Cinematic web presence for a visual effects powerhouse
Client
LuminateCG
Industry
VFX / Creative Technology
Services
Website Redesign, Framer Development, Video Integration, Portfolio CMS
Tech stack
Framer, Video Optimization, CMS, Lazy Loading
Year
2024
How AGR Studio redesigned LuminateCG's VFX studio website with adaptive video streaming, capability-organized portfolio, and cinematic presentation on Framer.
LuminateCG is a visual effects studio creating photorealistic CG and compositing for film, advertising, and experiential projects. Their website was their primary new business tool, but the existing site buried their best work behind slow loading times and an uninspired layout that did nothing to demonstrate their craft.
The redesign needed to be as visually impressive as LuminateCG's work itself, showcasing full-resolution video reels, detailed project breakdowns, and team capabilities without sacrificing page performance.
Portfolio Strategy
VFX studios win work based on specific capabilities demonstrated through specific projects. Generic showreels aren't enough, production companies want to see that you've done exactly what they need: creature work, environment extensions, particle effects, or photorealistic product rendering. We organized the portfolio by capability rather than chronology, making it easy for potential clients to find proof of the specific skills they're hiring for.
Cinema-Grade Presentation
The design treats the browser like a theater. Video content plays in near-fullscreen formats with minimal UI chrome. Project pages use a cinematic aspect ratio (2.35:1) for hero videos, with breakdown reels shown in side-by-side before/after comparisons that demonstrate the scale of the VFX work. Background is predominantly dark to maximize perceived image quality and contrast.
Video Performance Pipeline
The biggest technical challenge was serving high-quality video without destroying load times. We implemented an adaptive streaming approach: poster frames load instantly, low-res preview loops autoplay on scroll, and full-quality videos load on interaction. Videos are encoded in multiple bitrates with HLS delivery for adaptive streaming based on connection speed.
The portfolio CMS supports rich project metadata: software used, team size, timeline, and VFX technique tags. This structured data feeds both the filtered portfolio view and SEO schema markup, making each project discoverable through organic search.
Industry Impact
The redesigned site elevated LuminateCG's market positioning. The capability-organized portfolio made it significantly easier for production companies to evaluate fit, shortening the sales cycle. Several new client relationships originated directly from specific portfolio pages found through Google searches for specialized VFX capabilities.
Adaptive Stream
Video Strategy
By Capability
Portfolio Org
5 Weeks
Timeline
