Incarceration Nations: A Global Docuseries

Animator, Video Editor, VFX for Chemistry Creative
Global

2020 - 2022

Project Description

Incarceration Nations: A Global Docuseries is a mixed-media series about global mass incarceration narrated entirely by those who have lived incarceration around the world, from England to El Salvador, Argentina to the USA, Brazil and Lebanon to South Africa and Sierra Leone.

The ten episodes of Incarceration Nations expose an international crisis while also spotlighting solutions, showcasing the work of INN justice partners from one continent to another.

Ideal for classrooms, panel discussions, policymaker film screenings and more, Incarceration Nations is a powerful education about one of the greatest human—and civil—rights catastrophes of our time.

I was heavily involved in this project from the start, working with Director Dr. Baz Dreisinger to create an educational series from hours of interview footage an B-roll she has gathered over years of travels to prisons around the world.

This project would not have been possible without coordination by Sydney MacDonald, illustrations by Matthew Wilson, assembly and editing by Nicolas Motyka, and all of the individuals who have shared their stories.

In 2021, the series was selected by the Tribeca Film festival, and has since been seen by thousands of people around the world in prisons, classrooms, museums, and community centers.

There is also an education guide available that includes graphics and information from the series.

Project Highlights

'Virtual Reality'

Early on in the project, I developed an animation workflow using Virtual Reality painting using AnimVR.

This allowed us to explore abstract ideas through juxtaposition and dream-like sequences. Each interview participant throughout the series has an illustrated portrait, which was rewarding to do in VR.

In combination with Interview and B-roll footage, I used these virtual reality animations to bridge the gaps of footage we had, while providing a unique visual identity to the entire series.

'Sound Design'

While Sound Design is not my primary focus as a creative, this project gave me an opportunity to explore the possibilities that sound provides.

In order to ground audience members in the unique geographic location of any given interview, I sampled public field recordings and ambient music from each country's region.

Sound mixing was ultimately completed by audio wizard and producer, Danny Taylor- which created a dream-like sense of time and place for each interview.

Traversable Dale · INN-EDUCATION-SOUNDSCAPE-JOHN

Traversable Dale · INN-EDUCATION-SOUNDSCAPE-IVAN

Traversable Dale · INN-EDUCATION-SOUNDSCAPE-ALMAR

Traversable Dale · INN-SOUNDSCAPE-SANTOS

Traversable Dale · INN-SOUNDSCAPE-AHMAD

'Visual Effects'

Similar to sound design, we knew that it was important to create a sense of place for audience members as the series moves from country to country.

Using a combination of B-roll captured at the time of the interviews, aerial and satellite images, and found footage from the streets of any given city, I created a number of visual sequences in TouchDesigner to compliment the animation sequences.

Each sequence has a dissociative quality, with places blending between one another, as well as a depth map which resembles the view of our world through computer vision.

These sequences allude to the dissociative reality of returning to society after being locked away, as well as the dehumanization of individuals and society through the eyes of the system.

'Infographics'

Throughout the series there are a number of infographics and informational cards to inform the audience on some key facts about mass incarceration.

For these sequences I used a combination of After Effects, TouchDesigner, Procreate, and Photoshop.

Hand illustrations were created by the amazing Matthew Wilson and are used throughout the series.

'The Wave'

The heart of the installation is a series of interactive "time portals," each representing a different historical era. These portals are equipped with motion sensors, touchscreens, and augmented reality interfaces, allowing visitors to step into different time periods and explore them in an engaging and informative way.

The Portholes

Our team has meticulously choreographed the installation process to ensure that every element seamlessly fits into the overarching narrative. We've worked closely with artists, historians, and technologists to guarantee that every aspect, from lighting and sound to digital displays and physical artifacts, complements one another perfectly.