Have you ever dreamed of being a big Hollywood star, but haven’t quite managed to catch a break? Well here’s your big chance to make it to the big screen in a Steven Spielberg production, in a way.
It won’t be you that gets famous. But if you impress the judges in this global competition then you could design one of the avatars that features in the upcoming blockbuster Ready Player One.
The film crosses the boundary between the real and virtual worlds and much of the film is set in a virtual space called OASIS. Now the starring roles are played by real actors including: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Simon Pegg and Mark Rylance.
Are you’re drawing the virtual extras?
This is a virtual universe, though, and those actors will also have a virtual face. So the producers have turned it into another competition. This will either have you jumping on your seat in excitement, or rage, depending on your point of view.
There has been a large backlash against this kind of competition of late as in essence it gets the public to work for free. That takes paid work away from animation industry professionals, but this one doesn’t feel as bad when you look at the fine print.
Some others have speculated that the film’s animators will deal with the stars and this is basically a competition to model the extras. That is not confirmed, though.
The best five entries will all receive $1000 to assign all rights. That’s still a bargain for the producers as they get the whole world’s collective brainpower for a relative pittance, but it could be a lot worse. If you end up drawing the virtual extras, you will still receive $250 for your work.
Ernest viewpoint
If you want to see your work on the big screen then you simply have to let your imagination run wild, according to the author of the best-selling novel Ernest Cline.
He said: “In the virtual world of the Oasis, virtually anything is possible. Don’t limit yourself, we really want to see how far you can go.”
The film is set in 2044, where Wade Watts (Sheridan) spends his time plugged into a digital world of puzzles full of past pop culture references.
Watts enters a race for survival after he uncovers the first clue. There is only one way to live and that is to win.
What does that all mean for you? That’s for you to decide. If you want to enter then really cut loose and remember the pop culture angle.
Make sure you include a front and side rendered view, as well as the full 3D model. Apparently the final judging will be based on the 3D model, so make sure that is as clean and complete as you can make it.
What will you get from this? A potentially fleeting view of your hard work in a major Hollywood film. That will be enough for some people to put in the work
Don’t miss the closing date
The closing date for entries is June 23rd, so get to work if you’re thinking of taking on this challenge.
The film won’t be released until 2018, so we’re going to have to wait a while to see just how Spielberg represented this epic blend of real and virtual worlds.
We’re certainly looking forward to seeing what the great director can do with the subject matter. Especially now he has enlisted help from the 3D modelling community.
Click here for the full terms and conditions and you can find the full specification for your avatar here.
