Overview
For this visual design project, I was tasked with producing a short film in three parts, each focused on expressing the qualities of lines, circles, and squares. The challenge was to convey the unique characteristics of these geometric shapes through motion, creating a visual journey that reflected their primal and abstract qualities.
This project provided me with an opportunity to blend my design skills with my background in opera. I composed and performed the music soundtrack for the video, which enhanced the narrative of the moving shapes. Inspired by the works of Oskar Fischinger, I took a natural, minimalistic approach, letting the shapes and the music guide the viewer’s experience.
Process & Development
The creation of "Line, Circle, Square" began with rough sketches and notes to establish the flow of the video. I started by storyboarding the movement and interaction of each geometric shape—lines, circles, and squares—on paper, ensuring that their visual progression was intuitive and rhythmic. These initial sketches formed the backbone of the video’s structure.
For the music and sound design, I experimented with a variety of sounds to complement the visual motion. I plucked a guitar string, not only to create sound and motion but also to visually represent the string’s vibrations, which I incorporated into the video itself. In addition, I recorded ambient sounds such as the turning of a bicycle wheel, rainfall, and a London train (captured while I was on the train). These raw recordings were later transformed into audio elements and integrated into the film’s structure, including the train's rhythmic movement.
All of the footage I filmed, including the natural environment and the audio recordings, was reimagined and transformed into the visual language of lines, circles, and squares. This process allowed for a deep connection between the physical world and the abstract forms, creating a rich, immersive experience that merged both sound and visuals.
Additionally, I used my operatic voice to create long, sustained phrases with a primal tone, adding emotional depth to the geometric motion. The combination of sounds, music, and shapes created a cohesive and sensory journey for the viewer, described by one as "so beautiful and hypnotic."
Conceptual notes outlining the timing, transitions, and the integration of recorded sounds into the video.
Recognition
"Line, Circle, Square" was chosen to be featured at the International Students' Moving Type Festival in Warsaw. The video was showcased at Cinema Muranów and the Polish-Japanese Institute of Information Technology, judged by a jury of international specialists, including prof. Anja Stöffler, prof. Ralf Dringenberg, and prof. Jan Kubasiewicz.
