One In Seven Billion
ANIMATED TYPOGRAPHY SHORT
One In Seven Billion is a typography-driven audiovisual project that takes the perspective of someone’s engagement with the inferiority complex. The goal for the project is to identify with this concept in a way where we acknowledge that we are both insignificant in magnitude, but undoubtedly important in the world.
Full project analysis - http://www.jberkstudio.com/oisb
Creative Direction
Inferiority is a concept that most people, including myself, tend to deal with for quite a long time. Though some people may have the ability to disregard feelings of insignificance, we all subconsciously measure ourselves for different reasons. An individual in the world of seven billion people; one dimly lit star hidden amongst a myriad others. This “insignificance” hinders us from realizing how much we contribute to the world. We strive to come to terms with the expectations of our peers, parents, loved ones, role models and by default the society and cultural norms in which we live. Choose to fit in and you become unoriginal, but choose to stand out and you feel somehow out of place. There are two great realities within this project: yes, you are simply a speck in the grand orchestra of life, but also that your uniqueness is a result of this. You are that singular standard that has a right to shine in the world.
The mind is a limitless spatial environment, hosting layers upon layers of consciousness. The project is divided into seven layers strung together as a thought process. Each of these layers, represent how inferiority is perceived from acknowledgement to realization: absence of thought, acknowledgement, interpretation, implication, sinking in, acceptance and appreciation.
Art Direction
Black and white, being the highest form of contrast, was instrumental in communicating the comparative thesis behind my project. When distressed, we often cannot control what we think of, thus one fleeting thought leads to the next. In order to communicate this, I animated typography with techniques that represent a train of thought; playing the role of the persona. The music and sound design played a critical role in keeping the viewer engaged emotionally throughout the piece, this is where the exceptionally talented Henrik Jose came in. By utilizing shakes and environmental sounds, we were able to mesh it all into an audiovisual experience. Most of my illustrations are flawed and dusty as markers of human flaw and authenticity. Ironically I discovered how attentive I was to my own mistakes within my work. As I was making revisions, I distanced myself from a ‘perfectionist’ mentality, leaving certain design flaws in order to show the genuine nature of my process. I preferred using a wider composition so that the viewer felt more immersed into the project, based on the psychological principle of “flow”. The wider composition lends itself for greater focus, and engagement with the content.
Credit
Design/Animation - Joash Berkeley
Music/Sound - Henrik Jose
Writing - Alex Wiggins and Joash Berkeley
Voice - Viktor Rodriguez
Recording Professional - Antony Lawrence
Intro Hand Lettering - Eugene De Guzman
Special Thanks
Duff Yong (Professor), Christina Maloney (Professor), Chris Salvador, Amy Wallace, Antony Lawrence, Sekani Solomon, Timothy Skinner, Sarah Beth Hulver, Ariel Costa (Blink My Brain), Kenny Kerut, Sabrina Rose Woolhiser, MOMELOVE department of the Savannah College of Art & Design; and of course, my family for their continued support.
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