A ball drops, bounces off the court — and the material awakens. This 3D motion teaser, fully made in Blender, imagines the basketball court as a living organism that cracks open and unfolds into slats to reveal the new NBA 2026 season.
A personal project by Irwin Piel, freelance 2D/3D motion designer based in Paris, conceived as a portfolio piece sitting between sport and sensation.
The concept
Rather than depicting basketball literally, this project tells a story of anticipation and return: the court itself as a living material opening up to reveal what's coming. The floor is no longer just a backdrop — it becomes the teaser's main character.
The storyline
Intro — a ball falls in near-total silence and bounces off the court
Development — the court unfolds into a myriad of thin slats, curling and unfurling like paper or feathers coming to life
Outro — light gives way to the NBA logo, with "Season 2026" and the tip-off date
Technical approach
This 3D render was built entirely in Blender (Cycles): modeling, PBR materials for a believable court (wood, raking light, particles), procedural slat animation for organic, non-repetitive motion, compositing in After Effects / DaVinci Resolve, and sound design synced to the key beats of the reveal.
