For my thesis in Spring 2018 at Umass Amherst I worked the project Planet-9x. Planet-9x explores the achievements of Space Technology and Space Communications. The animation was screened at the Herter Annex Gallery on Campus. Along with the animation four images were presented to set the mood of the short and a handbook to provide more background about the animation. The animation was shown as part of my Thesis Show, below is my Artist Statement for the show:
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Planet-9x is a 4-minute animation that explores space navigation and communication with outer space beings. Along with the animation there is a series of four images. Three of them express the ideas of the animation and help set a mood. These three ideas are: Exploration, Communication, and Innovation. The other image is concept art that helped as inspiration for the creation of Planet-9x. Planet-9x is a 3D animation created in Blender and Maya 3D software. It uses Motion Capture data for the animation of humanoid figures and data from the ASTER-Terra Satellite to generate Earth locations. Three of the images were created specifically for this show to highlight the main ideas of Planet-9x.
The main concept is that communication enables the need for exploration which pushes innovation forward. This sequence is on a loop in this closed system – it feeds into itself. Generating new innovations to then be used again for even newer and better innovations. These innovations come from the innate curiosity within human ambition, however, this is not limited to human beings. Any sentient being, when given the opportunity of innovation, will evolve to find a way to make itself comfortable in its new environment. Like the cells and organism living within us we are opportunistic creatures by nature.
The idea of communication is of equal importance in this animation. Ever since humans developed radio communications in the late 1800’s, we have been emitting our signals into outer space like capillary waves. These run alongside other emissions from stars and galaxies lightyears away. This gibberish of overlapping signals travel lightyears away into foreign places we have not seen yet. In this animation, we explore the possibility of sentient beings responding to our messages through the same medium.
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Images Displayed at the Gallery
3D
2018
3D
2018
3D
2016
3D
2018
Planet-9x Trailer:
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