A Dimension 3D Printer from Stratasys Inc. plays a supporting role in this entertainment application. I have not seen the original animated short, “Back To The Start,” that has been viewed more than 2 million times on YouTube and is touted as one of the top commercials of the year. You may not have either, but like me, you will likely be captivated by the story as you watch this fascinating video of how this stop-motion animation came to life.

The Dimension 3D Printing technology created several of the physical models. Produced for Chipotle Mexican Grill by CAA Marketing Group and Nexus Productions, “Back To The Start” the stop-motion animated trip examines a farmer’s choice to produce, or exploit, animals for consumption, turning his farm into an industrial animal factory before choosing a more sustainable future. (The sad farmer is very touching.)

Chipotle commissioned the project to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.

London-based special effects studio Artem, Ltd. has used the Dimension 3D Printer to produce models for dozens of clients, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 20th Century Fox and Nokia. Said Bob Thorne, senior visual effects supervisor, “The beauty of using the 3D printer for this project was that we could produce exact replicas of the animatic drawings, rather than guessing about sizes and details as we might have done with hand-sculpted models.” The printer enabled Thorne and team to produce a tray full of models overnight.