Hasta La Motion!

Sydney-based Patrick Clair has made a name for himself pushing visual communication to the next level. His infographic dissecting the nature and ramifications of Stuxnet went viral (no pun intended), with millions of views and diverse screenings in both art/design circles and military presentations.

Clair has started a studio called Antibody that specializes in translating dense, abstract topics into exciting and accessible videos. Recently, Antibody worked with Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment to create the launch trailer for their new multiplayer online shooter rpg, Tom Clancy’s The Division.

Together, they created a script that blended fact with fiction. Real world elements, such as the 2001 Dark Winter simulation and the 2007 Directive 51 laws implemented by President Bush, were combined with a hypothetical scenario encompassing bioterror strikes, a flu pandemic and subsequent economic collapse.

In a time when the industry at large seems wary and economically less than stable, it’s great to see Clair and Antibody moving boldly forward, identifying and focusing on their unique voice. Patrick was kind enough to share a few words with us:

With traditional production models evolving rapidly, this feels like the right time for motion designers to be striking into new territories and becoming content producers in their own right. With formats and funding models changing constantly, there’s many opportunities for motion design studios to produce narrative entertainment, factual storytelling and informational productions for a variety of different platforms.

Communication, clarity and impact on the viewer. These are the things that should drive every design decision. Story is crucial, aesthetics come afterwards.

I guess that the most important thing is not to get lost in the details, it’s easy to get hypnotized by the complexity of graphics production and the ambition of achieving certain effects.

The best videos are always the simplest. Ultimately, motion graphics is all about focus and flow.

Here’s hoping that more studios can follow their lead and work on intellectual property in addition to creating graphics.

Client: Ubisoft / Massive Entertainment Sweden
Directed by Patrick Clair
Produced by Antibody

Creative Director: Patrick Clair
Design Director: Phil Robson
3d Modeling & Animation: Tim Clapham via Luxx
Motion Design & Art Direction: Eddy Herringson
Motion Design & Grading: Raoul Marks
Additional 3d Modeling: Matthew Grainger
Compositing: Daniel Symons

Many Thanks To Tommy, Yannick, Eric And All The Wonderful Folk At Ubisoft International And Massive For Their Tireless Support And Creative Inspiration.

Posted on Motionographer