Concert Animations

First full-length animation. Rendered in POVray

Second Thoughts was composed in 2000. The work is in three sections, the first two of which dominate the form. The opening section explores the inside of a virtual object and depicts many of the surfaces and textures found therein. The second section moves into 3D space and presents different perspectives of the initial object, as well as adding a number of new elements that derive their form from the elements in the opening. The short, third section is a recap of the first and adds several minor variations to it. The music contributes an emotive element as well as an added layer of continuity to the piece.

Like previous works by this author, all visual elements were scripted using the POVray scene description language; no special effects or plug-ins were used. The musical material derives from both synthetic and acoustic sound sources.

The title refers to the surface quality of an object as identified in a Russian modernist treatise on important characteristics of a painting. The imagery was created using morphing isosurfaces in POVray.

Vis a Vis (2002) is a mixed-media artwork that combines synthetic music and images. The two media share a number of governing principles, both technical and formal. For example, the technique of convolution, in which two sounds or images are “blended” in imaginative ways, is used throughout the piece. The work is structured through the varied repetition of elements of both media that are introduced at the opening.

Vis a Vis is in three distinct sections of approximately equal length. Each section introduces its own unique elements while developing material that preceded it. The POVray scene description language was used to generate the images, and the Acoustic Mirror plug-in was used for the music. Final compositing of the music and pictures occurred in Adobe Premiere.

Pursuit
Reflect
Release

Circles and Rounds explores a variety of circular paths, processes and forms within a virtual environment. The work is in four sections and is unified by recurring visual and musical elements. All images were created with Maxon Cinema 4D, and the music was composed using a variety of tools, including Native Instruments Reaktor and Applied-Acoustics Tassman.

White Noise is a fast-paced work in which the flow of events is constantly disrupted. The title stems both from the use of noise as a means to generate the visual and musical elements, as well as to highlight the color palette in the central section of the piece. White Noise is characterized by constantly shifting perspectives and abrupt juxtaposition of elements.

The overall continuity of the work is governed by the formal design of the music, which was composed in its entirety before the images were created. The abrupt, shifting phrasing in the music guides the flow of events.

White Noise was created with Maxon’s Cinema 4D 3D modeling software using a variety of custom processes developed by this author. Among these is the use of parameters drawn from sequences of preexisting bitmap images to deform the geometry of basic primitive objects.

The musical score relies on waveshaping, often extreme, as the principal sound generating and processing method. Several custom Ensembles were created for this purpose using Native Instruments Reaktor software.

Echoing Spaces (2009) is an nine-minute work for single-channel video and stereo audio. The work explores a number of virtual environments in which the primary elements recur (echo) both in immediate succession and at different times throughout the piece, always in varied form. The visual imagery employs a number of similarly shaped elements that appear in overlapping, morphing configurations, and the restricted color palette helps maintain a focus on the primary objects.

The music of Echoing Spaces was created using a variety of modern techniques including convolution and physical modeling. The quasi-tonal context adds an additional layer of continuity to the work.

Lines of Force is an eight-minute work for single-channel video and stereo audio. The work is driven by multiple simultaneously threads of continuity that appear in both the visual and musical material. Among these are the color palettes, for example, the contrast between the complementary pairs reddish-brown and blue, which is played out over the course of the work. The main threads are occasionally interrupted by secondary events that add tension and contrast to the piece. Amorphous, often nearly geometric shapes and repeating rhythmic motives also recur in varied repetition. The entire music score was written before the imagery, which helps provide a unified formal design.

variations (2015) is a set of short sketches, each loosely derived from the opening sequence. The work simulates mechanical-drawing techniques to generate the base imagery, which is then processed in various ways. The music, also by this author, adds an affective element to the work.

R.G.B: 3 Chromatic Studies
(2014)
RT; 6' 30"

The end is near. Dance until the finale...

Echoing Spaces is a nine-minute work for single-channel video and stereo audio. The work explores a number of virtual environments in which the primary elements recur (echo) both in immediate succession and at different times throughout the piece, always in varied form. The visual imagery employs a number of similarly shaped elements that appear in overlapping, morphing configurations.

fine art animation
Music and images by Dennis H. Miller

point.line.plane is a series of three studies that was motivated by Kandinsky's treatise of the same (similar) name. Each of the three uses a single process for generating the imagery. The music for the studies adds an affective layer and contributes a spatial/ambient dimension and was created using a variety of modern sound-synthesis techniques including granular synthesis and convolution.
(Thanks to the developers of X-Particles for use of a model used to generate the first study. http://www.x-particle.com/ )