Motionographer® Track Exploder: Wait For It

Track Exploder is a Netflix documentary sequence primarily based on the critically acclaimed podcast from Hrishikesh Hirway, the place musicians “take aside their songs, and piece by piece, inform the story of how they have been made.”

In episode 2, Lin Manuel Miranda, creator of the record-breaking musical Hamilton, breaks down one of many present’s most recognizable hits, Wait For It.

I had labored with Tremolo Productions earlier than after I contributed to “Shangri-la” for Showtime.

I made an animated sequence through the musician Nils Frahm’s section.

This was the start line for the “Track Exploder” undertaking.

At first, I didn’t have a lot to work with. It’s a stay present, and I think about that the rights of the stay efficiency captured have been Disney+’s property, so I used to be pressured to begin this undertaking guerilla fashion.

At first, I searched on-line for the efficiency and display screen captured them on fast time; then I rotoscope them to create the fabric I may work with.

The following element was typography.

It was a pure alternative because it’s a track, and sort animation is a cost-effective materials to fill the time and house.

Combining these 2 components, I put collectively a 10-second take a look at animation.

Then I made a comp in After Results with the lyrics damaged down right into a timeline so I may piece all of it collectively.

This allowed me to dam out which part must be typography to punctuate the lyrics and which must be different supplies (or typically each).

Within the meantime, the fellows at Tremolo supplied extra reference supplies I may work with.

They filmed an actor dressed as Aaron Burr performing the track. With a mixture of extensive, center, and close-up photographs of varied actions, I ended up with loads to select from.

I then used the reference footage for rotoscoping.

I additionally included extra discovered footage from Hamilton.

In addition to utilizing my very own arms.

The track and its rhythm actually dictated the selection I made with the animation, and all the pieces got here fairly naturally.

This was one of many uncommon initiatives the place all the pieces went so easily that I’ve nothing however good recollections to look again on. The undertaking itself, the collaboration with Tremolo Productions, and the way it has been acquired.

In our discipline, you don’t all the time get to see your identify on the credit score, and I can’t assist however really feel humbled to be part of such an ideal undertaking and see my identify on the finish of the present.

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