Covid Loop
A contagious virus shows us just how connected we truly are. Each panel of the comic is a vignette – separate locations linked through character contagion. The animation ultimately forms a loop for the next wave to begin.
A contagious virus shows us just how connected we truly are. Each panel of the comic is a vignette – separate locations linked through character contagion. The animation ultimately forms a loop for the next wave to begin.
Process:
Creating a micro-world with its own set of rules helped determine narrative and action. The comic strip is a self-imposed limitation. With these hard boundaries in place, the characters could “break the rules” – flow between panels and take control of their frames. Ex. the lifter uses the comic divider for weight lifting, the punk’s frame turns into a phone, etc.
Creating a micro-world with its own set of rules helped determine narrative and action. The comic strip is a self-imposed limitation. With these hard boundaries in place, the characters could “break the rules” – flow between panels and take control of their frames. Ex. the lifter uses the comic divider for weight lifting, the punk’s frame turns into a phone, etc.
During the animatic phase, I used a red square to keep track of where the main action was happening. Even when the viewer’s attention shifts to the next panel, the characters left in the “inactive scenes” keep themselves busy by sipping coffee, coughing, etc.
Breakdown of classroom scene
I wanted to have constant movement throughout the different panels, but not to distract from the main action, for example: paper plane. To avoid animating extra characters, the plane comes from a cheeky student off screen. The plane then reappears flying through a window, creating secret continuity between the panels.
These are the notes I gave John, who animated the paper plane:
Bird's eye view: I loved figuring out a simplifyed/graphic way of stylizing people from bird's eye view, but animating the teacher and students from bird's eye view was quite a challenge. That's where my friend Arthur Guttilla's animation wizardry came in.
Adding flair: green explosions, sparks, puffs
Towards the end of the project I asked friends for feedback, and was told that people aren’t noticing the green Covid-contamination-wave passing through the characters. So I added a bunch of sparks that draw attention to the moments of contact. Like when the hands high five, or when the trainer touches the infected barbell. Arjun, who did the sound design, added xylophone sounds every time a character got infected.
Breakdown of the "weightlifter / punk singer" scene:
Coffeeshop Scene
Music:
Micha created the music track and used the repetitive sound of the heart rate monitor as the musical backbone and layered goovy synth, bass and drums on top. Micha masterfully tweaked the music between every frame (techno in the gym, experimental heavy metal in the concert). The lighthearted track gradually strips away until we are left with the lone heart rate monitor.
Micha created the music track and used the repetitive sound of the heart rate monitor as the musical backbone and layered goovy synth, bass and drums on top. Micha masterfully tweaked the music between every frame (techno in the gym, experimental heavy metal in the concert). The lighthearted track gradually strips away until we are left with the lone heart rate monitor.
Credits:
Story, Illustration, Direction: Yuval Haker
Animation: Arthur Guttilla, John McColgan, Yuval Haker
Music: Micha Gilad
Sound Design: Arjun Sheth
Story, Illustration, Direction: Yuval Haker
Animation: Arthur Guttilla, John McColgan, Yuval Haker
Music: Micha Gilad
Sound Design: Arjun Sheth
