Monkeys in the Middle
Monkeys in the Middle is a music video project for a song by Profits, an electronic duo consisting of myself and Chase Mouser. The video uses 3D modeling and animation to explore themes of virtual reality, the blurring of real and unreal, and the overwhelming, enveloping nature of today’s vast digital landscape. While Monkeys in the Middle was originally named after monkey recordings sampled in the middle of the song, it has come to fittingly describe the sensation of existing in the modern digital media era – the sensation of seeing vast swaths of content every day while never being able to grasp onto it, or comprehend it’s totality and ephemeral nature – as if you are the monkey in the classic keepaway game. The project mostly focused on animals and organic imagery to highlight the contrast between the natural world and the virtual, and as a nod to Profits’ other music video featured in Chase Mouser’s project.
All 3D assets were created, animated and rendered using Cinema4D. The project used a mix of original models and free 3D assets. The final video compositing was done in Adobe After Effects with additional 3D renderings executed with the Trapcode Form plugin. The music was written and produced by me and Chase Mouser in Ableton Live.
Artist Bio
My name is Mathew Martini. I am a digital artist based in Los Angeles, CA. While I have a background as a photographer focused on nature, wildlife, portrait, and bodies in nature, I have become interested in a wide array of mediums and creative endeavors including 3D design and motion graphics, video production and editing, graphic design, web design, and music production. My digital media work makes use of the Adobe Suite programs, Cinema 4D, basic coding, and Digital Audio Workspaces to complete projects. Recently, I have been focused on honing my 3D design and Motion Graphics skills as well as music production and scoring/sound design skills.
I have a strong drive to raise awareness about environmental, political, and social justice issues through visually engaging and entertaining ways in our digital media era. I am excited about the emergence of captivating educational programs in the streaming industry, and would love to be a part of that movement.
