Red Gear PC Controller

Overview

A full CGI piece for the Red Gear PC gaming controller. I modeled the controller in Blender, rendered it in Cycles and made a square film alongside a set of square key visuals and clay renders.

The challenge

A black product on a dark background can collapse into a flat silhouette. The renders had to keep the controller's form readable in low light, show its fine surface texture and let the blue accents and colored face buttons stand out.

Approach

1. I modeled the full shell with its ribbed grips, recessed thumbstick wells, D-pad, ABXY buttons, the Turbo, Back, Home and Start keys, and the row of four indicator lights.
2. The shell has a fine stippled matte finish, so highlights break up softly across it. The thumbstick caps are glossy blue over light gray stems, and the blue edge strips glow as if lit from inside.
3. Lighting stays low and directional: dark gray sweeps, rim light tracing the contours, and tight camera angles that move from the full silhouette into the face buttons and the Red Gear logo.
4. White clay renders close the set and show the form of the model on its own.