This music video was made for the 2023 Valorant Championship and had this beautiful animation accompany it. while the company Wizz is a collection of animators and directors, each project has its own directors and sometimes separate animators. this project was by the group CRCR, while no interviews exist for this project, I was able to find this on their website.
“CRCR have garnered international attention for their approach of 2D animation and storytelling. As mixed-media innovators and artists, CRCR use a wide graphic palette to direct commercials, music videos and game trailers with an ever-increasing artistic vision and energy”
– CRCR
OPINION TIME
while their influences were guided by Riot, the game company for which the music and the animation were produced for. CRCR still embedded its core graphic style and amazing FX animation into the video.
While i don’t think it had much impact on the industry as a whole but I can say as a viewer and lover of the game and music, the potent style and emotion that this animation gives me is very palpable.
what I find amazing about their work is their use of 3d camera tracking, they set their frames in these (I can only imagine) complex parallax systems, and perhaps they even use 3D software to position their 2D backgrounds on planes. while I don’t know this for sure, riot has often used these methods in other videos, and I can only assume the same is done here
this music video is important to me because it became part of my confidence music playlist or Cimp as I like to call it (the I is silent). the story about growing up around a video game resonates with me heavily as my entire life and friendships have often centered around connecting through gameplay.
SOURCES
CRCR ANIMATION STUDIO. “VCT23 / TICKING AWAY – CRCR.” CRCR, 8 June 2024, crcr.fr/project/vct23.
VALORANT. “Ticking Away Ft. Grabbitz and Bbno$ (Official Music Video) // VALORANT Champions 2023 Anthem.” YouTube, 31 July 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdZN8PI3MqM.