Exploring the power of motion in space: a geometric audio-reactive diptych visualisation.

ID

geometric audio visualisation
2014
IN COLLABORATION WITH Ryan & BSMNT
VIC/Side project

ABOUT

the challenge

I always wanted to work on a pure motion piece to explore the spaces and sounds between two key positions, and to learn more about motion principles. Coming from the field of Interface Design I knew that there is so much lost value in usability and experiences when only focusing on static entities, without considering transitions in-between.
During my studies in New Zealand, I started to explore the combination of visuals and sound, physical and screen space in a diptych format. I soon became obsessed with this work and knew that I had to give it a re-edit to make it outstanding. So I teamed up with the awesome Canadian Dj Ryan Wells and kept working on it.

MOODBOARD / STORYBOARD / SOUND ANALYSIS / ILLUSTRATING / SPACIAL DESIGN / MOTION DESIGN

Make sure your sound is on.

CONCEPT

josef albers on lsd

A video diptych (2 HD Videos side by side) offers possibilities different from a single channel video, such as an expanded visual immersion. I wanted to make use of that immersion by laying out my narrative to get the viewer sucked into the animation, frame by frame. The tension of the animation rises slowly from lines to shapes, first displayed only on one side, and gradually expanding to the full format.
Overall, a simple colour palette and minimalistic geometry compositions make it very aesthetic and bold. The different geometric shapes transform overtime according to certain patterns in the music. I explored motion principles like masking, offset&delay, easing and transformation, in order to emphasise the diptych format, form relationships and craft the overall narrative.

team & role

The audio-visual project was outlined by the course restrictions and scoped for 6 weeks. During that time I worked on the first version of the concept & visualisation on my own, earning myself a classroom award and an A-Grade. Geometry compositions were highly influenced by the work of Tilman Zitzmann, whom I contacted. The course was run and curated by Anne Niemetz. To take it a step further, I got permission to use an electronic track by the Canadian DJ Ryan Wells. I spend several weeks more to fine-tune motion graphics, timings and space-sound-time relationships.

The process behind ID

the creative journey

Inspired by Swiss design, the HfG Ulm aesthetic, and artists like Josef Albers, I decided early to focus on geometric 2D graphics. For my proposal, I collected different variations of geometry in moodboards and time-based media collection.

id process

Picking the right sound and analysing in depth its aural structure, I laid the foundation of the storyboard by mapping sound parameters to visual characteristics.

id process

To pick the right colour palette, I tested it on shapes in space.

id process

Nearly all shapes are pre-drawn by hand in illustrator.

id process

Tweaking keyframes is an essential part, particularly when working with two videos which need to have a frame by frame timing.

id process

For the desired easing, i used “Ease and Wizz”, a plugin for After Effects.
The final video reached 29.3K people, was remixed for a music video and exhibited at the ‘Torino Graphic Days’ in 2016.

Sometimes being a designer is like being an undercover superhero...
I can’t show here most of the work I have done, but if you are curious get in touch and I can present you snippets f2f.

MESH EXPERIENCE

A data visualisation that turns guitar licks and the guitarist's dynamics into light constellations, in real time.

Think. Build. Validate.

The only way to learn is to do it: exploring possibilities and raising questions through prototyping.