ELIOTT ERTA
← 3D & CGI

Collaborative 3D Animated Film Project

Deep Water Horizon

Nautilus Studio — fictional project identity

01 — Final Renders

Nautilus interior — cinematic environment render
Diving suit and interior — cinematic scene

Project Overview

Deep Water Horizon is a collaborative 3D animation project inspired by Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.

Developed under the fictional identity of Nautilus Studio, the project involved extensive visual research, environment creation, asset modeling, texturing and scene optimization.

I was responsible for a substantial part of the 3D modeling and texturing, working on detailed environments and assets while contributing to scene optimization and some lighting.

Particular attention was given to efficient geometry, UV mapping, texture baking and the development of reusable procedural materials to balance visual quality with production constraints.

Software Used

My Contributions

  • 3D Modeling
  • Environment & Prop Creation
  • Texturing
  • Procedural Materials & Smart Materials
  • UV Mapping
  • High-to-Low-Poly Baking
  • Geometry & Scene Optimization
  • Look Development
  • Lighting — Minor Contribution

02 — Environment Modeling

Nautilus interior — environment modeling
Interior corridor — environment modeling
Interior architecture — modeling detail

03 — Assets & Texturing

Environment props — textures and materials
Diving suit — textured presentation

04 — Art Direction & Research

Environment art direction — references and palette
Marine life — visual research
Underwater atmosphere — visual references

Project Identity Studies

Deep Water Horizon — project emblem study 1

05 — Production & Workflow

Modeling & Optimization

Assets and environments were created using Blender and Maya, with an emphasis on efficient geometry, optimized UV layouts and high-to-low-poly baking workflows.

Texturing & Materials

Procedural materials and smart materials were developed using Substance 3D Painter and Substance 3D Designer. Texture reuse, UV efficiency and material optimization were important parts of the production process.

Look Development & Environment

Extensive moodboards and visual references helped establish a coherent visual direction. Marmoset Toolbag was used for look development, while Unreal Engine was also part of the production workflow.

Control console — textured model and wireframe

Version Control & Team Collaboration

Team collaboration was supported by Azure DevOps and GitHub, using version control and regular pull/push workflows to synchronize project files and coordinate development.

Jira and Trello were also used for task management, production tracking and team coordination throughout the project.

Nautilus Studio & Credits

Nautilus Studio — fictional project identity, logo by Guillaume Renaud

Nautilus Studio is a fictional identity created for this collaborative project, not a production company.

Team

Deep Water Horizon was developed by a small team:

  • Guillaume Renaud
  • Clément Charbonnier
  • Eliott Erta
  • Dorian Gendre

Logo

Guillaume Renaud

Animation

  • Guillaume Renaud
  • Dorian Gendre
  • Clément Charbonnier

Next project

Astronaut Suit →