ShapeShifter

ShapeShifter from Charlex on Vimeo.

A beautiful piece right here.

The first time I saw this I was captivated by its flawlessness and beauty. Everything works in harmony with each other, the music is in perfect timing with the whole piece, it picks up speed and tempo in just the right places. The transformations between each stage are executed seamlessly; nothing looks out of place, it all flows into one another really well, an example of this is the way the pieces hit the floor then transform into the animal whilst it runs. I find that it's very effective and shows the movements have been careful thought about and created, everything looks really natural.

Even though it is all CG there is a really good balance between the artificial pieces of the car and natural landscape. There are parts where everything slows down where you can just appreciate it all, you notice all the textures and details, the specific movements.

I keep watching this over and over again, never getting bored with it. Each time I watch it again, I find new things I didn't see before. I've noticed how the words are in perfect timing with the piece, for example when 'majesty' is spoken, at that point the fish is transforming into an eagle - a majestic creature. How the forest grows along with the deer as they run and even though the movement through the scene is really fast, no detail has been spared; you can get a glimpse of flowers emerging from the grass as you pass it.

The lighting plays a big part in any animation and in this, for me, it's spot on. It takes you on a journey from the night to the early sunrise. Throughout each scene the light sets the atmosphere and highlights specific things, in the ocean especially, the light reflects off the metal pieces which draw your eye to it. Everything created is so elegant and beautiful. From the animals to the landscapes to the small detailing of the car parts, it has all been exquisitely done.