INHALER ANIMATION

The client was looking to create a video to show patients how to use a particular type of inhaler. The soft mist inhaler (SMI) has some distinct advantages but can seem quite complicated to use. Proper use of medical devices such as these is important to patients health and wellbeing so communicating clearly is crucial. Animation can play a key role in helping patients understand how they work. It can also help give them confidence that they are using the medical devices correctly.

The client wrote the script and shot some live action sections for the film while we worked on the 3D Animation. We started by creating a pencil sketch storyboard of the animated sections of the film, so the client could see what we had in mind. Once the storyboard was approved, we moved on to the modelling, lighting and animation.

We created the animation in a photorealistic style so that cutting from the real object to the animated one would feel seamless. The client sent us a placebo version of the inhaler so we could see how it worked. We took photos and scans of it and built a CG 3D version using Maya. We then added lighting and surfacing using Pixar’s Renderman software. Realistic modelling and rendering of the product has a strong educational benefit in this instance. It allows the user to see exactly how the product functions without the user’s hands getting in the way. It also makes the visuals appealing and highly relatable to the real product which they have in front of them.

The final animation was cut with live action which helped show how the user should breathe when using the inhaler. The animation shown above is made from clips from a longer video.