The Heliad

An original Epic Greek Poem

The Heliad is a conceptual Audio/Visual work for String Quartet and Synthesizers, Organic Effects and Digital Animation.

About the project

The Heliad is intended to be a conceptual live performance audio/visual album. 

Organic Effects

Filming visual effects on camera has many benefits. Unlike digital animation, creation isn't an unlimited blank canvas. This forces the process to be very intentional and specific in vision. On camera filming allows room for happy accidents that end up better than the original planned shots. The result is an organic and tangible atmosphere that holds optical depth. 

Using Classical Greek, Byzantine, and Arabic architecture are the base influences on the Organic Effects of The Heliad. This project employs the use of modular 3D printed sets. Objects are printed separately, and glued together, creating, landscapes that are both familiar in style, but original in presentation. Once printed, sets are painted and arranged for lighting and filming.

Digital Animation

Stylistic elements as well as characters and movement that cannot be captured on camera will be created through Digital Animation. Layering the organic and digital elements creates a vivid and textured environment. The lighting and coloring possibilities elevates the fantastical elements bringing the project one step closer to Hollywood level quality. 

Instrumentation 

Bringing the music of The Heliad to life is an intimate ensemble made up of a traditional String Quartet and Synthesizers. Much like the visuals the instruments blend the organic sound of Strings with the lush, wild sounds of Analog Synthesizers. 

Meet the Team

Erik Hasan Gómez Garza

Project Animator

Erik Hasan Gomez is an audiovisual artist and engineer born in Monterrey, Mexico. He studied Engineering Physics at Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey and Keyboard Technology and Audio Engineer at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, California. He got his Masters Degree in Music Production, Technology and Innovation at Berklee College of Music - Valencia.

Jared Sanchez

Sound Engineering/Mixing Mastering

Jared's roots lay in Jazz and Guitar performance, composition as well as orchestral writing and music theory. He is an alumni of the UNLV School of Music and graduated with his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Composition with a minor in Music Recording Technology. He Also attended the College of Southern Nevada earning his Associate of Arts in Music, and certification in Music Business and Technology degrees.

Jeremy Russo

Quartet Leader

Jeremy Russo was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. He attended The University of Nevada Las Vegas to pursue a Bachelor of Music Performance, studying under Dr. Andy Smith. He went on to earn a Master of Music Performance degree from California State University, Fullerton while studying with cellist Bongshin Ko. During his studies he has traveled extensively around the world participating in music festivals and performances in Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and New York. Jeremy currently teaches a private studio and regularly performs in Las Vegas, NV

Eli Gabay

3D Print Specialist

Eli Gabay is an Entrepreneur whose business requires the use of 3D Printers. He is a Graduate of University of Reno. 

Poetry through sound and motion

Mythology has never been a fixed medium. Epic Poems were oral stories with many interpretations depending on the storyteller and region of the Hellenic speaking world. These stories evolved over thousands of years and are filled with rich and colorful imagery. 

Approaching Mythology in the 21st century is an interesting task. Myths and religions have existed as explanations of the natural world as well as moral stories before humankind had any real understanding of the surrounding world and cosmos. Representing elements of the science of space through fantastical narratives, characters and imagery was the starting point for creating this Epic Poem. 

The Process

 Concept      

Before any work started on The Heliad there existed the intention to create an Audio/Visual work where the music did not serve as accompaniment to the visuals and the visuals did not serve as accompaniment to the music. They were to serve as active participants in telling a story.  

In music, Tone Poems and Ballets exist without singing or spoken word. They tell compelling and beautiful stories with dramatic music, exploring emotional and narrative concepts with a depth often lost in spoken language.

Cinema is a unique art form. Using dialogue, physical motion, camera movement, editing and music, narratives with great depth and emotion benefit from being shown as well as told. This a fixed form. Once a film is mixed, edited and released that becomes the final product. 

Even in a live concert setting where live orchestras accompany famous films they must play to a click track because the film is in it's finalized form. This puts a restriction on the expressive human nature of music performance. 

The Heliad is a study on the possibilities of Cinematic storytelling in Audio/Visual form. What if the extended and alternate versions of scenes were saved to be activated live? Using a program like Resolume allows for this possibility. An ensemble would no longer have to play to a click track. Scenes would continue to play out until the musicians or conductor move forward. Imperfection in performance is human and art is a human expression.

Writing the Story

The Heliad is part of a re-imagining of Greek Mythology utilizing concepts found in space sciences and using Classical Greek imagery to represent them. Like most ancient religions, their stories served as both moral tales and explanations for natural world. For this new Myth we start with reality and reintroduce fantasy. 

This is a story in 8 chapters that is written and revised keeping in mind the limits presented to its creation. The sets being film are 3D printed environments. Characters and movement will be blended with animations created by Erik Hasan Gomez Garza. There will be no audible dialogue. Dialogue will instead be presented in silent film style, with cue cards. 

Tha narrative continues to be written and rewritten until 3D prints are finished and filming takes place. In it's revisions the story is shaped to fit the parameters of the project that have been set forth. 

Sound Design and Composition

The musical landscape is a blend of String Quartet and Synthesizers. The intention is to use the sounds of synthesis to drive compositional choices as well as using traditional Classical language to tell the story through music. 

Crafting beautiful and dramatic sounds requires the right tools. The Roland Juno 106, Prophet Rev2, Korg Volca Keys, and Korg MS-20 offer the lush electronic sounds that will be used. Two Violins, a Viola and Cello offer the dynamic and beautiful organic sounds keeping the sounds grounded in Earth. 

3D Printing and       Filming

The imagery of the Heliad will be a blend of Organic Effects shot on camera using sets 3D printed by Eli Gabay as well as Animation created in Blender by Erik Hasan Gomez Garza. By choosing 3D models based on Classical Greco-Roman and Medieval architecture they can be rescaled, reshaped and combined to create original settings for the narrative. Models are printed, glued together, painted, arranged, and lit properly for filming. 

Due to the limited budget it is more economic to rent film equipment such as cameras, lenses, tripods, sliders, gimbals, and lights than to purchase. Only after every single set is completed will filming take place. Most rental companies rent on a week to week basis. Filming will take place on an intensive 1-2 week schedule. 

 Recording  and        Editing

Recording will take place on an ongoing basis with pieces separately rehearsed and recorded with the Quartet at Hammsterden Records with Jared Sanchez.Much of the video editing will center around the pacing and rhythm of the pieces themselves. 

With the filming completed animations will be layered to complete the visual aspect of The Heliad. Chapter by chapter music and visuals will be mixed until they exist in their finality.