PARAMOUNT X GIPHY ARTS
Paramount x GIPHY Arts — Promotional Animation Series
In late 2023 I was approached by Paramount Pictures for a freelance project. They were looking for Jamaican-born artists to create looping GIF animations for Paramount’s "Bob Marley: One Love" campaign in collaboration with GIPHY Arts.
The approach was unexpected and the turnaround was quick (< 2 weeks) but I immediately said yes and started thinking about how I would be approaching this in a way that was visually appealing yet not too technically involved so that I could deliver good work on time.
I took on everything from concept exploration to final animation, using Photoshop and After Effects to build graphic expressive loops that matched the film’s vibe and held its own appeal nicely.
It was a quick succession of idea to sketch to motion sketch to next idea and once all ideas had enough of an appeal on their own I moved into refinement and polish.
As a very workflows oriented person I've of course had time to think about the work I did and tools I've learned/invested in since submission that I'd incorporate into the process next time I'm given an opportunity like this, but that said both myself and the client were very happy with the delivery.
The final GIFs were released as part of the film’s digital marketing strategy.
KEYFRAMED
Done in After Effects
Cavalry is really Cool!
I recently started exploring Cavalry, partly because it’s highlighted for this apprenticeship I saw last week (11.14) and partly out of genuine curiosity.
Oddly enough I had just heard about cavalry a week before I saw the apprenticeship posting and had already started saving tutorials because I heard of the way it suits motion graphics which I wanted to get back into more. When I saw the apprenticeship on LinkedIn it felt too serendipitous! I immediately got to work. I went online and did some research and did a few cursory self-directed projects and took detailed notes along the way.
It didn’t take long for the workflow to click with me and for me viscerally feel how many answers this program gives the problems that After effects has with streamlining motion graphic workflows, some of which I didn't even know were problems! Cavalry’s node-based structure gives me a level of flexibility and clarity that I don’t get in AE's more general, layer-driven interface. It’s easier to iterate, adjust, and push ideas without wrestling the software, which makes the whole process feel more intuitive and expressive.
I did the mini projects because I didn't want to take too long to apply for this but working quickly like this helped me understand where Cavalry really shines: in how cleanly it handles motion, how quickly I can test visual ideas, and how open the system feels when I’m trying to land on a specific look or appeal, almost like a sandbox of behaviours and easings and effects that I can feel out much more instinctively. It’s already becoming a tool I’m excited to discover more and use more deeply in different workflows.
I also took it as an opportunity to use 3D more. I started using 3D (Blender) in grad school for my thesis film and found that it's not scary like how some of my other 2D comtemporaries have framed it. It's actually given me a lot of excitement and resolve to deepen my capacity for hybrid animation, which broadens my capacity and love for experimental animation.
I also took it as an opportunity to use 3D more. I started using 3D (Blender) in grad school for my thesis film and found that it's not scary like how some of my other 2D comtemporaries have framed it. It's actually given me a lot of excitement and resolve to deepen my capacity for hybrid animation, which broadens my capacity and love for experimental animation.