Sleep Paralysis
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Motion Design/Time-Based Communication
Typography
Designer(s)
Helena Kim
Duration
10 Weeks
Recognitions
Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a state where you’re conscious but unable to physically move as you are falling asleep or waking up. During an episode, people often experience auditory or visual hallucinations (i.e. seeing a shadowy figure). They may also feel pressure on their chest and have trouble breathing properly. As a result, this is often a frightening experience for those who enter this state. This motion type video is a visual portrayal of the sleep paralysis experience.
Emulating Sleep Paralysis
When one experiences a sleep paralysis episode, they are completely conscious throughout everything, but can’t physically move or speak. This is represented at the beginning of the video, when the person undergoing the episode slowly opens their eyes and gains awareness of their surroundings and thoughts. The person starts to wonder where they are, what they were doing, and slowly come to the realization that they can’t move and enter a state of panic. From here, the hallucinations start to kick in. The visual hallucination is the shadowy figure that slowly approaches the person, and the whispers represent auditory hallucinations. As the person experiences this, they eventually attempt to call for help, only to realize that they can’t.
Waking Up
The shadowy figure approaches the person but eventually dissipates. This transitions into the same eyes from the beginning of the video slowly opening, but ends with an inverted colour scheme (black on white), and the eyes blinking. After the frightful experience, the person can finally move and speak again.
Visual Style
All motion was animated in Procreate at 12 frames per second to achieve a snappy look and feel. This, combined with hand drawn type and grunge textured brushes, emulated the feelings of panic and urgency trying to be achieved. Additionally, the colour scheme is black and white, which was inspired by the concept of being alone in a dark room, seeing shadowy figures, and the general fear of the unknown.
