VISIT BELFAST
Turning heads with an unexpected leap.
60%
INCREASE IN SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
35%
UPLIFT IN IN-STORE SALES
25%
GROWTH IN ONLINE ORDERS
The Process
Visit Belfast briefed us on a selection of key landmarks and areas being highlighted as part of their wider tourism campaign. From there, our team entered an open ideation phase, exploring a range of concepts built around iconic city statues and monuments. After narrowing the options, we landed on the Big Fish as the strongest visual anchor, instantly recognisable and packed with local character.
Initial ideas were shared in text format for quick review and collaboration. Once the direction was approved, we moved into storyboarding to map out the animation flow and camera work. The Visit Belfast team were fully involved throughout, even joining us on location during the shoot and appearing in the final video, making it a true collaboration from start to finish.
Storyboard & Filming
Once the Big Fish concept was signed off, we developed a shot-by-shot storyboard to map out the pacing and reveal. The vision was to start with a calm, grounded moment — two members of the Visit Belfast team walking across the Lagan Weir footbridge, before surprising the viewer with a full-scale CGI transformation.
Filming took place on location beside the River Lagan and the Big Fish sculpture. We captured clean background plates and multiple angles to support the animation. The Visit Belfast team featured directly in the action, grounding the piece in authenticity and giving the campaign a personal touch. Every shot was planned to highlight the contrast between the city’s calm atmosphere and the unexpected movement of the landmark coming to life.
Modelling & Animation
To ensure absolute accuracy, we began by 3D scanning the Big Fish sculpture on-site. This allowed us to create a high-fidelity digital replica, capturing every ceramic tile, contour, and surface detail with precision. With the scan as our base, we brought the model to life through animation — launching it from the River Lagan in a bold, cinematic leap over the footbridge.
The animation was carefully choreographed to balance believability with spectacle. Weight, timing, and movement were all tuned to make the fish feel dynamic without breaking the realism of the scene. Additional touches like water displacement and splash effects helped embed the CGI into the live-action environment, creating a seamless blend between digital and real-world elements.
Rendering & Post Production
We rendered the final sequence using physically accurate lighting and material setups, ensuring the CGI fish sat naturally within the filmed environment. Special care was taken to replicate reflections from the water and nearby surfaces, helping the digital elements blend seamlessly with the real-world footage.
Post-production involved compositing the animated fish into the river and bridge shots, adding splashes, shadow interactions, and subtle camera shake to heighten the impact of the leap. Colour grading was applied to unify the tones across the scene and enhance the early evening atmosphere. The result was a polished, high-energy visual designed for maximum impact across social media and digital billboards.
The Brief
We were commissioned to create a high-impact CGI moment for Visit Belfast as part of their wider tourism campaign, It’s Here. It’s Now. It’s Belfast. The goal was to attract new visitors to the city by creating a scroll-stopping visual that showcased Belfast as a vibrant and unexpected destination.
Our creative concept focused on the Big Fish, a landmark that’s instantly recognisable yet often overlooked. By using CGI to reimagine and animate the sculpture in a playful, eye-catching way, we delivered a bold centrepiece for the campaign that grabbed attention on social and across digital billboards in key arrival points.
