Weight of Spirits

Here's quick look at some process on some graphics which needed to be turned around quickly.

This was for the National Geographic documentary "Moment of Death".

It starts with a script or in documentary terms a "paper cut".

this is for another part of the show, but you get the idea

From this we do our storyboards.

the boards are developed after in depth discussion and research

We had a design style in mind. One that would be too costly and time consuming to animate, so we decided to do it in more of a cut-out style.

Christina Riley drew up a bunch of parts and positions.

This technique doesn't require registration, or all that much drawing.  Scaling and position is done digitally.

Since the opening shot involved compositing a crane move, we had to draw several backgrounds.

we printed out maybe 20  frames to match to

note how these are registered and numbered just like real animation

At one point Mark Mannucci, the documentary's director, wanted an establishing shot.

this scene was eventually cut

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“We have passed beyond the absurd; our position is absolutely preposterous.”

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And and amazing essay in art and words by Maira Kalman.

from the NY Times

The content of this piece is remarkable.  Smart.  Funny.  The form isn't there yet, you have to scroll down a long page like reading an olde tyme edict or Roman conscription.

The art is alive, the writing and observations are moving -ironically the presentation is placid.

Perhaps its an example of "old" media, newspapers, trying to adapt to new media.  The New York Times, though, thinks it can make this new fit into its own preconceptions -too stubborn to realize its perspective and presentation are rapidly becoming antique.