DEEP GLOW
Role: Animation & Music
Client: Plugin Everything
Created: 2024
The team at Plugin Everything reached out to me to create a promotional video using their latest plugin, Deep Glow Two. The video is a fictional Cybercult initiation video inspired by cybersect aesthetics like SCRATCH from Cowboy Bebop. Followers of the group have their souls digitized and beamed out into the universe via satellites, allowing them to escape a dying earth and drift into the infinity of space in search of a distant nirvana in the stars. Special thanks to James Whiffin for bringing me on board and showing me how to use the unique plugin.
CONTENT GENERATION
The content for this piece was created using a wide array of software and techniques. The figure at the beginning was created using UnrealEngine 5 and their metahumans plugin. The figure was controlled in realtime using the Live Link Face app. Several other scenes were designed in Cinema4D and output using the Octane render engine. The space nebulas and neurons were created by running noise patterns from Adobe AfterEffects through Stable Diffusion. In the case of the nebulas, multiple noise patterns were processed through stable diffusion to create several layers that could be stacked in 3D space using Cinema4D.
LASER PROCESSING
An added layer of laser graphics were filmed to create another element referencing vintage monitors. The graphics were first rendered from AfterEffects and imported into Madmapper software, which output them in laser form using the Madlaser extension. A 2.5w Lasercube was used for the output and the results were filmed on a BMPC 6K camera before being layered back on top of the original edit in AfterEffects.
DEEP GLOW EFFECTS
A special parameter of the Deep Glow 2 plugin is the ability to use images as iris textures. Several variations of flashlights refracting through glass objects were photographed to create a library of textures. Each of the light refractions creates a unique glow shape when run through the Deep Glow plugin. All of the textures photographed for this project are included with a download of the plugin.
GLITCH & POST EFFECTS
A final layer of glitch was added to the piece using the BPMC HDK-01 Module. The entire edit was output via HDMI to the module and filmed on a high-resolution 4K monitor. The HDK-01 creates a wide variety of detailed noise effects and hyper-detailed patterns that brought a unique flavor to the final piece. A CRT television texture was overlayed in AfterEffects on the entire edit to give it a classic retro 90’s feel.
CREDITS
Animation & Music: Peter Clark
Plugin Support: James Whiffin