MIACRO

Sarah Shattuck

Stamford, CT

BFA (Motion Design & Animation)

Advisor: Anna Lindemann

2D animation
2 min 18 sec

MIACRO is an abstract animated tour across scientific concepts from the minute to the massive.

While MIACRO is not the first film to highlight the scale of the universe (the animation takes inspiration from Eames' iconic 1968 film "Powers of Ten" and the interactive "Scale of the Universe" tool by Cary Huang), I have taken a more artistic, dynamic, and playful approach. Everything from the micrometer to the unknown scope of the observable universe contains engaging movement, while the abstract style draws connections between different scales.

Inspiration for this project came from my long-time fascination with combining art and science. I focused on creating a unique and compelling visual style with hand drawn 2D animations, and an original score developed using AI. By emphasizing aesthetics first, the project aims to inspire appreciation and curiosity for science without overwhelming people who may not have a strong scientific background.

MIACRO serves as a tribute to the natural world and its study. One of the goals of this project was to represent a broad range of scientific disciplines. It spans biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, geoscience, botany, astronomy, and more. I included as much scientific accuracy as possible within the limits of the abstract style, and a large portion of the pre-production involved research and consultation with scientific experts.

Artist Bio

Sarah Shattuck is an artist, animator, and animal appreciator based in New England. She specializes in 2D animation and motion graphics, with a focus in scientific visualization. She is graduating from the University of Connecticut's Digital Media & Design program with a concentration in Motion Design & Animation in 2020.

Shattuck has worked at Lowbrow Studios and collaborated with UConn faculty on several art-science projects involving ant behavior, the human heart, nanomedicine, and more. Her work has been featured at the 2018 Imagine Science Film Festival and at the 16th Pan-American Congress of Applied Mechanics in 2019. She is interested in opportunities to share knowledge through animation.

http://sarahshattuck.com

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