As I got the music track quite late, unfortunately I was not able to finish the whole animation in time for the hand in. However I’ve put together a couple of renders so that one may get and idea of what the final project will look like. There are still changes I would like to make, like as you pass the transparent screen, it will display information etc.

I shall keep working on it and post it upon completion.

The images visualy represent our idea. We plan to have an online sampler where the user can select any of the songs froma track list at the bottom of the screen. Depending on which song is selected a visualisation will begin to play in the center of the screen. The visuals that appear will react to the music generativly. This means that it happens in real time and for every viewing the outcome will be slightly different.

Here is an example of the track hit the ground by the big pink. It shows pink dips against a textured background. We scipted an example in processing but the drips advance in time with the beat and over time fade out to created a layered effect. As the song progresses more bit would appear. Splats and other paint related things which would generate from other bits of the song. We decided to use paint dripping in this example as their current album features drips, their website is covered in drips and on their tumblr they have alot of graffiti images.

Here is another example of a twin shadows song. For this we used lots of layered textures which would appear slowly over time and move/manipulate in time with teh song. Again this would be generative so for each user the end result would be different. We like the layered textures theme and think it would suit the label/artists if used generally. We noticed on the 4AD website they have used alot of textures and textured effects as well as in music videos. I think if the time and effort was put into scripting it properly, it could produce something really nice to look at.

At the top right of the screen we also have a download button. Upon click it would give the user the option to download the song artwork, the track or the whole sampler.

In the center we have the song information. This stays for the duration of the song. The idea is that once the song has finished the user can choose to save out the image as a track cover (cd cover) artwork. This would mean that after the experience the user would have something to keep. If printed it would also could be a pyhsical object. As the visuals are generative, for each user the end result would also be unique. This would be benifitial as upon every listen the user could obtain something different and people could blog their pictures and generally could be quite popular.

Title of your Project: Self-Assembly Line

Field of Study | Describe your chosen subject area and your
particular themes.
I plan to explore how 3D animation events can be synced with audio sound effects. This will be situated around a robot creating, self-assembly line in which AI has given machinery a life of their own. Robots building robots.

Design Focus/Question/Problem/Proposition | Identify your
design focus/question/problem/proposition.
I propose to collaborate with a digital audio producer to explore how audio and visual can be combined. Using relevant sound effects he will be able to create an music track which coincides with my animation to create audio synced events.

Context | What is the wider social, cultural, historical, economic
context for your project.
The relationship between sound and vision, re-purposing of technology, Cyber theory, possible dystopia.

Rationale | Why is project important to you and to Graphic
Design: New Media
After viewing animations which use the same concept, (Printer Jam/ Instrumental Video 9). I’m interested in how they make the videos as well as the collaboration involved. I believe it can create a lot of energy and be very visually entertaining. I’ve experimented with audio synced animation events before but without a collaboration partner I’ve had to create the audio as well. This has been the downside as I’m no audio producer. Therefore a good collaboration should give me a strong audio track to work with to create my visuals.

Methods | Describe how you are planning to carry out your
project.
As the animation events need to be synced with the audio it is important that I have the audio piece finished as soon as possible. Therefore I will meet with my collaboration partner and explain what sort of ideas I have about the project; this will give him an idea of the sort of music track that would be fitting. Following that I plan to collect sound effects that will relate to the sounds of machinery. These I will collect from sound FX libraries as well as procuring myself. Using these he can turn them into a track which will suit the animation.

Skills Evidence | Describe the practical and theoretical skills
necessary to carry out the project.
Manipulation of audio recordings. Knowledge of the appropriate
software packages to visualize outcomes (3Ds MAX / After Effects). An understanding of theories related to visualizing sound. Knowledge of Cyber theory.

Predicted Resolutions | Describe what you are working towards
producing.
I am working towards an animation featuring a self-assembly line which creates a robot. The scene is set in a futuristic factory where AI has manifested itself and robots are building themselves. The animation is based around a conveyor belt which takes the viewer on a journey along the production line. The robot will start off as a basic object but after much manipulation by mechanical arms, welders and presses, it will take form as a robot. I plan for the end scene to be of it “awakening”. As the machinery animates, this will correspond to the sound effects in my collaboration partners audio track. Bibliography | Use the Harvard Method to compile your
references.
Audiovisuology: See This Sound: An Interdisciplinary Survey of Audiovisual Culture. Daniels (Editor), Sandra Naumann (Editor), Jan Thoben (Editor)
Instrumental video nine. http://vimeo.com/9800754. BEEPLE . (2010).
Printer Jam . http://vimeo.com/3268141. Hospital records. Tin Spider. (2009).
Resonance. http://vimeo.com/25186640. (2011).
Signal. http://vimeo.com/29642342. Maxim Zhestkov. (2011).
Artificial Paradice, Inc. http://vimeo.com/6132324. J P Frenay .(2010).
Portal 2. Valve. (2011).
Star-wars: Attack of the clones. Self-Assembly line scene. Directed by George Lucas. (2002).
The Matrix. Directed by Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski . (1999).

Plan of Work | Propose a plan of work to show how you will
achieve your project, week by week and day by day.
Week1: Initial meetings and exchange of ideas.
Week2: Recording/obtaining relevant sound effects.
Week3: Start creating the machinery objects in 3D.
Week4: Make a rough time line of the animation.
Week5: Begin syncing music events to animation events.
Week6: Set up cameras/renders of 3D scenes / composite in After Effects.

Out of the tracks we decided that we liked the looks of the 2 song creted by the big pink. They are both quite diffrent but we think we could create some interesting visuals for them.
Before we started thinking about visuals we thought that we needed to reseach the band, what they are in to and where they get their inspiration. Therefore we looked at their page on 4AD, their own personal website and their tumblr account. Their tumblr account was particulary helpful as it is very visual and gives a good idea of what they are in to.

http://4ad.com/artists/thebigpink

http://musicfromthebigpink.com/

http://futurethis.tumblr.com/

On a basic level we gathered that their hipsters, not wanting to use a stereotype but it does sum them up pretty well. Their style features vintage aesthetics, alternative fashion, graffiti, Polaroids, laid back life, drugs and alcohol. They are nonconformist and individualistic.

Web Based visualization, unique for each song on sampler.

Generative program that would run to create cover art for each physical release making them all different (although probably not as we have to create something Digital).

Using imagery supplied by the bands or taken off their website?/Flickr/Twitter etc to create unique collage that can be viewed whilst listening to the songs.

Could use processes such as Fractals, Object Subdivision combined with open source technologies such as Processing etc to make prototyping easier.

As the animation plays out I had to decide what would be the end result. What are the robotic arms making? I decided that, as I was going for a futuristic artifical intelligence vibe, robots building robots would fit nicely. It plays upon all the distopian futuristic themes like the matrix where robots have outgrown humans and no longer need us. Therefore I created the robot below which would be the end result of the production line.

This is my first render, I looked towards Portal 2 and other references for inspiration.

Second render with transparent “armor” sections.

I had to build it in a way that would allow for it to be taken apart and then put back together. This was crucial so that the machines could interact with it as it traverses the production line.

Wiki definition of a music sampler:
A sampler is a type of compilation album generally offered at a reduced price to showcase a selection of artists signed to a particular record label. The format became popular in the late 1960s as record labels sought to promote artists whose work was primarily available in album rather than single format, and therefore had little opportunity to gain exposure through singles-dominated radio airplay. Most samplers showcased already-released material so that as well as sampling the artist they sampled the albums from which the tracks were drawn

Bjork created this as an app to feature 10 interactive pieces of work. She collaborated with a series of artists, instrument makers, scientists and others; the idea was creating visial representations of how she felt about each song.

http://www.creativeapplications.net/iphone/bjork-biophilia-virus-iphone-ipad-sound/

This article explains where the concept for the song virus came from/

I think this a really interesting way of representing her album, a similar thing could be prodiced for 4AD.

Arron Koblin

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

I thought tthis was a good example of mixing an audio track with generative art presented through a web browser. It works well as a promotional tool and deffinatly gives the song hype. Although its’s not something we could pull off in the time limit, its something to think about

This was another great interactive video done by Koblin. It gets the user involved and curious about the work and draws more attention to the song rather than just watching and listening

I wanted to look at what all the animation would look like in motion. Up to now I had done plenty still renders but i wanted to look at how the contor lines and movements would work. I like how it is going so far, once I get the final song track I shall start animating it all properly to the time of the music.