YOUTUBE COUNTDOWN

Every year Youtube commissions artists to create 10 minute countdown clocks across a wide variety of design & animation disciplines. Artists including Todd St. John, Maciej Kuciara, Ash Thorp, My Name Is Wendy, Dia Studios, Kevin McGloughlin, Dedouze, and Lucas Zanotto, amongst others. These countdown clocks are used on the YouTube platform as users premiere a video live to their audience. Users can gather 10 minutes before the video goes live.

Last year I was asked to create a countdown clock. I wanted the countdown to capture the ephemeral nature of time, and I couldn't think of a better metaphor for the fleetingness of time than bubbles. I have always found the creation and destruction of bubbles to be a beautiful demonstration of time. Weightless objects visually bending everything in its path. Created and destroyed in an instant. In this case the countdown bubbles warp and manipulate the custom drawn letterforms. These two representations of time interacting and distorting each other.

Huge shout out to the incredibly talented team over at Bewilder for animation help. https://countdowns.youtube/