Overview

UI / UX. Karuna Venter runs Chapeau Studios’ User Experience practice, which includes Experience Design in physical spaces, integrated processes, new technologies, and application/software UI. Engagement mechanics is an important piece of ED thinking, factoring into every strategic decision, from small usability details through user acceptance considerations. Her 20 years of experience building the UX field within the digital space brings a powerful competency into Chapeau’s new Studio model.

3D Design. A keen scientist with a passion for drawing, Lauren Mayer-Beug has a well developed artistic foundation she brings to Chapeau Studios as a Director/Creative Director. With a history of training in fine art and film, she studied at USC, CalArts and RISD where she eventually came to major in both Film and painting. She also studied computer science during her time there, an interest that has proved useful. Her career started at Digital Domain, pursuing the world of visual effects and experimental video. Her journey has since taken her to Sway Studio, Zoic, Arsenal FX, Logan, Tool of North America (digital), Beats by Dre, as well as her own company in Venice, CA (not to mention a long and ongoing relationship Chapeau). CG pipelines and high level design are part of her complementary facets. Typophile. Photographer. Animation enthusiast.

VFX Supervision. A trained engineer, Ben Looram embraced his artistic side when he moved to Los Angeles in 1997. Ben began his Post career in tape vaults, learned offline Editorial from Adam Pertofsky at Rock Paper Scissors, then 2D VFX from mentors at A52, and CG from mentors at Sway Studios. Known for his keen eye and with the steady hand of an engineer, Ben has earned a reputation as a leading VFX Supervisor, Creative Director, and pioneer of video experiences optimized for new technologies. Ben leads Chapeau’s VFX practice, joined by a robust crew of talented Sups and artists from feature houses, CG pipelines, and design shops.

Engineering. Two Jonathan’s — Jonathan De Armas and a man we call “Beverly Hills John” — lead Chapeau’s engineering disciplines. John studied neural networks in undergrad, and his curiosity has taken him through a litany of technologies and tools, including deep into video compression algorithms, real-time engines and visual effects automation toolsets. Jonathan is a systems architect and software engineer who can create visual magic with data.

Multidisciplinary. Chapeau Studios brings an interdisciplinary approach towards creating the content experiences of the future. While you’ve asked us to highlight the four major disciplines in our color system, we also bring Live Action Production (lead by Producer Jose Nuñez) and Creative Content Development (led by Producer/Director Jesse Hoy) to our projects. Our multidisciplinary talent and leadership team gives Chapeau the imagination, inventiveness, and know-how to turn a blue sky concept from an idea into an achievement.

Colossus

Pre-visualization

Voice-Animated Visual Assistant (NFL)

VOICE-RESPONSIVE VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
(MOBILE APP INTEGRATION)

Product goal: Our client wanted to explore voice-driven device interaction for an internal presentation. They needed proof of concept UI films and avatar options, along with tech and creative pipelines to research and define.

What we made: As a creative and production partner, Chapeau ideated on multiple looks and animations for the voice-driven avatar (from abstract to human form). The UI films incorporated those explorations into voice-driven scenarios in which the avatar listened, responded, and took the user to a page or experience within the app that answered their query. With the information we gathered from our tech explorations, we delivered a technology pipeline and UX diagrams.

Results: The films and avatar explorations successfully showed leadership the promise of voice-driven UI within their products.

Client: NFL
Chapeau Product Leaders: Karuna Venter (UX Lead, New Technologies),
Jesse Hoy (Creative Content Producer), Lauren Mayer-Beug (Creative Director)
Additional Competencies: Creative Direction, Product Design, Real-time on-device rendering, Technical architecture

NFL MATTHEW ALEXA SKILL CHARACTER DESIGN

Chapeau designed a voice-to-visual workflow while developing the look and animation of “Matthew”, a voice-activated companion for the NFL Lab’s “Rookies Guide” Alexa skill. Visit the NFL’s skill and ask for a definition of “the Statue of Liberty” to see Matthew in action

Eva Airways: Character & Toy Design

CHARACTER, TOY DESIGN

STICKER PACK & AR EXPERIENCE

TASTEWAY TO ASIA: EXPERIENTIAL INSTALLATION

Friendversary

Photoreal Device Reveals

PRODUCT LAUNCH VIDEO
/ LIVE ACTION WITH CG ENHANCEMENT

Product goal: Get inside the ground-breaking technology that supported Apple’s products.

What we made: Photoreal CG (3D) shots that represented an “exploded view” of device elements.

Results: This technique was so widely-copied after the product video’s debut that it has become almost de-rigeur for product videos across a wide swath of technology companies.

Clients: Apple / MarCom
Chapeau Product Leaders: Ben Looram (VFX Supervisor)
Additional Competencies: CG Animation, Texture, Lighting, & Rendering, Photoreal 2D/3D Integration, Device Beauty, Finishing, Mastering

ADDITIONAL PHOTOREAL CG

Google Year In Search 2019

USER GENERATED CONTENT

The world has never had more cameras capturing engaging footage. Late night shows are being filmed from home. Google Hangout Potlucks and Zoom Happy Hours are now a thing. It’s time to be alone, together. Recontextualizing stock footage or old media along with public submissions is going to be a prominent form of content these days.

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS

About Us