EXPLAINER
Collaboration with Jared Lewis and Kelly Warner
jlewismotion.com
Pieced
Together
History
Jared Lewis and I had been tasked with creating a Wired Explainer video animation on a well researched topic of our choosing.
This full-length animation served to better inform Wired's viewers by giving them video-based content to help explain today’s complex topics. Designed to create clear, engaging and visually stunning assets that support online articles, this is not just a little video. It is in fact a high quality, beautiful visual story.
Our sound design was done by Kelly Warner, with myself performing the voice-over narration.
Originally, this project utilized a collage style to shows that the history of dice is a long and difficult story to tell from just one or two archaeological dig sites. By piecing together not only the story but also the visual elements out of objects and people from all around the globe the story of a world wide tool and toy would be told.
The direction gradually evolved to instead emulate the graphic shapes and animation done by Saul Bass.
EVOLUTION
ANIMATIC
The initial animatic showed promise, but it needed refinement. A stronger emphasis on the works of Saul Bass began to steer us away from using the AI generated patterns that were being utilized to pattern the various shapes and objects being reconfigured throughout the piece.
SECOND PASS
Overall, the second iteration had some interesting elements but didn't feel cohesive in its design. After this observation we would gradually shift away from the mish-mash of different looks and focus on the overlayed graphic shapes in a consistent red and yellow color scheme.
BEFORE
AFTER
FINAL PASS
When we reached the final stage of production, our team was able to finally unite the animation under a single design. Both Jared and I had improved significantly as we crossed the finish line. To demonstrate, it's important to compare side-by-side how night and day both a still from our final is from one of our initial styleframes are from one another.
