The Brief

For Andrew Schulz’s Netflix comedy special, Studio 513 hired me to create cinematic 3D visuals to extend and elevate the stage environment. The goal was to transform the LED backdrop into a dynamic, theater-inspired canvas, supporting the show’s energy without overshadowing the performance.

The Challenge

The client provided early concept art inspired by luxurious, layered, and ornate Paris Opera House-style drapery. The visuals needed to simulate a massive theater curtain with five dramatic opening moments to frame key beats in the performance. The challenge was to replicate high-end fabric behavior in a way that felt photoreal and believable on a large-scale LED wall under tight production timelines.

The Solution

Using Cinema 4D’s cloth simulation tools and Redshift for rendering, I crafted a richly detailed animated curtain — with realistic fabric weight, depth, and flow. The drape opened in five stages, each timed to sync with specific cues in the show’s flow. Textures, lighting, and shadow passes were carefully refined to preserve dimensionality even under intense LED-wash lighting.

The final 3D content was delivered in ultra-high resolution and formatted for LED playback, seamlessly blending into the physical stage and enhancing the visual rhythm of the performance.

The Impact

The curtain animation helped frame the show with grandeur and theatricality — enhancing the visual tone while keeping focus on Schulz. It gave the Netflix special a layer of cinematic polish and reflected the brand of smart, irreverent sophistication behind the performance.