Kindredblack is high end fragrance brand that celebrates slow beauty. The highlight of their fragrances are the handcrafted bottles that have a forever antique feeling. Our goal is to highlight their nostalgia and spread awareness for their brand.
product branding
Software - After Effects
collaboration - Kiu Cheung
Dimensions - 1x 1920 x 1080 and 3x 1080 x 1920
Sound - Kelly Warner
Narrator- Abigail Atwell
Research
The client
Founded: 2015
Founders: Amy Blackman
Focus: Sustainable luxury goods, including apothecary products, home goods, accessories, and small-batch artisanal items made with ethical sourcing and environmentally responsible practices.
Style: Dark, moody, minimalist luxury with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, sustainability, and natural materials.
Research
style + media
Kindredblack has a soft approach to their branding. There is nothing that indicates that this a fast fashion consumer brand. They advocate for a feeling and they selling it to you.
research
The goal
The goal is to create imagery and motion that best represents the brand introducing them to new viewers. We want to convey the feeling that they are selling to their audiences.
Concept
the life of the bottle
This video would introduce the brand highlighting the glassmaking process. Our approach would be more poetic and abstract to hone in on the nostalgic fantastical feeling they convey. Our main inspiration are oil paintings by Sohan Qadri.
The journey of one bottle from glass to fragrance to forever.
Animation
animatic
We wanted each section of the animation to have a specific feeling and relation to its specific process.
stage 1
material
We have warm natural colors to represent the raw materials used in this process. We see them in their singular state before being melted into one.
Stage 2
the kiln
In this stage we have the heat. We used reds and yellows to show this with more structured compositions. The structured compositions relate to the form being pressed into one form.
Stage 3
manipulation
This is the stage where the material is pliable. Our animation was fluid and transformative with the use of purple elevating this stage with suffistication.
stage 4
cooling
Once the material is formed into their final piece it is cooled. The blue cold tones with multiple tones visualize what the form being submerged would look like.
early motion tests
tactile EXECUTION
printmaking
We used adobe after effects to animate as well as printed textures made with monotype printing methods. We used different effects layered with our textures to create a painterly feel like our references.
TECHNICAL EXECUTION
after effects adjustments
The effects we utilized were mostly turbulent displace, roughen edges, fast box blur and glow. When our texture is animated on top of our forms while we have an adjustment layer it creates a canvas painted feeling.
text animation
To make our text animation as procedural as possible we used text animator. The type playfully wiggles in a scattered form before settling into place. This felt fitting for the magical feel of the brand.
printing in layers
With the monoprint method there are different layers to capture with each print. There is the first pull which usually has silhouettes, the second will have texture with left behind ink underneath your objects. The last, my favourite, the ghost print. This has a subtle memory like feeling.
LAYER STYLES
We used layer styles to create false dimension emphasizing the paper feel we are trying to achieve. We used this effect on type as well so make it feel embossed on paper.
Mosaic effect
The mosaic effect layered with turbulent displace created an abstract array of colors. This made it easy to procedurally make changes if needed for color and timing.
naration + sound design
sound EXECUTION
For our naration I wrote a script that was poetic and related to the process we wanted to convey. This way it didn't feel as literal and gave hints at what we were showing with language.
Dialogue
What is it like to be kindred?
We meet deep beneath the surface of your horizon.
A connection so pure
it burns with the passion of life
becoming new.
A form eager to learn its purpose.
Its pliable nature, entertained by the elements.
Submerged in its own becoming,
tamed by springs.
We are kindred,
kindred black.
Begin with a question to engage viewer and spark interest.
Language that brings meaning to visuals. Abstract visuals need something to bring form to the viewer so they can relate to what they see.
End with connection back to the brand. Giving the answer to the viewer.
the final product video
the final vertical advertisements
collaborator
Kiu was a great collaborator through the process! We worked hard nailing down our concept and render style. We both loved the idea of adding a tactile element best.
In the concept phase we worked together brainstorming different transitions
and creating compositions. I did some motion tests with potential transition
methods. For our animation and design I focused onthe introduction,
transition from yellow to red, purple and transition from purple to
blur. I also handled the initial sound design and the narration. Kiu
tackled animating the yellow, red, blue andending of the piece.
She was also responsible for final editing for our animation.
I love incorporating and made textures in projects.
Overall it was a fun project!
Abigail + Suzy
