Split – Do we think in Black and White?

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Split is a self-initiated project from New York based Vincenzo Lodigiani, a motion artist and animation director. The piece asks us to…

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Split is a self-initiated project from New York based Vincenzo Lodigiani, a motion artist and animation director. The piece asks us to consider how life is often broken down into “black and white” thinking. As we tell ourselves that scenarios are more simplistic than they really are.

We feel that the execution of this philosophy is spot-on, and the sound design only adds to the duality that is conveyed. The animation itself uses only black and white to further express this concept- we are brought into a world where this contrast is fluidly intertwined…except that the two battle and fight for dominance. It questions how in control we really are, as the animation climactically builds to a cacophony of sound and motion. The human figure is constantly torn between both sides- perfectly expressing this idea.

Overall, we feel that the animation could be interpreted in many different ways, but that’s precisely the point! Very thought provoking.

 

Vincenzo Lodigiani- Throughout our lives, we often inspire undue stress and anxiety by viewing our existence with a “dualistic mind.” We create a world of private duality, a world that is limited to fixed or black and white thinking. We do this because it gives us a (false) sense of security and control over life’s uncertainties. The dualistic mind tricks us into thinking we have this “life” thing figured out. And we don’t have to struggle and search anymore.

Credits :

Animation- Cento Lodigiani

Music/Sound design- Sono Sanctus

 

 

Category :Review, Votion

‘The Man in the High Castle’ towers above its competition

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Welcome to post-war 1962, well that is if America had lost the fight against the Nazis. ‘The Man In The…

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Welcome to post-war 1962, well that is if America had lost the fight against the Nazis. ‘The Man In The High Castle’, an amazon original series, depicts a world in which the allies have won the war and occupy both coasts of North America.

We feel that the title sequence to this drama has been perfectly executed by the team at Elastic- They seem to do no wrong! The use of projected video in the opener foreshadows the significance of film reels throughout the series. The projected images are overlaid over ominous statues representing the hope of the American people- or the American dream. Furthermore, the most poignant choice for this sequence is the softly sung version of “Edelweiss”. Juxtaposed against the gritty scenes of war, the melancholic resonance of “Edelweiss” sits well with the sense of foreboding that the imagery builds upon.

Overall, we feel that this title sequence is a cut above the rest!

 

Elastic for Scott Free Productions 

Director Patrick Clair
Producer Jamie McBriety

Lead Animator & Compositor  Raoul Marks
Design   Paul Kim
Kevin Heo
Sam Cividanis
CG Modeler Jose Limon

Executive Producer Jennifer Sofio Hall

Category :Review

The title sequence to Stranger Things looks like an 80s porn VHS

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It’s boom time for on-demand TV series, driven largely by the expansion of Netflix into original content. (Apple have just…

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It’s boom time for on-demand TV series, driven largely by the expansion of Netflix into original content. (Apple have just confirmed they are getting into the act too).

As TV series such as Walking Dead, The Night Manager and Game of Thrones become ever more sprawling, the sequence at the start has become vital. It clues in the viewer to the essence of the mood and tone of what they are about to see.

The world’s best exponent of title sequence is Elastic.tv, the Edinburgh production house who made the titles for HBO’s WestWorld among others. That sequence has now been viewed by over 12m people.

Obviously, if you work in motion graphics, a TV sequence can be a game-changing event. So the opportunity to work on the title sequence of Netflix’s Stranger Things was the brief of the year. So what went wrong?

The music works, fitting the nostalgic 80’s theme and the builds suspense, but what happened to the visuals? Were they restricted to using 1980’s production techniques? Were they restricted on time and budget… possibly.

It’s got to be less than a weeks work, surely.

Fortunately the series is amazing and no doubt people will love the intro, based on how great the program is. However for us the intro is a flop, it would be more fitting visuals for a cheap 80s porn VHS.

Thumbs down from us!

Credits :

www.imaginaryforces.com
Client: Netflix
Executive Creative Director: Peter Frankfurt
Creative Director: Michelle Dougherty
Executive Producer: Ben Apley
Head of Production: Tina Starkweather
Producer: Dunja Vitriolic
Designers: Arisu Kashiwagi, My Tran, Eric Demeusy
Lead Animator: Eric Demeusy
Compositor: Eric Demeusy
Flame Artist: Eric Mason
See more at: https://www.imaginaryforces.com/work/netflix-stranger-things-main-title#sthash.UB6CdSqv.dpuf

Category :Review

CitizenM’s new A to Z video is a long walk

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Creative Review reckon this new video by KK Outlet and animation studio Animade for hotel group CitizenM is a winner. We at Votion will…

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Creative Review reckon this new video by KK Outlet and animation studio Animade for hotel group CitizenM is a winner.

We at Votion will have to agree to disagree.

We like the child-like animations, which are vivid and bright. They communicate a playful simplicity which is on-brand for CitizenM, whose over-priced hotels are aimed squarely at globe-trotting millenials.

But it is, as we say in the trade, a “long walk.”

By the time you get to the letter Z – 25 letters later! –  the viewer is disappointed to discover the whole shebang is just an ad for CitizenM hotels. That’s not much of a pay-off.

The after-taste is a sour one, no matter how tangy the preceding visuals.

Results :

For this reason, it’s a thumbs down. Soz.

Category :Review

Pause 2017 Titles

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Conference titles. The new creative playground? Australia’s premiere creative festival Pause Fest once again called upon the skills of Bristol…

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Conference titles. The new creative playground?

Australia’s premiere creative festival Pause Fest once again called upon the skills of Bristol based studio Echoic Audio. Working with and under direction of Zaoeyo they created a ‘brooding piano score takes us through this virtually deserted urban landscape and builds to a worthy climax’.

The visual were produced by the talented Beijing visual designer Zaoeyo (Xiaolin Zeng, aka Mike Zeng). Awesome 3D renderings combined with clean typography are empowered by Echoic’s emotive soundtrack.

Client. Pause
Animation & Direction. Zaoeyo
Music & Sound Design. Echoic

Category :Review

2016 AICP Sponsor Reel

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Essentially it’s a test video for procedural animation and dynamic simulations, which has now become a definitive reference point for…

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Essentially it’s a test video for procedural animation and dynamic simulations, which has now become a definitive reference point for all Motion Capture and Houdini work. It is completely self-gratifying and totally ridiculous, however it rescues itself through technical brilliance and pure creativity.

This is what happens when you give a talented group of individuals an open brief and an open wallet.

Method Studios was asked by production company RSA to concept and create this year’s AICP Sponsor Reel. The AICP awards celebrate global creativity within commercial production.

Director Rupert Burton at Method Studios in New York: “They wanted something very raw and upbeat. It would open the event at MoMA so our main goal was to create something visually engaging to keep the audience fully entertained.”

“We had around 45 different avatars to create so there was a lot of experimentation from the start. The motion capture shoot allowed us to play around with a wide variety of movements. Ultimately we wanted the piece feel as playful and tactile as possible.”

CREDITS :

Client: AICP/RSA
Project: 2016 AICP Sponsor Reel
Concept, Design & Direction: Method Design
Director: Rupert Burton
Creative Director: Jon Noorlander
Art Director: Johnny Likens
Production: Method Studios NY
Producer: Adrienne Mitchell
VFX: Method Studios
Houdini FX Artist: Tomas Slancik
Houdini FX Artist: Vraja Parra
Rigger: Ohad Bracha
Motion Capture: House of Moves
Motion Capture Supervision: Rupert Burton, Shane Griffin
Dancers: Latonya Swann, Guapo Clarke
Music: Major Lazer – Light It Up (Remix)
design.methodstudios.com

Category :Review