The Energon Pub

News Credits: 730 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:01 pm

3D models and animation artist Michael Smith, famous for his White VolksWagen Transformer video, has created a new 3D Transformers animation. This time a yellow Powerdrifting Nissan 350Z is the object of being more than meets the eye.

Check out Michael Smith's website to learn more about the creation of his 3D animated Transformers.

Mon May 21, 2007 3:09 pm

now thats what i call a transformer............. and now you can see that the original forms could have worked very well in the movie......

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:10 pm

tigtog2007 wrote:now thats what i call a transformer............. and now you can see that the original forms could have worked very well in the movie......

Though it did look a bit gundam-esque. I think maybe the designs were chosen so they wouldn't remind you of anything you'd seen previous. That said, they were chosen so that future TF designs didn't have a resemblence (and so avoiding paying the studio)

Mon May 21, 2007 3:15 pm

i no what you mean...
and i was one of many against the new look of our most beloved robots. but i will admit the clips iv seen look great but they still took to much of what made this a possibilty out with out g1 this film would not exsist. bay could have at least took more care in there look..
i just hope films 2&3 robots improve in looks ie a little bit more g1ish and no more insect heads

Mon May 21, 2007 3:19 pm

that's pretty damn impressive! finally, i see what a live action tf should look like. it's kinda bittersweet seeing that since that's what should be in the movie instead of the retarded, bug faced, walking junk piles that we are getting.. typical how clueless hollywood is.

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:19 pm

tigtog2007 wrote:i no what you mean...
and i was one of many against the new look of our most beloved robots. but i will admit the clips iv seen look great but they still took to much of what made this a possibilty out with out g1 this film would not exsist. bay could have at least took more care in there look..
i just hope films 2&3 robots improve in looks ie a little bit more g1ish and no more insect heads

Oh yeah, the clips look amazing. It's just clear that for the the G1ers got shortchanged a bit.

"Yes its a Transformers film BUT we're changing it enough that you'll have to work hard to believe so ;D"

Bit bulky robots is a little too cartoony for me. Luckily I grew up with Beast Wars so organic looking robots (talking about the Transmetals) sort of fit quite well. This video shows us what could've been, and maybe I'm too used to the new movie guys to like is as much as I might've.

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:35 pm

Ahhhh!!! I have been happy with the current look of the movie really so after the latest trailer. But still this would have rocked...

News Credits: 23 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:44 pm

Man, Mike Smith can teach Hollywood a thing or two about Transformers...

News Credits: 2 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:51 pm

Well, That was QUITE impressive. Even got down the "Anime Action", complete with 'bullet time'. Awesome. Just awesome. This guy should direct the animation of the next Transformers series.

Mon May 21, 2007 3:54 pm

DEAD SEXAY!!! GRRRR!!

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 3:56 pm

It's obviously Tracks, but the yellow screams Sunstreaker. Take off the wings and change the head; I could see the model as Sunstreaker. Maybe some of these people should team up to do a Transformers: Alternators movie. Come to think of it, that would be kind of cool to accompany the DVD release of the theatrical movie. It's not like the auto dealers who worked with Hasbro wouldn't want their cars advertised more. Probably not enough time for this movie; maybe they could work it by the DVD release of the second. Man, I love imagining lost opportunities and wasted potential.

News Credits: 21 · Mon May 21, 2007 4:08 pm

i know im going to get it by saying this but who cares im saying it anyway this Michael Smith guy is good he should try out for the big companies like ilm for example.

and now for the trouble response yes i do like the orignal cartoon look of the transformers but im glad m bay made them look like the way do now some heads could use touch up here and there but i can live with that like it states this film is going to be new direction look for how the transformers look in the that was great clip that ive seen but im glad they dont look like that in the film its to cartoonish looking for me its like taking the first transformers movie and turning it into live action for me its boring looking im fan M. smith work but M bay transformewrs look desgins in the film i like alot more than what everyone else would have wanted for example this clip of that yellow car to blocky looking reminds me of what i would expect a live action transformers show to look like on saturday morining in live action format thats what this clip reminds me of anyway.

Mon May 21, 2007 4:16 pm

Why oh why couldn't this guy have done the film?

Take that Michael Bay!
Take that ILM!

showed up by Michael Smith!!!

News Credits: 8 · Mon May 21, 2007 4:18 pm

That was sweet!

News Credits: 34 · Mon May 21, 2007 4:39 pm

That's amazing!

I've always wanted to see what a 350Z would look like as a Transformer.

News Credits: 2 · Mon May 21, 2007 4:42 pm

Okay, the problem with the original G1 designs was that they lacked realistic mass distribution, and the way the toys were designed, you couldn't fit real passengers inside. The Live Action Movie designs tried to address this issue by making all of the robot forms 30 feet tall... That seems to make the problem WORSE, doesn't it? I mean, has anyone here actually SEEN a Pontiac Solstice? DEFINITELY too small to translate into a 30-foot tall robot. I even think Bumblebee's too big; he's the smallest one! At most, the Camaro Bumblebee should look to be about 18-20 ft. I think they just wanted to play up the "Giant Robot" thing as much as they could. But come on; Jazz is a much smaller Car than Bumblebee. If he ends up as tall or taller in the Movie, we can throw the entirety of what these guys said about these designs shooting for "Realism" out the window.

End of Speech.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:27 pm

Lets try to get him to animate a movie with real voice cast anf cgi and stuff and it gets more hits then bay and bat cry.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:33 pm

well jazz IS smaller than bumblebee, i think he's even under 20 feet so that part's good..lol

and as for mr smith, while i dont think that stuff would work in a live action movie..it would look cool in an animated series...i mean the CGI in beast wars was good for its time...but the CGI/cell shaded look they use in these later series just looks terrible...but smith's style could work and be cool looking

does anyone know how much time passed between the volkswagon and the nissan? because this was my first time seeing both and there's a noticeable quality difference between the two so if its a short time, dude's a quick learner..go him

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 5:38 pm

Eh, it was cool. Not really all that impressive though. The car looked fake as it was turning the corner, as it did turning into a robot. The movment in bot mode was cool, but, I dunno, didn't really look like it belonged there. Not saying this in defense of the movie design at all, mind you. I have a friend who does 3D animation/graphic design(he actually works for Midway games), and I've seen him do much better. Guess I'm spoiled.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:41 pm

Pretty damn sweet. I'm ok with the movie designs (now,) but if there was ever going to be live-action or CGI TV series, this guy should be given the bot renders and animation fo sho.

Ultra Magnus wrote:Okay, the problem with the original G1 designs was...the way the toys were designed, you couldn't fit real passengers inside.

Ummm...yeah you could. Diaclone TFs came with human-proportionate mini figures.

Mon May 21, 2007 6:03 pm

That video was awesome, as with Smith's previous one. I love that music! I downloaded that as soon as Vince DiCola made it available on the net. An excellent choice! ;)^

Mon May 21, 2007 6:04 pm

Does anyone else think the animation looks like the Jazz eyecatch? where he transforms and shoots while spinning in a circle?

Not that that detracts from the coolness factor in the least. It's still a sweet video. (to me at least)

News Credits: 2 · Mon May 21, 2007 6:08 pm

I agree with Wolfguard. This could probably be in a TV show, but films have higher standards. That clip was awesome, but the movie designs look more realistic.

News Credits: 8 · Mon May 21, 2007 6:59 pm

Now how come this guy didn't get the movie job, or has that staement already been exhausted?

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 21, 2007 7:19 pm

Ultra Magnus wrote:Okay, the problem with the original G1 designs was that they lacked realistic mass distribution, and the way the toys were designed, you couldn't fit real passengers inside. The Live Action Movie designs tried to address this issue by making all of the robot forms 30 feet tall... That seems to make the problem WORSE, doesn't it? I mean, has anyone here actually SEEN a Pontiac Solstice? DEFINITELY too small to translate into a 30-foot tall robot. I even think Bumblebee's too big; he's the smallest one! At most, the Camaro Bumblebee should look to be about 18-20 ft. I think they just wanted to play up the "Giant Robot" thing as much as they could. But come on; Jazz is a much smaller Car than Bumblebee. If he ends up as tall or taller in the Movie, we can throw the entirety of what these guys said about these designs shooting for "Realism" out the window.

End of Speech.

In the movie Jazz is pretty small. Bumblebee is larger than him. Although I do agree that BB is way too tall.