Music: Spanish director Joan Guasch has used 3D mapping and animation to distort and transform images of a man and woman in Delorean's music video for Crystals (+ movie).
The video focuses on the two characters who appear to have had a breakdown in their relationship. Their silhouettes morph to create psychedelic imagery as the clip progresses.
"The storyline is about the different stages in a relationship, from the first contact to crisis and reconciliation," Guasch told Dezeen. "I wanted to explore non-rational feelings that we have to deal with when we are in a relationship."
Guasch created the video with 3D mapping – taking 2,500 pictures of the two characters in a studio, then creating 3D digital models from the images. Surfaces such as stones and asphalt were also scanned and incorporated as textured graphics during post-production.
"Human scans were composited with more elements to create a collage that transmits those metaphors," Guasch told Dezeen. "I was very focused on creating digital compositions but in a more organic perspective."
"Once I prepared and animated the 3D scenes, I composed everything in post-production to give it the final look."
The video was animated using Cinema 4D modelling software and edited using reference frames – compressed images that anchor and define each section of the animation. Guasch divided the song into 10 sequences.
"The main animations were very basic, such as position, rotation and camera movements," said Guasch.
The Spanish alternative dance band chose Guasch for the project as they were fans of the previous videos he had directed.
"Delorean gave me a first idea that was playing with psychedelic imagery," Guasch told Dezeen. "They wanted to create a highly creative and abstract video."
Guasch spent two weeks on pre-production and then an "intense" month of composition and production, working alongside a photographer, a 3D animator and another 3D imaging specialist.
The video draws influences from the aesthetics of early computer-generated imagery (CGI), internet art and 1990s graphic design.
"In this music video I wanted to experiment with 3D scanning, but in a new creative way," Guasch told Dezeen. "I liked the idea of treating the 3D models as digital sculptures, even taking in consideration the random errors produced by the same technique."
London-based 3D-scanning company ScanLAB has also experimented with the mistakes and glitches made by digital equipment, curating an exhibition of images and videos that highlight this digital "noise".
Delorean's track Crystal was released as a one-off single through the band's own record label PHLEX.