2025 3D modeling, Animation, Video editing and Sound design
Particles is a 3D animation work that explores feelings of belonging and escape through abstract visuals. Projected in a dark room on a large scale and accompanied by spatial audio, the piece aims to create an immersive experience, an emotional journey open to each viewer’s interpretation.
The visuals draw inspiration from scientific imagery and representations devised by physicists to illustrate particle phenomena in the Quantum Tunnelling effect, which inspired the title of the work.
Particles was inspired by the physics theory of Quantum Tunnelling, which states that an atom or electron can pass an energy barrier which it should not have enough energy to pass. I have always been fascinated by quantum physics and especially by this incredible phenomena where it appears that on a quantum level particles have properties that cannot be comprehended by traditional mechanics.
This idea of defying the limits of reality was what inspired me to produce the Particles 3D Animation. While studying quantum tunnelling, I encountered a lot of illustrations and pictures of experiments. These visuals were what inspired my animation’s story.
I envisioned this particle who belongs to a certain particle beam, but then is able to break free and pass the energy barrier, entering a new group of particles which better reflects its properties. I loved this idea and decided I wanted to take the audience on this journey of escaping a certain reality, and feeling freedom, liberation. Suddenly, the particles of a quantum physics theory had become to me a metaphor of escape and freedom.
One of the biggest creative challenges of this project was to be able to bring this very simple spherical main character to life. I wanted the audience to feel for the particle, escape with it, feel free and happy when the particle reached the right place to belong. I solved this challenge when I realized that something about the uncertainty and pace of the particle made it come alive. The speed at which the particle ventured in new adventures communicated something about its fears and emotions. Additionally, the way the camera followed every step at the same pace as the particle was able to bring the viewer to feel with it.
The sound design played a very important role in dragging the viewer into the story. The disturbing sound from the first group of particles transforms in silence and later into a victory melody, to state that our particle has finally won and freed itself.
My favourite portion of the animation is the stage in which we see the particle being oppressed and constrained by a closed particle tunnel. I tested multiple different lights to create volume and movement, a sort of hypnotising dance. I loved the way in which the camera - so the viewer's eyes - were being enveloped by the particle beam. It inspired me to bring the animation on a bigger scale. I wanted to present it as an immersive experience, so I used a 4K projector and made my audience sit in a big empty room to experience it. Additionally, I decided to make the sound 5:1, and use two speakers on separate parts of the room to present it.