Exciting Performance Videos Featuring Continuum and Sapphire Live in Concert
In an impressive display of creativity and technical skill, video editor Andy Young has crafted captivating visuals for Motion City Soundtrack's 20th anniversary tour. With a tight schedule to adhere to, Young leveraged Boris FX plugins, such as Sapphire and Continuum, to swiftly generate and enhance his ideas.
One of the standout features in Young's work is the use of film looks, paired with various colour options. His personal favourite, BCC+ Color Gradient, adds a unique and engaging tone to the visuals. For instance, in the performance of their album "I Am The Movie", Andy Young and lead singer Justin Pierre collaborated to create visually stunning sequences.
The BCC Spray Paint Noise effect, a favourite tool of Young's, was utilised in the song "LG FUAD". Keyframes were strategically set on the seed generator setting to create continuous image warping, resulting in a dynamic and visually striking display.
To create a "squigglevision" aesthetic for certain visuals, Young employed BCC Turbulence and BCC Posterize Time. The BCC Prism effects were also used to distort and make overlays more dynamic, adding an extra layer of energy to the performance.
In addition, Young often manipulated camera shakes with the BCC+ Camera Shake feature, making the visuals feel chaotic and unpredictable, especially when building up to significant moments. Keyframes were set to control the shake, providing a sense of anticipation and excitement.
To improve the visual quality of old footage, such as the opening sequence featuring low-resolution (480p) clips from 2003, Young utilised effects like BCC+ Film Stocks, S_FilmDamage, and transition versions of these effects. These enhancements helped to breathe new life into the vintage footage, ensuring it seamlessly blended with the modern visuals.
Continuum's Beat Reactor setting was another essential tool in Young's arsenal. This feature interprets the song and automatically quantizes the visuals to it, resulting in a synchronised performance that feels as though it is shaped by the music itself.
Kay Dargen granted permission for the use of live images in the visuals, adding a personal touch to the performance. Young's numerous ideas for on-screen visuals aimed to reflect the energy and emotions of Motion City Soundtrack's music, resulting in a visually stunning and engaging experience for audiences.
Motion City Soundtrack approached Andy Young to create on-stage assets for their 20th anniversary tour of "I Am The Movie", and it is clear that his innovative use of Boris FX plugins, such as Sapphire and Continuum, has played a significant role in the success of the tour's visuals. While specific techniques used by Young in this context are not widely discussed, his work is a testament to his creativity and skill as a video editor.
Technology played a crucial role in Andy Young's work for Motion City Soundtrack's 20th anniversary tour, as he utilized Boris FX plugins like Sapphire and Continuum to generate and enhance his ideas swiftly. The BCC Spray Paint Noise effect, one of Young's favorites, was used to warp images in the song "LG FUAD", while the BCC Turbulence and BCC Posterize Time effects created a "squigglevision" aesthetic for certain visuals. These tools, combined with Young's creative vision and technical skill, contributed significantly to the success of the tour's visuals.
