“Scab” by Long Island University
Conference:
Title:
- Scab
Director(s):
Company / Institution / Agency:
- Long Island University
Description:
“Scab” explores the emotional experience of repetitive trauma and the healing process with 3D animation, motion-captured dance, special effects, dissonant music, and direct audio triggering of visual elements. Conceived as an animated painting set to music, it employs the aesthetics of abstraction, noise, and dissonance.
Loosely referencing figures from video games, science fiction and science/fantasy films, and comic books, the piece uses the visual style of abstract painting with movement derived from contemporary dance. It is set to an experimental musical score that combines analog electronics by the late Lefferts Brown with dissonant and digitally processed guitar by Adam Caine.
Using the motion-capture studios at Long Island University’s ADAM Center, artist/animator Marjan Moghaddam worked with dancer/choreographer Yu-Chien Cheng to develop the improvised choreography and movement set to the musical score. The motion-capture data were processed and edited by J. Adam Noah. Moghaddam then modeled a series of characters made up of parts that were directly modulated by the music and choreographed by the motion-capture data. For the background, Moghaddam used painted elements that were then further audio modulated by particle systems. Using a dynamic cinéma vérité camera style and other cinematic influences, Moghaddam then staged the entire animation for the screen.
Using an experimental score and a full complement of visual styles and effects, Moghaddam aimed to viscerally capture and reconstruct the difficult emotional dialog of trauma and its resonance and iteration through subsequent experiences, processing, and healing.
Software:
Newtek Lightwave 9.3, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Newtek Aura,
Vicon Nexus, AutoDesk MotionBuilder, Digi Design, Pro Tools
Additional Contributors:
Director: Marjan Moghaddam
3D Modeling, Rendering, and Animation: Marjan Moghaddam
Motion Capture: J. Adam Noah
Dancer/Choreography: Yu-Chien Cheng
Music: Adam Caine, Lefferts Brown
Motion Capture Editing: J. Adam Noah, Yu Chien Cheng
Music Mix: Blake Skipper
Render Farm Rendering: Richard Hagen, Marjan Moghaddam
Acknowledgement: Motion capture courtesy of the cotion Capture studios at the ADAM Center, Long Island University, Daniel Durning.
