Stickman Animation

Analysis:

0:10 - 0:17 Drawing the stickman: Simple elevator music melody

0:17-0:32 Selecting difficulty for the stickman: Progressing dramatic and evil music as difficulty is turned up.
0:32-0:53 Stickman showing his power: Main epic chorus

0:53-0:55 Matrix sequence: Same chorus but slowed way down for this bit.

0:55-1:06 Stickman defeats the screen and moves to desktop: Tease viewer to watch sequel.

Curatorial Statement:

My goal for this clip is to use a series of artistically interesting sounds to depict a storyline that consists of a beginning, buildup, and climax, all the while paying attention to small sound effect details and incorporating them along with original music.  

Process:

I initially began by watching the video clip with its sound effects on (There's no background music), and imagined what the sound for the clip will play out. I then found example samples that I thought fit the mood, then I created my own composition of sounds, some based mostly on other samples, but quite original. I made my own patches for a lot of the instruments and modified a lot of timing and EQ. The results was a sequence of multilayered midi sound clips that I have made to give the video higher dimensionality.

Feedback: Looking at my feedback I was able to find a direction to go off in. During my review with Daragh I was led to retro video game music for the beginning, and certain comments along with my own vision led me to the epic battle chorus which I midi-ed for.

Composition: I followed my analysis quite strictly, and felt objective-wise it was quite successful. I was able to create the playful yet tranquil melody in the beginning, the suspense with the Jaws rhythm, and epic battle theme, which was hard to create the feel without a full orchestra. The main composition success I think is how I used the original sound effects into the composition. I also added some original sound effects such as the matrix sequence. I matched the typing to my themes, and certain parts like the flame bursting to reflect the beat drop, and more importantly the battle theme's end, which leaves a note out so the viewer is looking for something more, and the sound effect from the window cracking fits right into that rhythm, giving the viewer a sense that the fight is unfinished, and will be shown in a future sequel. Although this method was not mentioned in our last class, I have seen numerous examples in popular trailers that I felt would fit my piece the most, since the fight continues afters in another scene.

Research: I did a lot of listening to retro video game music as well as modern instrumentals I encountered in the past. I also listened to hours of epic themes on youtube.

Constraint: The only sound effects I used directly are the Jaws sound clip "dun-dun", which I editted down to fit strictly into my video and its sound effects, and the sound effects that already came with the video. And I got permission to do this as long as I credited them.

Critical Reflection:
Since I was working with so many different types of sounds, making them fit all in the same tempo and key was very difficult. Since I played almost all my sound using a synthesizer piano, I had trouble keeping everything in precise measures. This is a pretty apparent flaw in my clip if you pay a bit of attention. Also even though I know a lot of melodies that I built off upon, creating the accompany chords and drums were also quite a challenge. Again, I do believe I have fulfilled my objectives: to help tell the story of the video through sound, though probably this wasn't the best sounding music composition I've made. And also I closely had my sounds correspond to the individual frames of the video. Responding to it now I overall have quite a sense of achievement completing the project, and utilizing all the tools we have gone over the semester, but definitely see places where I need more work. Before the semester, if I saw this project I probably wouldn't of appreciated it that much as we are desensitized by all the commercials and trailers and I had no idea sound design is so multidimensional where it takes so much effort to create each chord, accompaniment, vocals.

Logic file: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a2wy2b9nzet4id9/AAA1MxYMl31SDdOWV794Gq9oa?dl=0