Thinking about Light and a Balanced Life

Today I was thinking about lighting and I stumbled upon this video. Beautiful visuals, which play with light and set a peaceful serene soundtrack to the film. The light in this piece is so brilliantly achieved - in a variety of different spaces and contexts. What I also noticed is that it uses AfterEffects techniques we learned in class - Using 3D layers in post with a moving camera that utilizes impossible camera movements filmmakers could not readily achieve in physical space, but only in digital space. Some of these shots achieve photorealism and I actually had to double check to make sure that some of the film source for this film is not live-action (although it uses telescope photos from space)! I thought the shots with the drops of water on the spider web were gorgeous, as the way the light and reflections/refractions sparkle and showcase that nice shader on the water droplets is brilliant.

I think this short film captures a sense of wonder, and really put me in a mood to make peace with my work and be at ease. This film, with the music and the beautiful scenery is metaphysical in nature. It got me thinking about life balance and order. I think this is important because we all have a lot going on right now... I know I consistently bite off more than I can chew and blindly hope it all pans out for the best. Taking a moment for mental health is key in maintaining sanity, especially with a ridiculous work schedule (my fellow grad students agree). I think for now, I am going to focus on maintaining a balance in all aspects of life, as this vital for well-being.