CHRIS LLEWELLYN - “HONEST”
Album Promo
Pen & Paper - Digital Animation
This album cover was a great opportunity to work out some sketched elements. The “Honest” lettering on the album cover gave a very hand drawn appearance, so we moved ahead with the idea that these were simply analogue pieces being written in real time.
Paper and pencil were the first step.
A few drafts, and then we found something we liked. After that, we turn it digital, adjusted levels, remove blemishes, and moved to animation.
Sketching isn’t a new idea; we’ve been doing it since the dawn of mankind, but there is something about key framing a list of letters and little hand drawn doodles, that feels nostalgic. Like when you didn’t pay attention in your least favorite high school class.
Album Cover: Nathan Blaine
Video Director: Bobby Russell, Mary Caroline Russell
Video Producer: Sidney Young
Animation: ST.ST.ST.
NEWSBOYS - “I SPEAK JESUS”
Lyric Video/Visualizer
Footage - Animation - Artifact Creation
As kids, we grew up listening to “Newsboys” at the back of random conferences, services, or on the radio. So this was a fun full circle moment. Not important to the case study, just a fun fact.
For this project, we worked out an interesting mixed media lyric video. “I Speak Jesus” hit the airwaves, and it was in instant success, so we took the branding already in place for this video and mocked up an idea.
We wanted to make elements of the feature pop, something you can’t ignore no matter where you look at the screen. So movement was a natural first course.
Throughout the video we made the font move through wiggle custom code feature in after effects, pushed in some glow and grain, and posterized the time to make the entire video feel choppy and more raw. 8 frames per second conversion complete, we moved to working elements like footage, and the expanding rings.
To make it pop more, we colored the footage B/W, so the lyrics during the chorus could be more impactful.
Album Cover: Trent Nicholson
Footage: Capitol Records CMG
Animation: ST.ST.ST.
DANNY GOKEY - “WE ALL NEED JESUS”
Lyric Video/Visualizer
Animation
Lyric videos are sort of where we got started with frequent after effects work, so when Capitol Records reached out with a request for Danny Gokey, we didn’t hesitate to say yes. There wasn’t much in the way of direction, so it was free reign and simple plays on typography. Subtle animation, and color changes made for a fun little visual piece in this lyric video for “We all need Jesus.”
Making the the text feel aged was a fun challenge on a text only video. After punching in some textures, glows, & grain we eventually got there. We still wanted it to feel smooth, so we left the frame rate higher in the text animatons, but everything else was framed down to less 12fps, and that helped to slow down the feel of the overall piece.
Design: ST.ST.ST.
Animation: ST.ST.ST.
SOCIAL CLUB MISFITS - “CHRISTMAS IN JULY”
Lyric Video
Digital Sketching - Animation
When this project came up, the concept was pretty open. The title “Christmas in July” was interesting to brainstorm. A creative idea took a bit to land on a but everyone loved where we landed after a few drafts. We actually had a full concept mirroring pieces of the single art. This first concept included basic shapes, christmas lights on houses on the beach, and a sunset that ran through the duration of the video. It was all created digitally in after effects, then filmed on a crt to give a more analog feel. This matched the karaoke styled text playing on screen with the music.
We ended up shifting direction, and creating a totally new concept. We created all the lyrics, and exported to .pngs. After this, we sent it to an ipad and did a few sketching passes digitally to animate each word (as well as a few christmas item animations), exported back to after effects, and began to assemble what is now the final product.
Design: ST.ST.ST
Animation: ST.ST.ST.
SUNNYTHEDUO - “HOW TO LOSE YOUR MIND IN 10 DAYS”
Album Promo
Footage - Animation
There are some projects, that don’t need much, but what it gets should be intentional. Sunnytheduo had an original concept brought to the table, and really leaned into the 90s/2000s sound era.
The received footage felt very new, but also aged. Wide lens, Camcorder, and fun shots. There was already a spec piece with a similar treatment of slight animation, so we needed to dial in more of the same, but a little tighter.
The simple task of creating a reversed reveal key typing animation actually proved a little trickier than anticipated. The piece was meant to have a subtle animation that you don’t really notice.
A keyboard typing and revealing as you see whenever you type on a computer, and coupled with the animated album cover.
The album cover has a slight orbital wave and glow fluctuation, and the brand has a glow fluctuation as well.
Album Cover: Nathan Blaine
Video Producer: Capitol Records CMG
Animation: ST.ST.ST.
ANGIE ROSE - “LIKE GOLD”
Lyric Video
Animation
This piece was the first project we took for Capitol Records CMG back in 2020. Covid was running rampant, the world was shut down, and we were in the heyday of everyone needing video work because they couldn’t be around one another. Everything was remote, but work still needed to be done.
A pop track from the NY based artist proved to be as interesting the visuals: “A woman who knows what she’s worth, and ready to accomplish her vision”, …we’re all about that.
We implemented plays on split layers, wave warping, simple shapes, footage of NY, and general type arranging to make this track feel fun and interesting.
After all, who’s not inspired by New York?
Design: ST.ST.ST
Animation: ST.ST.ST.