Revolutionizing Music Videos: Jonathan Chong's "Magnetic"

3D Printing and Stop-Motion Animation Merge in an Award-Winning Design

Chong was inspired by Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" music video but aimed to push the boundaries further by incorporating modern technologies. The video features a 3D printed bust of musician Dan Sultan, which transforms throughout the video, creating a "living work of art". The project took two months to complete, involving over 60 individual 3D printed pieces and more than 2700 photos.

The creation process began with a 3D scan of Sultan's head and face, from which a 30cm high bust was printed. The bust was designed with a movable head and replaceable mouth and eye pieces to enable a full range of facial expressions and movements. Eleven phonemes, or units of sound in speech, were also printed to form the words for lip syncing.

Chong faced several challenges during the production process. The most significant was the time constraint for printing all the 3D elements. This was overcome by utilizing five 3D printers simultaneously. Another challenge was finding the best method for attaching and swapping out the head of the printed bust. After testing several methods, a ball and socket joint proved to be the most effective solution.

Chong's team included Shawn Miller as the 3D animator, Christopher Langton as the 3D printer, and Sean Healy as the projection mapper. The video, shot on a Canon 5D MkII and edited using Dragonframe stop-motion software, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Maya, Agisoft PhotoScan, Millumin, VDMX, and Mocha Pro, has a duration of 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

The "Magnetic" music video is a testament to the power of innovation and creativity in art and design. It showcases how new technologies can be harnessed to create unique and engaging visual experiences. The Platinum A' Design Award recognizes this exceptional design that not only pushes the boundaries of art and technology but also contributes to societal well-being.