A Whole New Project

I've got some cool news. This week I began working on a new animated video project with the good people at MatterHackers. The last video I made with them was so fun to make. And it came out a year ago...

Well, we're excited to be working together again. It's going to be a difficult one, but it has the potential to be good. The mission that they have is special and inspiring. It gives these video projects real meaning. They also have a mature understanding of the artistic process and we trust each other to do our jobs well. I couldn't ask for a better situation.

So far I've been looking for the music and writing the story. As of now, I've listened to over 1,200 potential (and relevant) songs. It's really tough when I find a song that's almost right, but not quite. The story is coming together too, but it still lacks a certain feeling. Writing is hard!

Lastly, I'm going to do my best not to kill myself working on this project. I have a 20-mile marching schedule in place. Slow and steady, baby.

Bailey

Music Addict

Music is my muse. I can't imagine a life without it, and I can't imagine running a business where music isn't an integral part of the creative process.

Besides the really high end projects that are out there, I feel like music is underutilized in most videos. It often plays the role of a filler element.

Forma Pictures is all about creating music-driven storytelling. At the start of all of my projects, I like to spend as much time as I can with just the music. It's more than something nice to have, it's essential. It's the voice of a video, and as such it deserves lots and lots of attention.

The visuals are important too. I'm a designer working in this time-based medium, so I believe deeply in visual storytelling. But the cool thing about this medium is that it unifies visuals and sound. So, I think more people should take advantage of this wonderful union.

Think of it like this. A painting can be beautiful. One can gaze at the brush strokes of a master and appreciate the beauty of design. Next we have animation, and that's like pure magic. It's when designs are given life and a whole world of possibilities open up. Lastly, when you add music to all of this, the results can be heavenly. It elevates the art to dizzying heights. Multiple art forms, working as one. Delicious.

So, to all of you visual creators out there: don't forget about music! Composers are our greatest allies in our quests to make great works of art. Take care of them, give them cookies, and keep them close. Then go out and make things that are greater than the sum of their parts.

Bailey

The Great Search for Music

Happy Friday everybody. Time for an update.

This week mostly had to do with finding music. If you know me, you know that my projects revolve around music. It’s why I’ve been searching for weeks. In total, I listened to a couple thousand songs (I counted the first thousand, then gave up), talked with musicians, agents, and put up ads for composers. I’m happy to say that I’ve found somebody to write an original score! Check him out here. Welcome to the project, Isaac! He’s a great musician and I’m confident he’ll pull off something awesome.

As promised, here’s a summary of the script so far:

Hunted is a dramatic short film. Set in the mountains, we follow the protagonist, Chloe. In the aftermath of losing her family, she must make the difficult decision between survival and vengeance. Her path is one of conviction and what it means to seek resolution in a chaotic world.

Fun fact: I spent some of my youth in the mountains you see in the image above (photo taken by me last week). So, the setting for this film is no accident.

Bailey