Merc Lady
Dunedin-based band Merc Lady were looking for a creative way to promote their newly released music. The objective of this project was to provide the band with an animated music video to go with their newly released single, in hope to bring hype and attention to the band. Their aesthetic is organic, authentic and raw, so I wanted to express and heighten the experience of this throughout the video. The song offers a strong, chaotic and rhythmic feel that excites the listener. I wanted to visualise the intensity and excitement of the song by using bold colours, quick scenes and abstract imagery.
I began by developing characters that reflected the band members. I decided not to use my tried and trusted methods but chose a more organic and analogue style that would better interpret the band and their music. I immersed myself in finding how different materials would work within the film and how they could be expressed. The materials included were clay, ink, paint, plastics, cardboard, crayons, felts and digital imagery.
This film also represents my desire to explore mediums, mixing modern techniques with those used in early 20th Century animations. There was an extensive research stage, developing skills in stop motion and software training. The hours that were put in the project were immense, working across analogue and digital animation. The film was a revelation, as it gave me the confidence and belief that I could pursue a career in music video production and animation.
The judges of the Best Design Awards described Cameron's project as bold and fresh, adding: “Great use of stop-motion and a riot of colour come together to create a memorable and original piece of animation.”