This is my Weekly Design Inspiration, this is a space where I share some design work that has either inspired me or caught my attention for its execution or concept. The things I feature on here can include (but not limited to) branding, web design, app design, illustration, typography, video games or anything that shows creativity in a unique way.
Maybe it's just me and the algorithm Youtube has built around my viewing history, but there seems to have been an increase in the number of film review videos/channels/content on Youtube. From my experience, most of these are pretty click-baity and not all that inspired, normally just some guy saying something mildly profound about a Marvel film over B roll. But through all of these similar videos I came across something quite different, almost a parody of film review channels in the form of an animated show. This animated show is called Brain Dump and is created by Max Gilardi.
Brain Dump is an interesting take on this genre of video in that it blends (generally) profound insights with high quality animation, both 2D and 3D. This addition of animation sets this show above the rest of the B roll videos and gives the show much more charisma and depth. A large part of this charisma and depth comes from the characters in the show itself, instead of just being Max's own opinion he has created an avatar to represent himself (in 3D) and a ghostly character called Goofball (in 2D) to present counter arguments and often discredit his own views. What is interesting about this dynamic is that you are never quite sure what Max's view or opinion on something truly is, as he is the mind and voice behind all of the characters in the show. This makes for a more well rounded discussion on the matter he is exploring and adds to the comedic value of the show.
As well as the addition of quality animation involved with Brain Dump there also seems to be a shift in the narrative, in that it has taken on more of a cohesive story as opposed to being just about the film review/video essay. This, again, is what makes this show stand out, as you begin getting invested in the characters and story more so than just the subject matter. Max cleverly links the narrative of the story with whatever the subject matter of the video is, whether this is direct or indirect. Sometimes you need to read between the lines to see the point that is being made, but more often than not there is a deeper meaning behind each video than just the review of a film or a video essay.
I think in the more recent Brain Dump episodes, specifically the Grinch one and Deadpool one, that Max has transcended the show more into an episodic format where each show leads into the next one with events carrying over from one episode to the next. This is interesting as it makes the viewer much more invested than if it was just independent videos unrelated to each other. Max being an animator/cartoonist and avid fan of cinema, TV and cartoons obviously has a good grasp on what makes an engaging cartoon series and has shaped this show to fit a format that emphasises these positive traits. I'm generally looking forward to seeing what happens next in the narrative that has been developed as well as the insights into whatever film is being reviewed, and that's not a feeling I often get about film reviews and video essays.
I've talked a fair amount about the narrative and structure of the show itself but something that is really amazing about this show is the number of elements that are being juggled, not only in narrative and characters but technical skill in animation and film. As mentioned earlier, Max's avatar is a 3D animated character with 2D animation for his facial features (I imagine this is a combination of stylistic choice and for efficiency when it comes to animating). He mixes this 3D character with another character called Goofball that is a 2D animated ghost, these two styles work really well together and lend theirselves to the characters they are portraying. As well as the main animation and direction of these videos there is often stills or short animations that are spliced throughout the episodes that are in a stylised manner that add extra charisma to the videos, my favourite example being the images and animations created for his video on Apu from The Simpsons. This level of detail and care makes these videos a pleasure to watch.
Brain Dump seems to be the direction that Max is taking his Youtube channel in, but this wasn't the content that started his channel. Max has been uploading short cartoons for a decade or so and the quality of these has been increasing as the years go on. Often these cartoons/animation have quite a dark or disturbing nature to them, taking a lot of inspiration from shows such as Ren and Stimpy and other older animated shows. I think it's a smart move to make a consistent series based on what's popular on Youtube at the moment (film review videos) in an animated format, as animation is something that has been struggling on Youtube for some time now due to the amount of time it takes to produce verses the views/money made back. This merger of quality animation and film review is something that will make Max's efforts last and stand out against the opposition, or at least I hope so. If you haven't watched any Brain Dump episodes I would highly recommend the Apu one entitled THE APU I KNOW - Brain Dump, this video has some of his best animation as well as good counter arguments to the controversy surrounding this iconic character.
What Have I been Listening To This Week?
Frank Carter and The Rattle Snakes - Crowbar
Frank Carter is back with new music following their second album and this new song brings with it the same gritty punk sound they are known for. I'm very much looking forward to hearing album number three!
Honorable Mentions
As part of my Weekly Design Inspiration I also like to share some bits and pieces that I have seen which have inspired me in the last week. I have captioned each image with some info and relevant links so you can find out more.
This animation created by the Youtube channel Mashed is an amazing tribute to a show I really enjoyed as a child, Samurai Jack. This animation has captured the style and atmosphere of the show while giving it the skin of the popular video game The Witcher, it's surprising how well these two worlds come together.
Design agency Heartbeat have created a design philosophy called .pulse, it outlines everything you would need to know when creating a successful UI or UX. It is comprehensive but at the same time concise, it keeps its points clear and to the point and is presented in a easy to follow guide, similar to a brand guideline.
Pablo Cuello is an animator/illustrator who has a fun and unique style, I particularly like his flat 2 animation that is constructed from basic shapes. One of my favourite pieces can be seen on his Instagram here, it's generally beautiful.
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