Seamless Loop

This project was a technical and creative exercise in building a seamless loop using animated fractal noise and Trapcode Particular in After Effects.

 

I created a short narrative around a spaceship that launches into space and gets pulled into a black hole, trapping it in an infinite time loop.

 

Looping in Particular is especially tricky since it's a simulation, so I had to offset the particle system and calculate the right looping interval. Fractal noise also requires knowing when the pattern will cycle and making sure you're using a loop-able type.

 

To push the style, I went for a retro game aesthetic and added a pixel overlay with chromatic aberration to mimic the color offset of old arcade screens.

 

I learned a lot about the nuance of seamless looping, and those lessons carry over into other software as well.