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Type: National Broadcast (CCTV-9)
Role: Lead 3D Artist (opening sequence)

Lu Zuofu - Documentary Film
CCTV-9 Documentary Series (2024)

Lu Zuofu is a documentary series produced for CCTV-9, focusing on the life and work of Lu Zuofu, a key figure in the development of modern industry and education in China. The CG team created the opening sequence for the film: a short, fully animated segment that introduces the themes of river transport, shipbuilding, and industrial reconstruction before the archival footage and interviews begin. This sequence sets the visual tone for the documentary, linking Lu Zuofu’s story to the machinery, infrastructure, and waterways that defined his career.

Visual Concept

The opening treats early industrial China as its main visual reference: steel frameworks, ship hulls, riveted plates, and the reflective surfaces of metal. Forms emerge from darkness as fragments of beams, ribs, and plates, then gradually lock together into recognizable ship structures. Rather than illustrating specific historical events literally, the sequence uses these transformations to suggest a movement from fragmentation to coherence—echoing both the rebuilding of national infrastructure and Lu Zuofu’s role in organizing transport along the Yangtze and its tributaries.

​Motion & Symbolism

Motion design in the sequence is built around ideas of flow and assembly. Metal appears first as fluid, pulled by invisible forces into lines and planes; these then solidify into the ribs and skins of ships. Camera moves follow this process closely, tracking along emerging structures and revealing how individual components add up to a larger system. The transitions from abstract metal currents to readable ship silhouettes are designed to mirror the documentary’s larger narrative: individual efforts, policies, and projects gradually combine into a broader story of modernization.

Frames from the opening CG sequence — abstract-to-structural transformations that introduce river transport and industrial reconstruction

Technical Approach

This project follows a Maya-centered CG pipeline, with sculpting, texturing, and 2D prep feeding into shot production, and Houdini integrated as a procedural/FX branch for iterative simulation work. Final images are finished through compositing and motion-graphics passes before being assembled for delivery.

  • ZBrush ↔ Maya: sculpt high-detail models and refine hero assets, then round-trip meshes for clean production topology and shot-ready setup.

  • Substance Painter → Maya: author PBR materials and texture sets for consistent surface response across shots.

  • Photoshop → Maya: prepare supporting 2D elements, masks, and texture refinements used in shading and finishing.

  • Houdini ↔ Maya: build procedural systems and FX (e.g., atmosphere/sim-driven motion) and iterate with Maya shot contexts as needed.

  • Maya / Houdini → Nuke: composite CG renders and passes, manage multi-pass integration, depth/atmosphere control, and final color/contrast continuity.

  • Maya → After Effects: create targeted 2D finishing elements (titles/graphic overlays or additional timing-focused polish, as needed).

  • Nuke / After Effects → Premiere: assemble the final sequence, lock timing, and export delivery-ready outputs.

方法论 (1).png

Production pipeline — Maya-centered CG workflow from assets to final edit

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