Liquid Simulations: Paulig City Coffee

liquid simulations: paulig city coffee

Geysir from a coffee cup. A splash taking the shape of the Statue of Liberty. Find out all the magical things you can do with liquid simulations!

A cup of coffee with a geysir, from an animated ad for Paulig City Coffee made using liquid simulations and 3D animation.

Bob the Robot approached us to bring their still image concept for Paulig to life. The idea was to evoke a feeling of certain cities by only using the elements from a cup of coffee and liquid simulations. In addition, we had to make the animation photorealistic and nail down the look of the coffee itself. Our execution relies heavily on meticulous simulations to create just the right cup of coffee.

This case had multiple challenges. Because some of the liquid simulations had to magically form recognizeable sights from known major cities. The sights included the Statue of Liberty, Geysirs from Iceland and the “Supertrees” from Singapore.

Client

Paulig

Agency

Bob the Robot

Production company

Bob the Robot Pictures

IDEAS WORTH LIQUID SIMULATIONS

The idea for the ads was based on an existing concept by Bob the Robot. Paulig City Coffee is a selection of coffee products. The visual identity and flavor of the coffee is based on well known cities around the world. The still image campaign had great executions based on this idea. Now it was time to bring them alive using liquid simulations and 3D animation!

THE CHALLENGE FOR LIQUID SIMULATIONS

The challenge in this campaign was the creation of this magical coffee, that would defy the laws of physics. The coffee should form recognizable landmarks and events the specific cities are famous for. These events would take place in a coffee cup. There would be no way to film these. At least in a way that would make any sense. We also needed to make sure we had the ability to art direct all the events in the ads. This was to make sure the client got exactly what they wanted. There was only one way to do it. A solution both highly technical and very creative.

THE SOLUTION USING LIQUID SIMULATIONS

The best and only solution to this execution was to use high end 3D liquid simulations to create all the effects the original idea required. we used Houdini 3D software to do the simulation work. The key was to use a perfect balance of assistive geometry and various physics manipulators as part of the simulation. This enabled us to get the coffee behave in a way that would feel like liquid. In addition, we could still form these recognizable shapes and magical events.

One major challenge in this case was for example, to create a photorealistic eruption of a geysir coming from a cup of coffee. With pre-bubbling effect and everything. Eventually, this was achieved using meticulously detailed liquid simulations and 3D animation.

Post eruption waves in the coffee cup as the tail end of the liquid simulation.

SIMULATING BIG SMALL LIQUID DETAILS

Another small detail that was definitely a challenge, was the look of the tiny bubbles and foam on the surface of the coffee. Without a doubt a lot of care was used to adjust the look and feel of these bubbles. We attached the bubbles to be a part of the whole liquid simulation.

Because many of the shots in the ads had fairly extreme close ups, we had to make sure the liquid simulations had enough resolution and fidelity to look realistic. However, liquids behave in a very specific way related to the scale of the volume of the liquid in motion. We did in fact have to play quite a lot with the scale of the coffee in order to achieve the desired look of each liquid simulation in all the different ads.

In one of the ads, the coffee had to form the shape of “Supertrees” – a recognizeable view in Singapore. Because real coffee does not naturally erupt in the shape of a Supertree, once again we had to use liquid simulations. As with many of the Paulig City Coffee spots, we had to use custom 3D geometry that was used to guide the liquid simulations in a desired shape – quite magically.

Do you know what is a rare sight in a cup of coffee? A splash in the shape of the Statue of Liberty! As we have noted, assistive 3D geometry was used to attract the water in the shape of the statue. Liquid simulations that are art directable in this way, require a decent amount of expertise in the world of 3D animation. We were indeed very happy with the control we were able to give to the client over the look and feel of the simulations.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT LIQUID SIMULATIONS

On the other hand, one of the spots required very little liquid simulations from us, because the identifiable landmark was found in the handle of the cup. This was obviously the Arc de Triomphe found in Paris. We did some adjustments to the geometry of the cup and added a little revealing camera move. That did the trick. Good ideas are not always complicate to execute!

We have no complicated liquid simulations here – just a good old cup of coffee with some steam and a handle resembling the Arc de Triomphe. We made it with glorious 3D animation!

Subsecuently, another mind and physics bending liquid simulation event was in the Sydney City Coffee ad, where coffee was first poured normally from a pitcher and then, surprisingly, the stream of coffee flows back up and then up to a coffee cup. I guess there is no need to explain where this idea came from, because we all know that Australia is down under so… Makes sense that the coffee flows upside down!

Indeed, coffee does flow in the other direction in Australia. Thankfully in the world of 3D animation and liquid simulations, we are able to use invisible guides that direct the flow of the liquid as well as the strength and direction of gravity itself. Whoa!

BREAKING DOWN A LIQUID SIMULATION

An intermediate version of a liquid simulation for Paulig City Coffee. The image is from a 3D animation program, displaying the viewport, showing a version of the liquid simulation in action.

Liquid simulations are one part of this project but there are without a doubt other elements of a high end 3D animation production in action as well. In the video above, we show you all the different intermediate work stages such as previz and various layers that together form the final ad. A great execution requires detailed liquid simulations, carefully crafted lighting and rendering of the various parts of the animation as well as meticulous compositing work, where all the different elements are brought together to form the perfect cup of liquid simulation coffee!