Muskaan Sethi - 2024 Portfolio

Hi, I'm Muskaan! 

I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand and am currently finishing up my degree in Motion Media Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). 

My interests lie in mixed media, whether that’s 2D, live-action, photo/archival treatments, graphic design, 3D, or tactile styles. I enjoy both designing and animating, but my main passion lies in the medium of design. Design crafts a world in which imagination can be expressed; it is the core of the work, where the stories lie. It truly holds the power to contribute meaningfully to storytelling.

The Power of Now - Short Film

This short film captures the beauty and power of the present—a small glimpse into simple and beautiful moments. I knew I wanted my final senior project to be more personal, so I incorporated my own pictures and videos, creating a film that’s almost like a time capsule of moments that mean and have meant a lot to me.

This project was inspired by Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now” that I read about a year ago and it absolutely changed my life. It was extremely insightful and beautifully written. 

In order to connect all the different mediums of live action, stop motion, and 3D, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to mix warm and cool tones to define the treatment of my piece. This dreamy, bluish color tone helped to romanticize the different moments and create a cohesive look. I also captured some of my assets in RAW so I could further refine the treatment and quality of the details.

Special Thanks to Brandon Sugiyama

Stills

Process

In-Yeon - Kinetic Typography

This piece is based on a clip of the A24 Film Past Lives. The excerpt is based on the concept of in-yeon, a Korean philosophy of how relationships form over many lifetimes. My thesis for this piece was to convey the delicate threads of 인연 [in-yeon] that bind people across time and space, leaving the audience contemplative about the interconnectedness and enduring nature of relationships.

This concept was beautifully expressed in the film through the narration and the shots, and I wondered how typography alone could portray this idea. I knew I didn't want just simple and minimal type fading in and out; I considered what choices I could make to elevate the piece. The subtle ink texture, 3D space, lines, easing, falling letters, and even the lack of visuals were decisions I made to create a sense of space and achieve a delicate touch. These choices tied back to my thesis, as they helped set the tone and immerse viewers into the "delicate threads of in-yeon," bringing them into a space and moment, giving them room to reflect and imagine.

Stills

Palette explorations and treatment process

CoMotion 2024 - Motion Design Conference

Role: Co-Creative Director

CoMotion is the largest student-led motion graphics conference that brings together top industry professionals with Motion Media Design students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. 

This year, I had privilege of co-directing the conference with my friend Kyle Switzer. The brand identity for 2024 embodies the influence of nature on artistic expression, delving into a design language crafted from its raw elements. Stripping away the veneer of color, we celebrate the organic beauty of nature’s design system.

I helped manage a team of 40 and oversaw 100+ deliverables from our design, animation, graphic design, experiential, web and sound teams. I also helped animate and add finishing touches to our sequence.

CoMotion 2024 Title Sequence: The Nature System

Design Lead: Tiffany Tedy

Designers: Xinxun Liao, Phyllis Zhao, Haze Nguyen, Danna Macias, Cynthia Soe, Chaoran Xu, Sarah Wellman

Lead Animator: Isabelle K Winarto

Animators: Jiaru Yang, Lauren Neu, Linxuan Wang, Sean Shelton, Tzu Kai Lin, Valentina Gil Duque, Xinyue Gu, Davis Hardy, J.C. Petrofsky, Phirada Kanjanangkulpunt, Qi Qi

Stills

Storyboard

Pitching 

The pitch process began in October 2023 when Kyle and I decided to pitch for CoMotion. We set a schedule and had regular meetings to make sure we were on track. Before we knew what out concept was, both of us decided we wanted to have our brand identity be black and white, stripped from the veneer of color. After ideation, we dialed down to the concept of exploring the beauty of the nature system. We gathered lots of pictures and references that we both were drawn to and ideated heavily on our Miro board. 

Pitch Frames

These are some of the pitch frames I designed that really helped set the desired tone and world for the sequence, especially our observation chapter. 

Logo

We knew we had to craft a logo that captures the essence of process while remaining true to our organic design language. Inspired by Roman lettering and type anatomy, our logo balances organic design with craftsmanship. We looked at Roman type anatomy as a starting point for the design, and that exploration continued into the animation.

We started out gathering references that were stylistic and earthy, however, we dove deeper and moved into more of a crafty and organic direction. 

Graphic Design - Showcase Title Cards & Branding

Graphic Design Lead: Reem Hinedi

Graphic Designers: Aatreyi Singh, Alessia Piccoliori, Charlotte Beck, Claire Lin, Emily Strycharz, Gauthier Bossuyt

Lead Animator: Isabelle K Winarto

Animators: Jiaru Yang, Lauren Neu, Linxuan Wang, Sean Shelton, Tzu Kai Lin, Valentina Gil Duque, Xinyue Gu, Davis Hardy, J.C. Petrofsky, Phirada Kanjanangkulpunt, Qi Qi

Unlock Your Career Journey - Indeed Commercial Concept

This campaign emphasizes that every step of one’s career, from education and skills to experiences and challenges, is a piece of a larger puzzle. The ad aims to inspire and empower job seekers to view their careers as a journey and puzzle-solving adventure with the support of indeed, guiding them every step of the way.

Concept Development and Process

Akira Kurosawa - Visual Homage

Frames that emulate the work of Akira Kurosawa, one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers. All these were captured in-camera, then composited—an ode to his brilliant techniques and filmmaking process. Each frame is a homage to Kurosawa's use of composition, lighting, and depth. Drawing inspiration from iconic films such as “Ran” and "Rashomon," these designs aim to capture the essence of his cinematic legacy.

Behind the scenes