When Ian Taylor was asked only two and a-half weeks ago if his staff at Animation Research Ltd could produce a video on the plans for rebuilding Christchurch central city in time for last night's launch, he immediately said yes.
But the Dunedin businessman said yesterday even he was impressed by the finished product, which was completed on Sunday night.
"I always believed we could do it, but I was worried about the expectations [the clients] had. I told them we couldn't deliver Hollywood in two and a-half weeks, but I think my staff have done that.
"The work which had been put in by them has been mind-boggling. I honestly don't think anyone else could have done it in that time."
The three and a-half minute video, commissioned by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) and the Christchurch Central Development Unit, uses the techniques Animation Research Ltd has become known for world-wide - "flyover" bird's eye views of the central city, 3D images of the proposed major buildings and their locations, and animated special effects such as labels and landscaping.
Mr Taylor said he arrived back from overseas on Thursday and decided the soundtrack which had been written was not suitable. Dunedin composer Neville Copeland reworked it in a night and a day.
"I said 'Neville, make them cry', and he has."
Mr Taylor, who attended last night's launch, said he did not know why the video had been commissioned so close to the launch but assumed it was because of the tight timeframes everyone was working under.
He declined to say how much the company would be paid but hoped it would lead to further work.
