily on where I thought the explosions should exit the building. Since the explosion was composed of several different blasts, with different timings, the model was also broken into sections. Like a shattered windshield, smaller chunks were created near the center of force, and larger chunks remained furthest from the blast wave.

To animate the innumerable chunks I used a tool, designed specifically for the task, called Blaster, by Northern Lights Productions. This plugin for ElectricImage will take a set of groups and treat them as particles, imparting real world forces on them. So with this building, I assigned thousands of groups to Blaster and set up bomb forces to affect the field of chunks. Until the chunks are hit by the blast force, they remain at their starting positions.

In addition to using Blaster, I also used a standard plugin of ElectricImage called Mr.Nitro. This will blow apart the polygons of a group into shards. This was used to create the very fine particulate of dust and debris, and glass windows.

Page 3: Texturing:

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