Sharvonique Renee Fortune of Sharvonique Studios, an independent animation studio based in the Washington, DC area, is producing an Anime music video for INTO DARKNESS, an alternative rock/metal song created by UK band Eternal Descent.

‘The music video is being made to bring the characters and story narrated in the song to life, and to give the music a whole new level of depth and entertainment value by not simply implying a story, but allowing fans to see it for themselves,’ explains Llexi Leon, musician and founder of Eternal Descent.

The lyrics and musical effects of INTO DARKNESS will be depicted through the unfolding story of Lyra and Sirian, two animated characters who will be introduced in the video. The animation will have a slick, urban feel and will feature a hard-hitting Anime aesthetic. According to Sharvonique, ‘The INTO DARKNESS music video will grab people attention with its powerful music and cutting edge visuals. The finished result should be amazing.’

Sharvonique will work remotely from the US with UK-based Eternal Descent to complete the animation, and will be responsible for the entire production of the video, from character designs to animation to directing. ‘Sharvonique was hired because of a willingness to work with new ideas and approaches. Her previous work was quirky and original without any one set style. She was also very well informed about all the films and Anime that had inspired me to create these characters and this video,’ states Leon.

To bring the music video to life, Sharvonique intends to take a completely digital approach. The characters will be constructed and animated in Flash using both symbols and frame-by-frame animation. The Flash scenes will then be composited in After Effects, where visual effects, dynamic camera movements, and backgrounds will be added. ‘I am going to utilize 2.5D animation to its fullest,’ reveals Sharvonique, ‘in which I will combine 2D elements with 3D depth and realism. This technique will allow the animation to mirror the same tone and mood of the song.’

Eternal Descent twelve track album goes on sale August 2006. Described as ‘an urban gothic fantasy,’ the music is entirely new concept material relating to animated visuals and a web based interactive experience. The animated music video will feature alongside live performance videos to help promote the release. ‘I look forward to creating more animations for the other tracks across the album, perhaps eventually creating a feature length visual to compliment the listening experience,’ remarks Leon.

INTO DARKNESS is produced, composed and performed by Llexi Leon, with vocals provided by Elysha West. The song was mixed by Llexi Leon, APB Audio, and Wicked Music. Programming contributed by Keefe West.

About Sharvonique Studios
Sharvonique Studios develops original, character-driven animation for TV, film, video, and the web. Well-versed in a variety of animation techniques, the studio also offers professional production services in the form of character animation, character design, concept art, and animation development.

Visit www.sharvonique.com to learn more about the studio and its projects.