BRIEF
Designed for B2B clients, this project builds trust by showing how Yandex 360 effectively tackles real industry challenges. With a clear business allegory — carts overcoming obstacles, the story illustrates how companies move forward more smoothly with the right solutions. A custom animation system creates rails in mid-air, symbolizing building one’s own path. Universal office-style characters add relatability, while Yandex 360 interface elements reinforce the message of simplifying and improving daily workflows.
3D CHARACTER DESIGN
Three main characters were created specifically for this video to represent different team roles and work styles.
Each character is stylized with clean shapes, exaggerated proportions, and soft detailing, making them instantly readable and visually engaging. Additionally, four supporting characters appear in the second cart-office, adding depth to the narrative and symbolizing growth, collaboration, and the expanding capabilities of a modern team.
2D CHARACTER DESIGN
The characters were first developed in 2D to explore proportions, silhouettes, and style. Multiple variations were sketched and refined to find the right balance between simplicity, readability, and personality. Each design focused on clear posture and visual distinction, laying a solid foundation for the final 3D models.
KEY VISUALS
Several illustrations were created to highlight the core themes of the video: productivity, security, and teamwork.
Characters working from the cloud, surrounded by Yandex 360 tools — symbolizing flexibility and digital efficiency. Together with earlier visuals, these key images form a cohesive and engaging visual identity.
CREATION OF A MINECART
The design process began with a series of silhouette explorations to establish the overall shape and function of the minecart. Various compositions were tested, combining everyday office elements with a mobile platform concept. The final 3D model brings together three modular workspaces, each equipped with furniture and accessories, forming a playful and imaginative moving workstation.
STYLEFRAMES
The styleframes were assembled using fully modeled and animation-ready shots. This approach significantly optimized production time, allowing us to maintain visual consistency while quickly generating high-quality frames for presentation and approval.
COLOR SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
The color script visualizes the emotional arc and key beats of the scene. Initially, we used bright blue tones to create contrast and energy. However, during development, we shifted toward a more refined business-oriented palette with soft gray and lavender hues. This change helped better align the visuals with the tone of the final project while maintaining clarity and focus.
ANIMATION
We created custom character models and built individual rigs for each of them. The minecart itself was also rigged and animated to follow a procedurally generated track path. The animation was a collaborative effort between Maya and Cinema 4D, combining the strengths of both tools to achieve a dynamic and fluid result.
Credits
Client: Yandex 360
Agency: Yandex 360 team
Creative Director, 3D Artist: Anastasiia Berezhnaia
Lead Producer: Daria Neusroeva
Lead Producer: Daria Neusroeva
Producer: Taisiia Makedonskaia
Lead CG Generalist: Dmitrii Berezhnoi
CG Generalists: Dmitrii Zhdanov, Anatoly Zyubin
Character modeller: Ulan Beisenov
Rig: Ulan Beisenov
Animators: Ekaterina Shvedova, Alexandra Limina
2D concept artist: Elena Zhirkova
Props modeller: Ekaterina Klimenkova
KV Artists: Anastasiia Berezhnaia, Dmitrii Berezhnoi, Alexey Goncharov
