# Leonardo Da Vinci **IF WE** take inspiration from age-old inventions, **CAN WE** collectively propel cinema into the future? A Catalyst for Human Progress Since time immemorial, **Leonardo da Vinci** has influenced many an engineer with his creations and feats, encompassing **anatomy, art, engineering and mobility**. **Codex Atlanticus**, the Italian polymath’s collection of drawings and notes, is a source of boundless curiosity and interpretation as we usher in the next generation of creators and inventors. By bringing **Da Vinci**’s longstanding legacy to virtual life, inventions become reality; a showcase for the supreme capabilities of **collective intelligence, past heritage and technology.** Leonardo Da Vinci - The Inventor & The 3DEXPERIENCE Lab Leonardo Da Vinci - The Inventor & The 3DEXPERIENCE Lab ![Leonardo Da Vinci - The Inventor & The 3DEXPERIENCE Lab](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/inventor-leonardo.jpg) leonardo_da_vinci_-_the_inventor_&_the_3dexperience_lab 3 minutes 25 Pop-up window Da Vinci is basically the founding father of our industry. With his countless creations and fathomless knowledge, he is the go-to reference for the engineering community at large. Frédéric Vacher Head of Innovation, 3DEXPERIENCE Lab ![Frédéric Vacher Head of Innovation, 3DEXPERIENCE Lab at Dassault Systèmes](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2023-10/profile-frederic-vacher.jpg) Leveraging its **3D**EXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systèmes brings together inspired engineers as they share, conceptualize and create 3D objects. Kick-started in 2018, **the OPEN CODEX community** shared the **Italian artist’s** manuscripts before taking on the challenge to reconstruct his machines in 3D. Spotlighting the OPEN CODEX challenge and Jim Capobianco Together, the community restored virtual life to **Da Vinci’s** inventions in **3D**, garnering major success for the Open Codex challenge. Joining forces with the **3D**EXPERIENCE Lab and the Château du **Clos Lucé**, the initiative sought to recreate **three-dimensional** Da Vinci sketches based on his Codex. Then, using Dassault Systèmes’ software, ideas were turned into **3D** experiences. There was an instant buzz behind the project, eventually filtering to a certain **Jim Capobianco**, at the time focused on his **Da Vinci** biopic. The American filmmaker, **Capobianco**, is the creative force behind none other than Ratatouille, The Lion King and WALL-E. Working in tandem with French film director **Pierre-Luc Granjon**, Jim Capobianco decided to employ stop motion animation for this 2D feature film. What’s more, the filmmaking duo handpicked the French studio FOLIASCOPE as producer. The **3D**EXPERIENCE Lab Open Codex Challenge provided us with the wonderful opportunity to work with the new ‘da Vinci’s of our time. They ignited the fuse that allowed us to launch The Inventor into reality! Jim Capobianco Producer of the Independent animated film - The Inventor ![Jim Capobianco Producer of the Independent animated film - The Inventor](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-08/jim-capobianco.jpg) Exploring Stop Motion Simply put, **Stop Motion** is a film animation technique used to bring static objects to life on screen. It’s the art of manipulating figures with movable joints that are shot frame-by-frame, and in doing so, creates the illusion of fluid movement. Exploring Stop Motion - Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte [![Exploring Stop Motion - Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/leo-stop-motion.jpg)](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/leo-stop-motion.jpg) Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte The Set The Château du Clos Lucé was reimagined for the film set. In 1516, **Leonardo da Vinci** took up an invitation from Francis I to reside with him in Amboise, nestled within France’s Loire Valley. The newly appointed 'chief painter, engineer and architect of the King' then relocated to Clos Lucé, a stone’s throw from the royal residence. His time at the Château would mark a prolific period of works, studies and creations. Three years on, aged 67, Da Vinci would be laid to rest there on May 2, 1519. The Puppets Each puppet was fitted with metal joints and a silicone-shaped face and hands, not to mention a set of mouths, eyelids, eyes and eyebrows to capture the full range of facial expressions. 8 puppet versions of the **polymath** were made on set. The puppets - Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte [![The puppets of the film the Inventor - Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/leo-puppet.jpg)](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/leo-puppet.jpg) Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte Fun Fact The film was made in a record time of just **3 years!** **FOLIASCOPE** is the studio that produced The Inventor – **Ilan Urroz**, CEO, FOLIASCOPE Production on this epic – The Inventor – was both inspiring and challenging, as regards a whole host of aspects, from production and coordination of several professions to fully grasping Da Vinci – the world’s foremost inventor. This film was all about showcasing his genius on screen with the added challenge of reinventing machines from drawings and plans in the world-famous Codex. FOLIASCOPE [![FOLIASCOPE CEO, partner of the 3DEXPEIRENCE Lab for Leonardo da Vinci Open Innovation Challenge](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/ilan-urroz-profile.jpg)](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/ilan-urroz-profile.jpg) Photograph taken by Jean-Marie Hosatte To partner up with Dassault Systèmes and the **3D**EXPERIENCE Lab team was simply astounding. More importantly, they supplied the 3D mockups for these incredible machines. Ilan Urroz President of FOLIASCOPE ![Ilan Urroz President of FOLIASCOPE](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-08/ilan-urroz_0.png) Teaming up with FOLIASCOPE Founded in 2011, **FOLIASCOPE** specializes in animated films and is fronted by CEO Ilan Urroz, along with his partner and Artistic Director Nicolas Flory. **FOLIASCOPE** productions cater to cinema and television audiences. To date, the studio has made over 30 feature films and is credited for multiple children’s series. **FOLIASCOPE** spearheaded production for this stop motion 2D feature film. During the filming of The Inventor, **FOLIASCOPE’s** team of makers and designers used the 3D models from the **OPEN CODEX** challenge to reconstruct real-life machines. The partnership is propelled by a shared ambition to galvanize creators and innovators the world over, while encouraging younger generations to pursue a career in science and technology. Our business is far removed from the film industry, but firmly focused on science and technology. We can now deploy our 3D solutions to imagine a car yet to be made in real life, with modeling capabilities that bring users as close to reality as possible. Frédéric Vacher Head of Innovation, 3DEXPERIENCE Lab ![Frédéric Vacher Head of Innovation, 3DEXPERIENCE Lab at Dassault Systèmes](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2023-10/profile-frederic-vacher.jpg) ## (3DXLAB Innovation Stories)Explore Our Innovation Stories [ Check all stories ](/3dexperiencelab/portfolio) Submit Your Application Interested? Take your chance to elevate your project to the next level. [Apply today](/3dexperiencelab/startup-programs/application) ![Leonardo Da Vinci Open Innovation project by 3DEXPERIENCE Lab](https://www.3ds.com/assets/invest/2025-07/leo-kv-banner.jpg) Project