It’s time for another Motion Collabs animation project!
Presenting…

Collab 19: Stay With Me
(music video)

Let’s travel back in time to 1980s Japan. Miki Matsubara’s iconic city pop song, “Stay With Me,” has just been released, and you can’t wait to play it on your Walkman. You pop in the cassette and stroll through Tokyo’s cigarette smoke filled nights, while neon signs blink through the haze.

We’re creating a collaborative music video that evokes that same feeling of nostalgia. Anyone, regardless of skill level or experience, is welcome to join us! Read the brief below, and when you’re ready to sign up, join the Discord server, where all sign ups and communication about the collab take place!

How it works

Each participant will be assigned a ~5 second portion of the song to animate. You'll receive:

  • Your specific timestamp in the song within an After Effects template file

  • Music track

  • Official color palette

  • Pinterest moodboard

Visual Direction

We're aiming for a dreamy, neon-lit Tokyo atmosphere featuring:

  • Bustling urban streets lit by neon signs and glowing shopfronts

  • Cityscapes

  • Beach or coastal scenes at sunrise or sunset

  • Characters wearing 1980s-inspired attire: oversized blazers, high-waisted trousers, bold patterns, and accessories like aviator sunglasses or gold jewelry

  • Subtle film grain or VHS-style overlays for a nostalgic, analog feel

  • Vintage technology such as Walkmans, cassettes, vinyl records

  • Focus on moments of connection or introspection, like a solitary walk or sharing a glance across a crowded room.

Timeline:

  • Sign ups begin: January 13, 2025

  • Sign up deadline: January 20, 2025

  • Collab begins: January 22, 2025

  • Final submissions: February 19, 2025

  • Release date: end of February

Specs:

We understand that life can sometimes get in the way of completing a video. If you need to step away for any reason, it will be your responsibility to find a replacement to take over your section.

Ready to create? Join here!

FAQ

I want to join the collab but how does it work?

  1. Read the brief

  2. Join our Discord server where all sign ups and communications occur

  3. Sign up in #sign-ups. Please only sign up if you’re confident you can turn in something by the deadline.

  4. Once you’re successfully signed up, you will be assigned the Current Collab role on Discord. To check, click on your username and it will show up in your roles section. This may take a few minutes to show up. Contact a Collab Overlord about any issues.

  5. You will then gain permission to the #current-collab chat where you can talk with the other collab participants and share your videos for feedback and critique. We heavily encourage everyone to be active on Discord while the collabs are happening to make sure you don’t miss any important announcements. It’s also fun to join the collab chat!

  6. Please keep all questions within Discord and avoid direct messaging the Collab Overlords. Chances are, someone else has the same question and can benefit from seeing the answer publicly.

  7. Once you’re done upload your video here.

Remember — you don’t need be a pro to join a collab - they’re open to anyone regardless of experience.