In “Addictions,” screens explode with glitchy, vibrating textures and faces become deconstructed masses, propped up in fetish-like guises and interlaced movement. We’re witnessing the work of Paola Rocchetti, who sends over examples and showreels that easily qualify as this week’s animated inspiration. Her work extends from motion and animation into the more traditional realms of makeup, hair, and styling – essential elements into remaking the faces and corporeal material that makes up her visual aesthetic. (It’s significant that she also works with wigs.)
First, at top, “Addictions,” directed by Giovanni Bucci; Paola Rocchetti contributed animation, styling, and makeup. More info:
Addictions official page: http://www.giovannibucci.com/addictions.htm
This video is about addictions, mainly to technology, but it’s open to various interpretations.
Years ago the idea behind technology was to give people more free time from work and give us a better life. So nowadays, with the possibility for the majority of people to have access to electronics and hi tech, is it true that we have more spare time and a better quality of life? Or have we become addicted to the technology that surrounds us everyday and it has suck us into it? But humans get addicted really easily to a lot of things in life and this video is also a metaphor about addictions in general, about being manipulated without even realizing it or without reacting.
PROCESS:
This is an audio/visual project where sound and images were developed synchronically from the beginning and where one was guide to the other and vice-versa until final completion.In order to do this, for director Giovanni Bucci was very important to be involved with writing the track together with sound designer/music producer Marco Morano.
The team came up with the concept and started researching music and visuals that would suit the mood and atmosphere they wanted for the video, experimenting with sound, graphic styles and techniques.
To produce this project many different disciplines and elements were used: green screen, stop motion animation, filming with macro, editing, motion graphics, visual effects, styling, make up, sound design.
In a promo for fetish diva Marnie Scarlet, the body becomes both fetish object and abstraction, mixed up with animated graphic elements. Rocchetti describes the subject, star, and costume designer as “renowned for her fabulously larger-than-life complex latex outfits and twistedly deviant shows.” Rocchetti recasts that in design and animation.
Some of Rocchetti’s work falls into more traditional motion graphics areas; I love the pacing of her showreel. And, since a motion graphics animator can’t live on fetish promos alone, there’s plenty of commercial work. (Well, I’ll leave you to consider the fetish element in advertising.) Have a look:
Software: After Effects, C4D, Flash, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere.
Music by: Risqué – I want your number – www.risquemusic.com
Rocchetti is now LA- (and London-) based, having moved from Rome. More:
http://www.urdigital.net/40942/about
http://www.urdigital.net/