A regular day takes a surprising turn for the paper characters in Shotaro Kitada and Hoji Tsuchiya’s latest animation project. The duo collaborated on a music video for the track “Prime” from Tamoaki Baba’s album, “Electric Rider.”
Creating a world of paper cutouts and sculptures, Kitada and Tsuchiya worked remotely on this experimental short film. Despite never meeting in person due to their geographical separation, the filmmakers managed to combine their talents seamlessly. Tsuchiya focused on providing backgrounds using stop-motion techniques, while Kitada brought the sculptures to life through live-action methods. The process involved some trial and error initially but eventually came together through improvisation, resembling a musical jam session.
“My three-dimensional works convey a sense of ‘reality’ that drawings or computer graphics cannot replicate,” Kitada explains, “yet they evoke a sense of dissonance due to their awkward movements, unique scale, and homogeneous world.”
The film portrays relatable scenes like a gas station, a sheriff on patrol, and a duo playing chess on a bench, all tinged with nostalgia and characterized by stilted movements. However, as the story progresses, people start disappearing mysteriously, possibly due to an enigmatic, high-strung character and a strange beverage.
Filmed digitally, the video was later transferred to film to enhance its “tactile quality.” Throughout the film, viewers can catch glimpses of fishing lines lifting limbs and stop-motion techniques allowing the figures to move independently.
For more of Kitada’s projects, visit his website, and explore more of Tsuchiya’s work on his site.
This visually captivating project showcases the unique blend of paper art, stop-motion animation, and live-action techniques. The collaboration between Kitada and Tsuchiya has resulted in a mesmerizing music video that seamlessly integrates different artistic elements to create a truly immersive experience for viewers.
