Donaldson and Quercia: Thoughts behind “Magnus”

The all-Brooklyn duo of Joe Donaldson and Jay Quercia take inspiration from the Magnus typeface for their stab at Animography’s monthly animation project.

“We didn’t have any preconceived notions of doing a film noir style short. Typically, the Animography monthlies are very short visual-based explorations primarily using typography.

“From the beginning we knew we wanted to shape our story around the Magnus typeface but at the same time we didn’t want to make it just about the type itself. Early on in the development stage we observed that the way the type animates on is similar to the movement of opening and closing blinds so windows and blinds became the root of our idea.

“Soon after we landed on the noir genre and consequently built the story around the theme of high contrast lighting, corruption and a tortured detective. Overall, it was a great experience in focusing on style while also reaching further into the realm of storytelling.” [Watch]

Vetor Zero and Lobo: Making of “Drugo”

Take a look at the unbelievable level of detail and craftsmanship Vetor Zero and Lobo invested in Gabriel Nobrega’s allegorical stop-motion film “Drugo,” produced as “a tool to explain the drug war and broaden the debate with the general public.”
[Watch]

“Charting Culture” Infographic

If you appreciate the power of data-driven animation you’ll love this new view of history tracking the births and deaths of 120,000 people from 600 BC to the present day: “using them as a proxy for skills and ideas, the map reveals intellectual hotspots and tracks how empires rise and crumble.” [Watch]

Andy Thomas: “Nightingale and Canary”

When Melbourne digital artist Andy Thomas pushes beyond his insanely intricate print work into motion, he creates what he calls “audio life forms” – complex and unexpected particle-driven 3D abstractions reacting to sound.

In this latest piece called “Nightingale and Canary,” he visualizes bird call recordings found in the archives of the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum.

Thomas’ toolkit includes 3ds Max, Realflow, Quantum force, Fume fx, Krakatoa, Frost, Phoenix fd, V-ray, After Effects, Photoshop and Zbrush. [Watch]

Marisabel Fernandez and Alexander Bernard: “Listen”

With their senior film “Listen,” recent Ringling College of Art and Design grads Marisabel Fernandez and Alexander Bernard take on the challenge of “envisioning a reality that we have never experienced,” interpreting the world of an autistic child through a fractured mix of abstract and illustrative animation. [Watch]

Jun Iwakawa’s Animated Short “Handle With Care”

Ticktockrobot director and first-time father, Jun Iwakawa draws on his background in print and graphic design for “Handle With Care,” his rough guide to caring for a newborn baby – an off-kilter mix of dry humor, factual information and an early aughts-inspired aesthetic. [Watch]