An Apocalyptic Noise Collage For 2020 Video Intros (Perhaps)

https://youtu.be/2dG3eSwy9vQ
With the various events that one could deem apocalyptic that have occurred with the onset of 2020, I had an idea to create an intro video that I could use for the "A Shared Life" videos I create from whatever we are allowed to do in 2020 or as long as these events continue to occur.

The idea started with wanting to take some audio clips from some tunes I knew had apocalyptic lyrics (or even simply said "apocalypse") and add to it some distorted radio noise as though one were trying to tune in to a station on an old radio with a dial. One song, "Apocalypse" by F.B.S. already had a lot of that in the song with news clips mixed into the final (digital) mix of the song toward the end. I layered the last part of that track with the beginning of "And Then, Came Then" by The Chariot for the noisy undertones. I found a few other radio effects in Soundtrack Pro on Final Cut Pro that I added in as well for a little more noise. I took the apocalyptic lyrical clips from "Kick Your Askin' For It" by Neon Horse, "Apocalypse Now" by Squad Five-0, and "Armageddon" by The Homeless Gospel Choir as well as "Apocalypse" by F.B.S. and "And Then, Came Then" by The Chariot and dropped those on top of the noise from the clips and the radio tuning sound effects.

With the audio done, I took some apocalyptic imagery such as a virus image that seems to be used on news broadcasts as COVID-19, folks in hazmat suits spraying disinfectant, empty Chicago streets, a fallout shelter sign, and a nuclear explosion along with a skull and cross bones that I did a couple added effects on to make it zoom in on one take and layer on top of itself in another. I created a 10 second mix of these images then sped it up double time and caused it to repeat over and over while the noise audio track runs its course. I finished it then went back and added some more effects such as static noise, anti-alias, and effects to resemble bad film and television. The bad television effect, since it takes the digital video and sort of split screens it, top half moved to the bottom of the video, I randomly added it into different sections of the entirety of the video. I feel the effects add to the apocalyptic mood. The original cut I did without those effects felt too "clean" to me.

I think I am happy with this final result though from what I can tell, I don't think the compressed YouTube file translated the effects that well and it may not look quite as I intended it to.

I could probably make something bigger and longer. Perhaps I will as this time we live in drags on. But for now, I am happy with this final result.

The project was created using Motion 4 on a Macbook and Final Cut Pro on a Mac Mini by Joel A. Swanson.