Synopsis
The video unfolds as a fast, purely animated sequence rather than a conventional narrative. Simplified, brightly colored shapes and graphic figures appear, transform, collide and shift in time with the song, creating a chain of playful visual beats. Its momentum comes from repetition, sudden changes and rhythmic transitions, while the images stay deliberately economical. Instead of following a character through a defined story, it turns the track's upbeat, reflective mood into a compact piece of visual music.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Optimistic Automatic" appears on Freak Owls' 2010 album "Taxidermy," a project associated with Brooklyn composer Josh Ricchio.
- The finished video runs for approximately 2 minutes and 8 seconds, closely matching the song's short, fast-moving structure.
- The animation was completed under a tight four-week deadline, with the work handled by one person from start to finish.
- The production used Photoshop and After Effects, combining simple graphic construction with rapid compositing and motion.
- The video's visual approach was intentionally unrestricted. Its central idea was to create eye-catching frames through very simple animation, with color and rhythm doing much of the expressive work.
- The clip was circulated by Stash, which presented it as an example of compact, design-led music-video animation.
- The song is one of the faster tracks on "Taxidermy," with guitar, synthesizer, drums, glockenspiel and handclaps contributing to its bright, bouncy character.