Blinded By Science

Blinded by Science

David Haith of Red Alert Digital discusses the
documentary, scientific visualization and Houdini

Microtubules Inside a Neuron

Since 1992 Red Alert Digital has been producing leading edge computer animation for the broadcast market. Much of this work takes on the form of medical and scientific visualization sequences for BBC documentaries. Their stunning images and animation have won them numerous awards in the UK, Canada and US. Some of their most notable recent projects include: The Human Body, ESP and The Fat Files.

"Documentaries are based on reality, so in that sense they limit you," comments David Haith, Red Alert's founder and Senior Technical Director. "Despite this there's a kind of spontaneity to documentaries: you have the opportunity to take a commonplace fact and make it wonderous. When we create a journey through a brain or body, we're not constrained by physical laws the way a camera would be."

The Human Body
series producer: Richard Dale

Red Alert made up the core graphics and effects team that was granted three Royal Television Society craft and design awards for The Human Body including best visual effects, innovation award and best graphic design: programme content sequences. Crawling Baby

ultrasound Haith:"We do the scans with MRI and then import the data into Houdini. Using the alpha channel we pick out certain parts of the brain or parts of the anatomy to highlight. We can colour map the MRI texture maps to build 3D bodies or brains or heads."

Fat Files: A Horizon Special
series producer: Tessa Livingstone

Haith:"There are no brick walls with Houdini, it allows us to do so many things. We can integrate orthodox 3D geometry with MRI imaging, there's no other tool that lets you do that."

3D MRI of human body
Neurons passing signals in the brain MRI Brain
3D MRI of brain stem

The Fat Files aired in the UK on the BBC in January 1999 as a three part series totalling 50 minutes. Each part features two to five minutes of CG. Fat Files airs in the US this April.

The Planets
series producer: David McNab

jupiter_icerings

For The Planets, airing in May on the BBC, Red Alert will deliver over 100 shots of planets, proto planets, and probes.

Europa

Haith:"With these kinds of documentaries you use computer generated imagery to tell the story. We have a reputation for being able to tell a story with pictures while maintaining technical fidelity."

"Houdini allows you to make changes, and that's particularly relevant in a documentary because you're part of the editorial process. There's no other system that allows you such freedom to spin off a variation on your original theme."

"I think Houdini is the only package that can
get us out of the holes we get ourselves into."

Article by SideFx
all images courtesy of BBC

The Human Body series producer: Richard Dale
Red Alert made up the core graphics and effects team that was granted three Royal Television Society craft and design awards for The Human Body including best visual effects, innovation award and best graphic design: programme content sequences.
		Haith:"We do the scans with MRI and then import the data into Houdini. Using the alpha channel we pick out certain parts of the brain or parts of the anatomy to highlight. We can colour map the MRI texture maps to build 3D bodies or brains or heads."
Fat Files: A Horizon Special series producer: Tessa Livingstone
Haith:"There are no brick walls with Houdini, it allows us to do so many things. We can integrate orthodox 3D geometry with MRI imaging, there's no other tool that lets you do that."
3D MRI of human body	Neurons passing signals in the brain	3D MRI of brain stem
The Fat Files aired in the UK on the BBC in January 1999 as a three part series totalling 50 minutes. Each part features two to five minutes of CG. Fat Files airs in the US this April.
The Planets series producer: David McNab

For The Planets, airing in May on the BBC, Red Alert will deliver over 100 shots of planets, proto planets, and probes.

Haith:"With these kinds of documentaries you use computer generated imagery to tell the story. We have a reputation for being able to tell a story with pictures while maintaining technical fidelity."