About Giant Steps
“Giant Steps” is my first animation movie where I expressed my interest to translate
music into the language of images and colors. “Giant Steps” was created as a
project in my studies of visual communication at ‘Betzalel, academy of
Art & Design, Jerusalem’. I play saxophone and am deeply attached to music.
I constantly play, improvise and deepen my understanding of music.
When I play or listen, I always feel that I actually “see” the music. Concepts like tone
(of color or sound), composition, harmony are mutual to music and visual arts.
Naturally they mixed and mingled in my consciences during the years.
John Coltrane was a great musician and saxophone player who influenced me greatly.
I attempted to visualize his masterpiece “Giant Steps”. The piece has complex harmonic
structure and has over the years drawn and challenged many musicians and performers.
I took the challenge in somewhat different manner…
All along the process of preliminary design and analysis of “Giant Steps”,
I had the feeling that there is no need to invent something new in order to
visualize the music. The artistic answers reside already in the music itself.
I just had to listen and respond to it till I got my answers.
For example, while searching for the essential structure and logical pattern of the
music I came across the idea that the music resembles a framework of a
building. The musical theme is played twice, and similarly the framework of the building
in the film has a dual symmetry and it’s set up is complete only when the musical theme
is played twice.
I tried to understand the emotional meaning of each musical phrase and to choose the
direction in space in the visual world that will suit it best.
My “Giant Steps” animation explains John Coltrane’s Giant Step in a visual language,
and brings it within reach of listeners who are not jazz music fans.
I feel honored to have had the opportunity of making this film.
