When a global client approached BrandStar Studios with the challenge of creating a commercial that seamlessly combined real people with a 3D anime-style world, time wasn’t on our side. The concept demanded technical precision, cinematic quality, and execution at lightning speed - all while staying emotionally engaging for audiences worldwide.
Most productions of this scale rely on long render times and extended post-production workflows. But our client needed a fully immersive, anime-inspired environment built, shot, and delivered in real time. The creative vision required blending live-action talent with Unreal Engine-generated worlds - a task that demanded both artistry and innovation.
BrandStar Studios brought together an in-house production team and Unreal Engine experts to design a custom 3D anime universe that felt authentic and cinematic.
The final spot captivated audiences with its fresh visual style and emotional depth, proving the power of real-time virtual production for major brands.
The team at ESPN invited COLLINS to think about a new challenge: What does the next ten years look like?The entertainment landscape is rapidly evolving and filled with new players. At the same time, the 30 for 30 brand has expanded to include podcasts, shorts, and events.
How should its leaders define its new future while remaining true to its original vision?
To imagine the future of the brand, we started by looking at the past to distill what makes 30 for 30 so meaningful. Through research and conversations with the ESPN Films team and with viewers, what we found was surprising. While each 30 for 30 film revolves around a human element, what leaves a mark in people’s minds isn’t only interesting events in sports history or newfound appreciation of an athlete’s life. It’s a deeper understanding of a unique moment in time, in culture and society—and what it all meant.
30 for 30 explores these diverse, unknown or often hidden stories and weaves them into daring, unforgettable films.We used this as our foundation for a new way to convey the 30 for 30 brand for the next generation. Our idea weaves together inspiration from old scoreboards in legendary baseball stadiums to mid-century movie title sequences to 1990s football team uniforms—mixing different elements of culture as 30 for 30 does.
The new design system asserts itself more boldly, but never at the expense of the the story. The brand now can thrive across its new platforms and new technology formats. Digital shorts, podcasts, events, and the films themselves all work together to drive one strong, cohesive voice and presence.
With a new slate of films that promise to keep the world’s attention, we can’t wait to see what our friends at 30 for 30 will explore in their next ten years.