CGI expert enlivens the world with lively image

The history of 3-D computer-generated imagery goes back around 40 years, but it was not until the movie “Toy Story” in 1995 that its popularity really took hold.

The technology is now so widely used that people now can see 3-D graphics used almost everywhere, in TV shows, movies and even street signboards, and it is now a common way for TV stations to jazz up election coverage with creative 3-D charts and virtual studios. 

Koo Sung-kyu, who studied visual design at Chung-Ang University in Korea and earned a master’s at the Computer Arts at School of Visual Arts in New York, is an award-winning Korean 3-D artist at the forefront of the CGI industry in the United States.

Koo is one of the creative forces behind the visual effects on ABC TV programs including “Good Morning America,” “World News,” “Nightline,” and “This Week.”

Following is an interview with Koo on his career in CGI.

Q. What is your role at ABC?

A. As a lead 3-D artist I am responsible for the all aspects relating to motion graphics and 3-D animation, from conceptualizing, creating designs and making storyboards to rendering at the final stage of production.

For example, for news shows I create show-package graphics for making the overall image of the show as well as virtual view graphics that are used to recreate actual or hypothetical situations.

Q: You worked in movies and commercial advertising before entering the TV industry. How does working at a television station differ from other fields?

A: Well, let’s talk about a live TV news show. For a live news show, we have to be able to produce complete graphics with no big problems in a timely manner. Time is of the essence when working for a live show. That is the most distinguished aspect compared with working for the production of full-length films or advertisements, which are produced usually under a much longer schedule.

Q: What recognition has your work received?

A: I can proudly say that our creative team at ABC is the best in the field. We won the Peabody Award 2013 for the coverage “Superstorm Sandy” as well as 2012 RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards for Video Breaking News Coverage for “Target bin Laden: The Death of Public Enemy No. 1” and Video Continuing Coverage for “Gabrielle Giffords.”

In 2011, I also received the Gold Prize at the Promax BDA Awards, which is one of the biggest honors for a graphic artist, with “History Factory.” “The Kids Are All Right,” which I also worked on, won a Golden Globe Award in the same year.

Q: What was your role in the coverage of Superstorm Sandy?

A: In the summer of 2012, the worst storm in 20 years struck the entire East Coast and caused immeasurable damage. ABC News prepared a special program for the coming natural disaster even two weeks before the storm arrived. The special broadcasting continued for three weeks, and I was in charge of all the graphics-related work for this special program. I led the productions of the opening titles for that program as well as all of the 3-D graphics showing the progress of Sandy, the estimated damage that Sandy would bring and other related variables. As a lead 3-D artist, I oversaw and led the entire process of creating 2-D and 3-D graphics from modeling, texturing, animation, special effects to the final rendering.

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of working on the Superstorm Sandy project?

A: Since the United States is the most advanced country in visual effects, even TV broadcasting companies require artists to produce high quality computer graphics, as in a motion picture, in order to meet the needs of an appreciative audience.

Especially in the Superstorm Sandy project, I could produce a number of quality computer graphics by using the special effects expertise that I had acquired before entering the TV industry. Since I poured everything into that project, working overtime through the night for more than a week, the Peabody Award has a special meaning to me.

Q: What will be your future plans?

A: I will work on a special event show for ABC that will air from the end of this year. On the other hand, I am doing a personal project of a short film using unconventional techniques for 3-D animation. I think I can complete it by the end of next year.