Design Challenge
I need to create a fascinating visualization of one of the new musical releases from the Universal Production Music studio. The main challenge is to not only showcasing the new release but also emphasizing why Universal Music is better than ai-generated music.
Executed in: After Effects, Procreate
Client
Home to the most innovative composers, songwriters and producers, Universal delivers music that captures passionate audiences the world over.Universal offers over 2,700 digital albums from more than 37 global libraries. The catalog is continuously evolving with over 100 new albums produced each year.
The current Universal Production Music user is a producer, editor, or art director. These users are usually male, 40-50 years old. Universal is looking to expand into a younger, more gender-balanced demographic. They are looking for 25 year-olds to think of Universal for their music licensing
Music Selection
Solo De Ti - Sintonia De Success
An energetic track with exciting beat and forward momentum.
Concepts
To communicate the idea that Universal Music is better than ai-generated music, I want to focus on how the music is produced as well as the human touch of the track.
Concept 01: Showcasing the variety of music instruments and how the musicians used them innovatively by abstracting the shapes and movement of the instruments and tools.
Concept 02: Emphasize the playfulness of the track, let a cute car lead the audience through a music journey, using tactile texture and hand-drawn illustration to communicate "human" and "crafted".
The 2nd concept is chosen for the tactile texture and the interesting use of stroke and shape of the car.
Style Research
After working with my art director, we decided to get inspiration from the UPA style animation. Here are some research I did on this style:
UPA (United Productions of America) animation, emerging in the 1940s–50s, broke away from Disney’s realism to develop a modern, highly stylized approach. Instead of detailed, three-dimensional rendering, UPA embraced flat, abstract, and simplified designs, using bold geometric shapes, striking color blocks. It was strongly influenced by modern art movements such as Bauhaus and Cubism.
Refined Concept
Inspired by UPA style animation, I abandoned the perspective and realistic composition, focusing on the geometric shape and abstract strokes. In order to match the vibe of the music better and to emphasize the "human touch", I used paper texture and hand drawn illustration.
To better visualize the music and help the audience to enjoy the sound, I animated the car bounce and the hand-drawn background elements according to the beat of the track.
Technical Execution
I chose After Effects as the main tool for better control and potential in animation. To communicate the idea that Universal Music is more human, my challenge is to use digital tools to mimic hand-drawn stroke and cel animation. I accomplished those by exploring the roughness and wiggling values.
