Dear Friends,
In an era where each day can feel like a dark cloud, where many of us wrestle with despair, numbness, nausea, and dismay—feeling as though doom has befallen the world—we at F5 want to pause and offer a moment of solace and reflection.
“Everything was handmade, from the character drawings to the assembly of hand-cut paper pieces. The goal was clear: to use the same techniques that filmmakers employed in the 1920s and 1930s to create the film’s authentic atmosphere.”
“Can an algorithm express feelings? That is, indeed, a question of some complexity. Algorithms operate by processing information, following coded instructions—at least, that’s what they do now. But could they emulate the patterns of human emotions convincingly enough to appear “feeling”? In one sense, I believe they could, given the right complexity and training in understanding human expression. Yet, whether that truly qualifies as “feeling” is another matter. Feelings, as I see them, are more than responses—they’re deeply entwined with experience, memory, and context, elements that a machine would struggle to truly comprehend without having a human’s lived experiences.”
Today, we are thrilled to launch our new F5 EMPATH campaign, Are You an Empath? This campaign invites you to explore the profound world of empathy through the lens of authentic human expression. We set out to capture the beauty of everyday people, inviting individuals who had never modeled before to express a wide spectrum of emotions in a completely anonymous way.
UNSUNG HEROES is Motionographer®’s new section created to highlight the work of worldwide audio studios. Our goal is to celebrate and uplift these unsung champions, providing them with the recognition and exposure they richly deserve as a vital force in the Motion Design industry.
“Fundamentally, generative AI is a reflection of us. It’s trained on our data and built to replicate us. Almost all the issues we might perceive with AI are really just a mirror held up to ourselves. If we train these engines with faulty or biased data—be it a trashy subreddit or scraping social media—we shouldn’t be surprised when uncomfortable views are reflected back to us. We demand of AI more than we ask of ourselves. The monster in the mirror is absolutely us.”
Steve Cutts is an illustrator and animator known for his biting social commentary through dark and satirical art. His work often critiques modern consumerism, environmental destruction, and the alienating effects of technology, using a blend of humor and dystopian imagery. In this interview, Cutts shares insights into his creative process, influences from 1930s animation and pop culture, and the motivations behind his unique visual storytelling. His art, with its distinctive, bold style, challenges viewers to reflect on societal issues in a visually engaging and thought-provoking way.
For those who live among endless renders and timelines, getting The Motion Awards Trophy on their shelf is much more than winning an award; it’s about capturing a “keyframe” in time and saying, “Look what I achieved!”
The return of the F5 Festival has journeyed through our subconscious minds, emerging from the depths of our imagination to the tips of people’s tongues, almost as if it were destined to be.
