Reviving History through Innovative Design: Vadim Revin's "Battle for Sevastopol"

Award-winning title sequence brings World War II to life with theatrical illumination and shadow figures

The design draws its inspiration from the immensity of World War II, the fierce will of soldiers, and the global celebration of their victory. Revin used archive recordings and photos to create a foundation for the title sequence. The design's unique properties lie in its motionless shadow figures, theatrical illumination, and continuous presence of fire and smoke. The camera angles simulate various historical photographs, and one continuous camera flight captures different scenes devoted to various movie characters.

The design's realization technology is equally impressive. The characters and environment are fully computer-generated images, with the 3-D models of the actors showing remarkable similarity to their real-life counterparts. Light tricks were used to emphasize the nature and position of each character, and the statues' material evokes the surface of stone. The final touch is the golden dust that occasionally floats in the air.

The technical specifications of the design required a significant investment of resources. The 3-D models of the actors were reproduced only after all angles in the animatic software and lighting settings were reviewed and approved. The process was expedited by using procedural materials, and the golden dust and final look of the models were incorporated at the compositing stage.

The design was a collaborative effort, with contributions from various artists and producers. The project started in September 2014 and was completed in February 2015 in Kiev. The initial version featured no cuts and twice as many characters and scenes, unified by one continuous camera movement. However, due to budget limitations, the total running time had to be cut. The entire conception was discussed with the director, Sergey Mokritskiy.

The "Battle for Sevastopol" is not just about war; it's about people at war. The design aims to express the victory experienced by each character through their position, emotion, and shape. This innovative design approach earned the project the Platinum A' Movie, Video and Animation Design Award in 2016, recognizing its exceptional and highly innovative design that contributes to societal wellbeing.