Square Enix Image Studio Division: Difference between revisions

Beginning with ''[[Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children]]'' (2005) the company began to work on stand-alone CGI films, continuing with ''[[Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV]]'' (2016). After the acquisition of [[Taito]] and [[Eidos Interactive]] by Square Enix, Visual Works branched out their functionality to create cinematic scenes for Square Enix's acquired publishing brands, whilst continuing to primarily work on Square Enix's in-house properties. Visual Works are assisting Square Enix with the lighting and cinematic direction of the ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' franchise for the high definition entries.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=キングダム ハーツ HD 2.8 ファイナル チャプター プロローグ | trans-title=Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue | magazine=[[Dengeki PlayStation]] | publisher=[[ASCII Media Works]] | issue=629 | language=ja | pages=68–77 | date=12 January 2017}}</ref>

Visual Works was founded as a subsidiary CGI production company for Japanese video game developer and publisher [[Square (video game company)|Square]] around 1997. The company's first project was the 1997 ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''.<ref name="TR">{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-cg-studio-visual-works-talks-about-the-tomb-raider-trailer/ |title=Final Fantasy CG Studio Visual Works Talks About The Tomb Raider Trailer |date=14 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101041409/http://www.siliconera.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-cg-studio-visual-works-talks-about-the-tomb-raider-trailer/ |archive-date=1 November 2016|publisher=Siliconera }}</ref><ref name="Hist of FF7">{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-final-fantasy-vii |title=IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |date=April 30, 2008 |access-date=September 14, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128130134/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-final-fantasy-vii |archive-date=January 28, 2014 }}</ref> They have continued to produce video game scenes for the company, remaining a subsidiary after the merger of Square and [[Enix]] into [[Square Enix]] in 2003,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2016-06-01/square-enix-streams-introduction-movie-for-visual-works-exhibit/.101110 |title=Square Enix Streams Introduction Movie for Visual Works Exhibit |publisher=[[Anime News Network]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011001704/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2016-06-01/square-enix-streams-introduction-movie-for-visual-works-exhibit/.101110 |archive-date=2016-10-11 }}</ref> and expanded to create cinematic's for more video game franchises after Square Enix acquired [[Taito]] and [[Eidos Interactive]].<ref name="TR"/> Working at Visual Works is considered to be among the elite of Square Enix technical jobs.<ref name=interviewfrench>{{cite web|url= https://www.finaland.com/?rub=site&page=news&id=6462|publisher=Finaland|access-date=June 1, 2020|date=October 17, 2019|author=Fat Chocobo|title= Interview : La French Touch chez Square Enix}}</ref>

The studio's creative freedom in creating cutscenes varies from project to project. Director Kazuyuki Ikumori explained in 2015 that some projects allow them complete freedom to decide the direction of the scenes and where they best fit, while others more narrowly define for the studio the length and location of the scene and how it begins and ends. Some projects also consult with the studio on which scenes work better as interactive scenes than passive cutscenes. Visual Works does not try to have different styles based on if a game originates in Japan or Western countries, such as for former Eidos properties, but instead try to match the style of the game series or development studio. Ikumori noted that for some series, such as those by [[Crystal Dynamics]] or [[IO Interactive]], they receive a lot of detail about the feeling of the scenes, which they take as a starting point, but for others such as ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' they know the series so well that they can easily match the developers' intent. Ikumori credits this last to his previous work as a map and character designer for the ''Final Fantasy'' series.<ref name="SIint">{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2015/04/03/final-fantasys-cinematic-mastermind-on-making-advent-children-and-ffxvs-cutscene-balance/ |title=Final Fantasy's Cinematic Mastermind On Making Advent Children And FFXV's Cutscene Balance |publisher=Siliconera |author=Spencer |date=2015-04-03 |access-date=2016-11-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406112522/http://www.siliconera.com/2015/04/03/final-fantasys-cinematic-mastermind-on-making-advent-children-and-ffxvs-cutscene-balance/ |archive-date=2015-04-06 }}</ref>

In 2019, a four and a half minute trailer titled “Visual Works Character Prototype” was developed of a woman with an eyepatch fighting a doll.<ref name=prototype>{{cite web|url= https://www.famitsu.com/news/201901/11170155.html|publisher=Famitsu|access-date=June 1, 2020|title= スクウェア・エニックスの映像制作部隊"ヴィジュアルワークス"が謎めく眼帯美女のムービーを制作したワケ|date=January 11, 2019}}</ref> Previous demonstrations had been done with Visual Works employees ideas, but Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda suggested making a demo based on this female character.<ref name=prototype/> Starting only with the concept of “a woman with an eyepatch”, Visual Works then expanded the world around her to give the character a lot of detail, the kind that would impress prospective game developers.<ref name=prototype/> While acknowledging that such projects are time intensive, Kazuyuki Ikumori, the general manager and chief creative director of Visual Works has noted that such projects are already very difficult and expensive, and that such projects get game developers and those making CGI visuals on the same page early on.<ref name=prototype/> The video was based on “oriental dark fantasy” as seen by those who do not know Japanese culture, and has elements of [[Noh]] such as a [[Noh mask]].<ref name=prototype/>

* ''[[Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII]]'' (2007)<ref name=core>{{cite web|url= https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/108955/Critical_Reception_Square_Enixs_Crisis_Core_Final_Fantasy_VII.php|publisher=Gamasutra|access-date=June 10, 2020|title= Critical Reception: Square Enix's Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII|author=Cowan, Danny|date=March 26, 2008}}</ref>

* ''[[Final Fantasy XIII]]'' (2009)<ref name=theworks>{{cite web|url= https://www.siliconera.com/final-fantasy-cg-studio-visual-works-talks-about-the-tomb-raider-trailer/|publisher=Siliconera|access-date=July 8, 2020|date=July 14, 2011|title= Final Fantasy CG Studio Visual Works Talks About The Tomb Raider Trailer|author=Siliconera Staff}}</ref>

* ''[[Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII]]'' (2013)<ref name=returns>{{cite web|url= https://www.siliconera.com/lightning-returns-final-fantasy-xiii-developer-diary-goes-behind-the-scenes-at-square-enix/|publisher=Siliconera|access-date=July 15, 2020|date=August 30, 2013|title=Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII Takes Us Behind The Scenes At Square Enix|author=Sahdev, Ishaan}}</ref>

* ''[[Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin]]'' (2016)<ref name>{{cite web|url= https://www.siliconera.com/valkyrie-anatomia-trailer-shows-glimpse-battle-worked-visual-works/|publisher=Siliconera|access-date=July 9, 2020|title= Valkyrie Anatomia Trailer Shows A Glimpse Of Its Battle, Being Worked On By Visual Works|date=April 22, 2016|author=Sato}}</ref>

* ''Hatsune Miku'' (2014)<ref name = vocaloid>{{cite web|url= https://www.gematsu.com/2014/11/hatsune-miku-x-tetsuya-nomura-visual-works-movie|publisher=Gematsu|access-date=July 8, 2020|date=November 4, 2014|title=Hatsune Miku x Tetsuya Nomura Visual Works movie|author=Romano, Sal}}</ref>