Mark
Info:

* Graphic & Motion Designer
* About Me




* Whiplash
Title sequence design for the film Whiplash.


Concept

Throughout the creative process, we asked ourselves, what would Whiplash look like if it was a music score? We decided to use graphic music notations as our framing device to portray the chaotic environment that the characters endure throughout the film.

Graphic music notations are the representation of music through the use of visual symbols, an art in and of itself.


Moodboard

We used graphic music notations to sketch out the plot of the film and capture its emotional impact.



Frames



Modeling

We moved onto Cinema 4D to build the notations in a three dimensional space. We modeled each individual shape and combined them onto one structure within a spiral. We used the structure to portray the escalating chaos of both the film’s narrative and the music.



Animation

Music was key. When we moved onto animation, the movements were choreographed and dictated by the song. We used camera movement to illustrate the more dramatic moments and animated each individual shape to be more dynamic. One of the main goals of this piece was for music and visuals to act as one.

Texture & Lighting

One of the biggest challenges throughout the process was to figure out which lighting to use and how to keep it interesting. We customized the textures for each shape and used volumetric light to have a consistent look throughout the whole sequence, as secondary lights that focused on individual  shapes.


Type Treatment

For the type choice, we thought a condensed typeface would be appropriate to portray the tension between the two main characters. For the treatment, we applied a luminescent effect on the typography as a reference to the last scene of the film, where the cymbals and snares from the drum reflect the stage lights and shine.
Collaborators

This project was done in collaboration with designers Abby Ra and Konosuke Matsushita.