AMBITION|D5 Render Challenge Interview with Best Original Award Winner

1. Brief Introduction to the Artist

Trimanonymous
"I'm an architecture student who is a game addict, a netizen and an occasional learner. My usual workflow is Rhino - D5. I first heard of D5 before version 1.6. Back then I was attracted by the high-quality trailer and grew interested in it since it was free of charge.”

2. Intentions of creation

As a student majoring in architecture, I’d like to show my skills and strengths through this challenge, which is why I chose what most architecture students would normally do --- architectural design.
There was no given topic for this challenge, but I felt like I needed one myself, since merely piecing together irrelevant works of mine wouldn’t work well for me. I’ve thought about it from time to time while I was at school and the idea gradually took shape: I want to make a video with D5 elements, applying scenes that are concrete, tangible and high-quality to display how excellent D5 is in real-time rendering.
“I believe abstract concepts can be conveyed through concrete scenes. What I was trying to express are not headquarters or buildings, but the spirit of D5 --- steady, plain; modest on the outside, yet vibrant, glittery and full of treasure on the inside.” Ambition, great expectation and wish to achieve something that is usually a hard nut to crack, is something that I hope D5 will always have. Be ambitious and conquer the world.”

3. Q&A

#1
As many users are also curious about, can you share with us how you adjusted the parameters when using D5?

“Actually, D5 is where once you get the material and lighting right, everything turns out fine.” D5 is not like other software that need all kinds of effects for lighting and textures. Quite a few users might not know it, but D5 doesn’t need those because it is equipped with all these so-called “effects”.
This is exactly what I’m trying to emphasize in my work this time, which is why I didn’t use any post-production software. I’m doing this to show you that the effect of D5 is so amazing that it doesn’t need extra post-production software to make up for the deficiency of normal renderers.
parameters (rendered in D5 Render 1.9)
Output
Tips: For parameters, other than basic ones like contrast and exposure, LUT is also worthy of attention. D5 supports [custom LUT] which enhances the ability to process the tone of scenes. That is quite impressive, to be honest.

#2
How did you build the models?

I used Rhino for modeling. In this case, you have to make sure the models are clearly categorized. The design centered around the logo of D5. First I designed the general modeling, blocks and layers, and then went in detail with the components and structure.
models
manuscripts
modeling in Rhino

#3
Your editing and BGM are highly recognized. I wonder how you thought of these when creating the work?

I spent a long time considering how to deal with the background music since a nice piece of work deserves not only efforts in scenes, but also in music. Taking a work seriously, I would picture the overall outcome early on in a vague way (probably including pace, ups& downs, and the climax of the video). Then I would carry it out during hands-on creation, trying to stay on the right track. Music is not selected after video output for me. I don’t think that’s the right way to do it.
Creation process
I’ve long heard of the JFK Moon speech. During the challenge, it crossed my mind again and struck a chord with me in some way. Part of the spirits it conveyed match what I perceive of D5, and AMBITION. I was infected by it.
*note: We Choose to Go to the Moon is a speech on aerospace industry that John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a post US president, addressed at Rice University on 12th, September 1962. It was later regarded as the stepping stone to Apollo missions.

#4
Do you have any habits of collecting assets? How to develop one's aesthetic?

Actually, I tend to go search for the ones I need when I really get down to production. For this work, apart from the main buildings and the surrounding sites, some sculptures are free assets from Quixel. Interior desks and chairs, surrounding plants are all assets from D5 Works.
Output
I believe, as D5 enriches its assets: interior and exterior, character and vegetation, dynamic and static... most users will be rid of the trouble to accumulate assets themselves (what D5 has now already do for me, though).
As for aesthetic, I suggest viewing some good works, by which I mean masterpieces. Set your bars high, and whether you can achieve that would be another story.
There are a bunch of websites from around the world, say, Mir, Brick, AniMin, San, Arqui9.. and of course, check your Pinterest and Instagram from time to time for beautiful pics and designs.

#5
Any advice for D5 learners?

User Manual FIRST!
Too many users skip the basic tutorial and jump right to practical use. They bombard others with some newbie questions when they could actually figure out themselves. Check the basic tutorial “User Manuel” first! It won’t take you much time, but saves D5 Service a ton of time.  

4. Epilogue

"First off, I’d like to say thank you to D5 Team and all of you for your recognition. At the same time, I feel so lucky because I know there is no way I can be the best user. Neither my work nor my performance can represent the ceiling of this renderer. D5 is waiting for more users to dive into it and bring out its powerful features and rendering quality.  
Had the architectural expression competition been expanded to more fields, more talents would definitely have taken part in the challenge. Hope the next competition will be your time to shine. Until then, D5 Forum will be waiting for your posts and active participation. Thanks again to D5 team for their hard work and continuous development. I hope D5 keeps getting better."
 Interviewee: Trimanonymous
Arranged and posted by D5
This year's D5 Render Challenge is about to come, so stay tuned!
Check out our 1st D5 Render Challenge and D5 users' amazing works including the one that today's interviewee Trimanonymous produced.