DIGITAL DIALOGUES
"...design a motion graphic sequence as a visual accompaniment to a piece of audio using typography. It is important to explore personal visual languages that are in synthesis with the context and meaning in the audio sample"
My process for this project involved first sourcing appropriate audio, with specific parameters and criteria:
> audio with no definitive existing context/visuals
> must be live - have spontaneity + energy
> pace (either fast or contrastingly fluctuating)
> simple and descriptive
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Here are a selection of the pieces I shortlisted:
SPEED AUCTIONEER
I was very interested in exploring exactly how this largely indeciferable dialogue could be communicated visually and how the subject of the auction could be a source of visual reference.
This is actually a scene from the Werner Herzog film Stroszek, but the auctioneer is a genuine auctioneer (not an actor). More bizarrely, (and something I didn't know when I selected it) this clip appears in the Anton Corbijn film Control with Ian Curtis watching Stroszek on television just before hanging himself...
This is what I mean by being free of existing context - the overwhelmingly raw connotations attached to this audio far outweigh anything I could produce. And sometimes, as is my belief, what we know as motion graphics, should not be applied in certain contexts, either because it is simply not needed, or worse (unless handled with extreme sensitivity and skill) that it will trivialise its subject and cause offence. Tread carefully then...
I also discovered that the motion graphics house MK12 had already produced a visual response to a speed auctioneer. Not to say that this is the only way to represent the auction - I'll explore further and experiment with this in the future.
MK12 | AUCTIONHAUS
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
AREA 51 | RADIO CALL-IN
A very interesting piece - truth, hoax or fiction? Particularly like the contrast between the calm, smooth, in control DJ and the frantic, fear fueled nervousness of the mystery caller. It'd be interesting also to explore the deeper contrasts between their a) environments (where is the caller calling from?) and b) circumstances (current and future)... A lot to delve into and the subject being an extremely rich source of imagery, this is something I'll definitely come back to...
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
MY CHOSEN AUDIO SAMPLE
>
1937 KENTUCKY DERBY
Through wanting to explore the relationship between how fast we decipher spoken language and how fast we read, I chose to illustrate/animate every word of dialogue. Or to establish this and disrupt the technique at chosen moments - replacing/ complimenting/subverting the written word with graphic language.
VISUAL STYLE
In order to attempt synthesis of audio and visual language, I plan on adopting a consistent, simple, bold graphic aesthetic. With visual energy and vibrancy generated by an animated motion tracking camera that reveals the the text as it it heard, whilst navigating through 3D space on a linear journey. Due to the rapid oral delivery, I concluded that adopting a more complex visual style would only over saturate and overwhelm a viewer.
WHERE IS KENTUCKY?
NOMINATION | IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY
Simple, bold, direct graphic language.
COLOUR PALETTE
To support the bold, simple approach: Primary colours and Black only. Originally I was considering using only the red, white and blue of the Stars & Stripes, but I decided this was unnecessarily limiting and a bit too "on the nose".
FONT SELECTION | SHORTLIST
I then began sourcing an appropriate font for use throughout. I felt that as in the audio only the voice of the commentator is heard, I need use only one font. Something that was bold enough to represent the oral delivery (caps, without question), but also robust and legible enough to be read quickly whilst in motion. Also one that subtly referenced the era and location.
After brief motion tests I decided on the fourth from top (Blackoak Std) - considering it an acceptable combination of the requirements: Bold, legible, with a hint of period Americana (without descending into pastiche or stereotype).
A nice poster circa 1937 *
* I came across this after I'd selected the font - definitely pleased with the similarity between Blackoak Std and the block font used at the foot of this poster!
NOTE TO SELF: Don't always rely solely on instinct and abstract recollection - thorough contextualisation at ALL times!
EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE | MOTION CAPTURE
I chose to animate the Muybridge horse sequences as a visual reference to the era - even though the Muybridge images considerably pre-date 1937, the aesthetic quality is consistent with 1930s newsreel, and also as an aesthetic counter to the modern animation technique I will adopt.
Also, significantly the horse motion sequences were the first that Muybridge attempted, the purpose being to settle the popularly-debated (and like a horse-race; heavily bet upon) question of the day: whether all four of a horse's hooves left the ground at the same time during a gallop - known at the time as "unsupported transit".
SUBTLE SUBVERSION | RE-INTERPRETATION |
MULTIPLE MEANING
Sporadic suggestions of alternative interpretations.
"HEADED BY" IAN CALLAGHAN
For example, the commentary goes: "the field is headed by number one, War Admiral..." In terms of word association, my instant visualisation was that of a footballer heading a football - not a horse approaching the stalls... And not just any footballer either - but Ian Callaghan from the all conquering Liverpool team of the late 1970s...?
"WAR ADMIRAL" HORATIO NELSON
Also something to have fun with are the horse's names. The most frequently mentioned in the commentary is the pre-race favourite and leader from the start: War Admiral.
CONTEXTUAL VISUAL RESEARCH
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
GO ON, HAVE A GO!!!
With (most of) the above as reference, I decided to jump in and have a go. Having never previously used my chosen technique of visualising every word, in time with the audio, experimentation was always going to play a part. Also, I decided not to stop and plot the motion tracking (as a chart, motion web or more traditional storyboard), as I'd prefer to take a spontaneous approach, responding to the energy of the audio very much in the moment, allowing it to influence the motion - in a way, similar to the delivery of commentary on a live horse-race: intensity and variation dictated by the race itself!
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
SO - MY FIRST ATTEMPT
-
40 SECONDS OF KENTUCKY DERBY | TYPE & MOTION
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
ON REFLECTION
-
Contextual peer-group feedback didn't raise any suggestions for improvement or deconstructive observation - disappointing! Although I must concede that such a bold, simple approach, that responds to the audio largely literally, is difficult to analyse - it probably either succeeds or it fails. I'm happy with it and found the process extremely satisfying. Learnt a lot and enjoyed it!
END OF
No comments:
Post a Comment