Pre-Production

Concept & Scripting

The goal for “How Community Solar Works” was to break down a technical idea—how businesses can tap into solar power without rooftop panels—into something clear and compelling. The storyline focused on the disconnect between where solar works best (wide open western land) and where most businesses are located (dense urban hubs). We built the narrative to follow that spatial logic, using distinct shots that guide the viewer from bright solar fields to electricity-hungry cities—bridging that gap with metaphor, animation, and motion.

To pull this off, we layered in multiple visual metaphors: a solar panel field forming the MP2 logo, a textured 3D Texas map as the foundation, the contrast of sprawling solar farms versus rising Houston towers, and animated infographics that tracked cost patterns. The script kept a conversational, how-it-works tone that made the flow of energy both literal and easy to follow. From the opening “solar logo” reveal to the final low-poly landscape, every shot had a job—explain the value prop and reinforce the brand story.

Rapid Prototype (RP)

As soon as scripting wrapped, we jumped into Rapid Prototype. We animated the full shot sequence using basic materials and skipped lighting—this early pass let us pressure test narrative flow, camera motion, and scene layout fast.

The 3D Texas map became a centerpiece throughout. We built it by extruding a vector file and layering in physical terrain data for texture. That map served as a platform for key scenes. We used animated sun icons (actually point lights) to highlight high-solar zones. These weren’t just pretty visuals. They made the case that utility-scale solar could power commercial clients across Texas.

For the transmission sequences, we hand-placed business locations around the state and connected them with spline-based power lines. MoGraph and Spline Effectors animated the energy pulses traveling across the network. We also built a bar chart directly in 3D, showing yellow bars rising and green bars holding steady, using primitives and spline animation to explain cost curves.

Downtown Houston was tricky. To replicate the density, we used Cloners and multiple model variants, then ran dolly and orbit camera moves to show rooftop limitations. We added Boolean cuts to reveal inside high-rises, which we later reused in a visual metaphor where the buildings became bar graphs filling up with power.

For the low-poly segment, we built a stylized world from scratch. Think modular hills, blocky trees, cloud shapes, and far-off transmission towers—simple, symbolic terrain meant to signal a more abstract, conceptual moment in the story. We mapped out a smooth camera ride across this space, ending at a solar farm on the hill. These test runs helped us nail down the final call-to-action pacing. The final moment: a 3D MP2 logo staged and lit for a slow zoom in sync with the voiceover close.

Early Visual Styles Explored

Right from the jump, we developed styleframes to define how everything would look. We knew this animation would need to live in two visual worlds. First, a realistic mode for the Texas map, the infrastructure, and the solar hardware. That realism grounded the story and gave it spatial credibility. Then we’d switch into a low-poly, stylized mode—perfect for metaphorical journeys and user simplicity.

We leaned on key design choices to make the shift clear. Realistic scenes used mapped terrain, hard shadows, and more detailed models. Low-poly moments kept things abstract with flat shading, clean geometry, and pastel skies. The styleframes gave us early guideposts to build smooth transitions and consistent lighting across scenes.

Each shot brought its own technical challenge, and we used Cinema 4D to test every one before production. One major beat—where solar installation cost and adoption rates intersected—was built using animated splines with a flare at the crossover point to make it feel dynamic and important. When showing power flowing from solar fields to businesses, we used distinct colors: green for solar, yellow for grid, to keep things crystal clear.

We also staged camera behaviors to guide the viewer through each section: dolly-ins over the Texas map, orbits around urban cores, sweeping moves over solar farms. Every motion was tested and refined to help carry the story forward and make each energy handoff intuitive and cinematic.

Style Choices and Reasoning

We were intentional about the dual visual style—because that contrast helped sell the core idea. The stylized, low-poly scenes gave us room to simplify and symbolize. That’s where we showed how easy it is for users to participate in solar—even when it’s happening somewhere else. Meanwhile, the realistic Texas map locked everything back to physical space. It reminded viewers this isn’t hypothetical—it’s real infrastructure making solar access possible across the state.

Choosing a fully 3D animated graph (instead of just dropping a 2D overlay) helped reinforce the message that MP2’s solution has weight—it impacts cost, energy flow, and real-world behavior. Camera moves—whether tracking energy along a line or circling a downtown tower—were all designed to make this otherwise invisible system feel tactile, cinematic, and grounded in place.

Full Production & Post-Production

Look Development

Once the Rapid Prototype got the green light, we moved into full-quality production. Lighting came first. We added directional and point lights throughout the piece to dial in both realism and clarity. In the low-poly world, light wasn’t just about mood—it was about readability. Long shadows over hills and crisp specular hits on power lines gave a sense of depth and time without pushing into photorealism. Over in the Texas map scenes, we used angled directional lighting to highlight terrain changes, while each sun icon got its own local point light to simulate solar intensity spreading over the land.

Textures came next and were handled to maintain the two distinct visual styles. The 3D map of Texas got a subtle strata texture—banded geological layers that made the landform feel grounded without pulling attention away from the visuals. Solar panels were kept clean and functional, with a slight reflectivity and glass highlights to feel industrial and modern. The low-poly world stayed stripped down—no textures, just color and lighting to carry the aesthetic and guide the eye.

Design & Animation

Animation got a full polish pass in this phase. We tightened up camera movement for better rhythm and emphasis. The MP2 logo reveal at the open—built from solar panels aligning into place—was re-timed to feel more dramatic, with light glints added to sell the sheen and realism of the panels locking into position. In the urban buildout, rising buildings were given more variation and smoother easing, and the Boolean-cut skyscraper was refined to make wall transitions feel fluid and the interior read clearly.

Graph visuals got a major upgrade. The solar cost vs. adoption chart now had sharper axis ticks, cleaner line smoothing, and a flare effect at the crossover point to make that moment pop. The yellow-vs-green price bar chart was rebuilt entirely in 3D, so it could sit naturally in the environment with lighting and shadows interacting correctly with other elements.

One of the most complex sequences involved showing how energy flows across Texas. We connected businesses to the solar array using spline-based transmission lines that pulsed in motion—green for solar power, yellow for standard electricity. A mid-path color change, animated with MoGraph effectors, visually communicated how energy sourcing shifts across the grid.

In the final low-poly journey sequence, we refined terrain elevation for a smoother, more natural ride and added more variation to the trees for richness. Animated icons for call, email, and web slowly appeared along the landscape as the viewer moved toward the hilltop solar array. The piece wrapped with a slow zoom into a 3D MP2 logo—timed perfectly with the closing voiceover to lock in brand recall.

Technical Details

All modeling, animation, and scene assembly were handled in Cinema 4D using the Standard Renderer. MoGraph tools were critical—Cloners handled solar panel duplication, Spline Effectors managed animated energy flows, and Boolean operations enabled interior cutaways. Camera movement was a mix of spline-follow and manual keyframes, then smoothed out with curve adjustments to maintain pacing.

Lighting varied by section. Texas map scenes used strong top-down directional lighting with added points for solar icons. The low-poly terrain leaned on soft rim lights to create separation between layers and push visual depth. High-detail assets like solar panels used semi-transparent and reflective materials, while support elements like buildings and terrain kept matte finishes to maintain focus where it mattered.

Final Compositing & Color Grading

Once rendering wrapped, we brought everything into After Effects for final compositing and color work. The color grade balanced the warm daylight tone of the geographic scenes with the cooler clarity of the graph sequences. Subtle vignettes pulled focus to key elements, and contrast was selectively enhanced—especially around the yellow and green pricing visuals—to boost visual comprehension.

Onscreen labels, callouts, and titles were imported from Cinema 4D using 3D data, keeping perfect alignment and scale through all camera moves. So whether it was a building annotation or the “Community Solar Program” title, everything stayed locked to the scene, even during complex transitions.

Lens flares were kept minimal and precise—just enough to accentuate sun icons and panel reflections without distracting from the message. Motion blur was added selectively for fast camera passes and energy pulses to boost realism and add a kinetic feel to high-energy sections.

The animated icons in the low-poly sequence had scale-in and float motion applied to keep them approachable and engaging. UI overlays and text were kept clean and minimal, with a focus on readability. We used sans-serif type throughout, staying on-brand with MP2’s modern, functional aesthetic.

Infographics, UI Overlays & Data Visualization

Infographics were core to the storytelling. Every graph was built in 3D and lit as part of the environment to feel like a natural part of the scene—not an overlay. The power-price comparison bars used animated extrusion and real-time color changes to communicate clearly: yellow bars growing to show rising market rates, green bars holding steady to represent MP2’s consistent offering.

Electricity flow wasn’t just a line—it became a data layer. Color-coded pulses ran along animated splines, shifting mid-path to visualize power source transitions. These were finished in After Effects, with added glow and trail effects for timing control and visual punch.

In the urban scene, red overlays and large “X” marks called out rooftop solar constraints. These UI elements were composited to match 3D camera motion, with perspective tracking to ensure perfect fit even through complex zooms and pans.

Brand Consistency

Color and typography were locked from the beginning and carried through every step—from Cinema 4D into After Effects. MP2 blue was used in all iconography and text. Green and yellow were used consistently to indicate power sources. The logo bookends—opening and closing—were given extra attention, using highlight maps and subtle flares to match the brand’s tech-forward, polished identity.

Delivery

The final render was output at 1920x1080 resolution in Apple ProRes format. We also delivered a 30-second cutdown version for use in shorter digital placements. Everything was optimized for digital playback: tuned contrast and gamma for both bright and low-light environments, ensuring the video played crisp and smooth whether it was shown in a boardroom or streamed online.

Transcript:
MP2 Energy’s Community Solar program now makes it possible for you to have the benefits of solar power without having panels on your property.

Solar makes sense in Texas. It’s a place where there’s land a plenty and the sun shines brightly. The beautiful thing is that the sun shines brightest when we need it the most. 

In the last few years, the cost to install solar panels in Texas has gone to here and the amount of installed panels has gone to here. 

The problem is that your business is here. And the best sunshine and open range combination is here.

Here’s the good news. You don’t have to have solar panels on your property to benefit from them. 

Introducing your Community Solar Program from MP2 Energy.

Here’s how it works. Through MP2, we join your business with others searching for a sustainable energy solution and create a fixed low-rate power contract for your portion of the solar garden. 

So, while power prices climb, your low rate stays low. 

The buildings around your business create solar interference and there simply isn’t the land necessary to build a solar plant of the proper scale. You likely do not have the rooftop space, flexibility, or land available to make this possible.  

To find our solution, we look west. The installation is built in the location that generates the most electricity possible back to the grid. 

And the other community solar program businesses like yours use power the way they normally would. 

Your MP2 solar power rate simply replaces some of your normal power usage. 

Call us, email us, or visit our website today. You can either contract as a Solar Garden participant, or you can join a large group waiting to share in the benefits. 

Call MP2 Energy. We make it easy. 

The Power Markets are complex. We’re good at this stuff.