“TOKYO” – SONG ANIMATION

I drew and animated this looped illustration for Ryan Long, a Chattanooga musician and the frontman of Opposite Box, a band with whom I’ve worked extensively. For his song “TOKYO” Ryan hired me to animate an airplane flying from the United Stated to Tokyo. His only request was that at some point the plane fly past the Eiffel Tower. After reminding him that no direct flight the U.S. to Japan would ever fly over France, I decided that the only way to meet his request would be to have my plane take the scenic route over the other side of the planet. This also allowed me to depict more global landmarks and thus create more visual interest within the piece. I chose the warm red and pink color scheme based on the Japanese flag and their famous cherry blossom trees. I was also inspired by Japanese watercolor, which led me to using looser lines and giving the video a textured feel.

“🤘Thanks to Hunter Longley for understanding my vision always. If you need work for your company or band, this dude is no joke. He’ll take your idea and present it to you way better than you expected.”

Ryan Long