Ariel Costa goes freelance, releases “Sins” (process imagery included, NSFW)

After two years at Buck, Brazilian born motion designer Ariel Costa (BlinkmyBrain) is taking the leap to freelance life. To kick off the new phase of his 10-year career, he’s released “Sins,” an evocative short film.

Developing the characters and look of "Sins"

Using the seven capital vices (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth) as its inspiration, the short shows off Ariel’s penchant for mixed media collage and visual metaphor.

The animal heads on each human figure suggest that while we’re in the grip of our vices, we are not fully human. We are controlled by something baser, something driven more by instinct than by reason.

Despite its subdued palette, the short is full of rich textures born from Ariel's collage technique. 

The first style frame, where the idea was born

Constructing Greed

Pride

It’s not every day you have to work on your pubic hair painting skills.

“Sins” poster

A fresh approach to freelance

With a decade of professional experience under his belt, Ariel has a well-developed voice. On his About page, he clearly lays out his strengths and weaknesses to potential employers — including a gentle warning:

I’m not the guy for: 3D lens flare shine Sports Package, High-End 3D and Transformers VFX guy. (Although I love everything in this list, I think I’d play a better role by just watching).

That kind of candor will save employers time while helping Ariel find the right work for him. Nice touch!

Visit Ariel Costa’s site for his full portfolio