68th Grammy Awards Package
Design Challenges
Partnering with Hailey McMahon, we designed a fresh visual package for the 68th Grammy Awards, including an updated show open and a modernized logo. The focus was on creating a stylish, energetic aesthetic that reflected the prestige and excitement of the event. The new graphics set the stage for a memorable broadcast, giving the show a bold, contemporary identity that resonated with music fans worldwide.
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Softwares Used:
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Cinema 4D
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Octane
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Illustrator
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After Effects
Credits:
Design and Animators:
Hailey McMahon & Teja Hickenbottom
Grammy Model: EJ Hassenfratz
Sound Design: Kelly Warner
Research
The Grammy Awards exist to recognize excellence in the recording arts and to honor the creative voices shaping the music industry. Through extensive research, we explored the Recording Academy’s mission to support and advocate for music creators, celebrate their artistic contributions, and inspire future generations of music professionals. This understanding informed our visual direction, ensuring that the design reflected both the prestige of the Grammys and the passion that drives the music community.
In recent years, the Grammys have explored bolder visual styles, incorporating vibrant colors, fast-paced animations, and a mix of cool tones with 3D and graphic elements. We closely studied these trends to understand how to differentiate our package. While still aligning with the key themes outlined in the brief, such as sophistication, energy, and dynamism, we ensured that our design and animation felt both fresh and intentional.
Concepts
Beats
Why do the Grammys exist?
One word: Music!
This concept is all about feeling emotion you can hear, and movement you can feel. We use motion to capture the energy, excitement, and rhythm that music brings to life. Through an abstract, forward design approach, we channel that energy into a visual language that’s bold, dynamic, and sophisticated.
United in Sound
Music is a universal language, an outlet for expression, and a way for people across the world to connect through shared experience.
The Grammy Awards serve not only to honor outstanding achievements, but also to unite artists and audiences in a celebration of creativity, dedication, and passion for music.
Visually, the glowing strands set against a dark backdrop represent the harmony of contrast bringing together light and shadow to reflect the duality present in both music and life.
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Style Frames
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First Pass
For our first pass, I took the lead on designing the style frames that set the tone for the broader graphics package and animated the lower third style frame. Hailey jumped in to bring it all to life, leading animation for both the opening and the stage background.
We received notes to dial up the visual contrast in the final frame, especially by weaving in more gold, and give the logo a 3D treatment to help it sit more naturally in the scene and add depth. Those changes really helped push the look forward and gave the piece more presence.
Second Pass
For our first pass, I took the lead on designing the style frames that set the tone for the broader graphics package and animated the lower third style frame. Hailey jumped in to bring it all to life, leading animation for both the opening and the stage background.
We received notes to dial up the visual contrast in the final frame, especially by weaving in more gold, and give the logo a 3D treatment to help it sit more naturally in the scene and add depth. Those changes really helped push the look forward and gave the piece more presence.
Third Pass
For our first pass, I took the lead on designing the style frames that set the tone for the broader graphics package and animated the lower third style frame. Hailey jumped in to bring it all to life, leading animation for both the opening and the stage background.
We received notes to dial up the visual contrast in the final frame, especially by weaving in more gold, and give the logo a 3D treatment to help it sit more naturally in the scene and add depth. Those changes really helped push the look forward and gave the piece more presence.
Animation
First Pass
After completing the style frames, we produced a 5-second opening animation. However, in a review with the director, we agreed that the three separate cuts felt disjointed and lacked the cohesive, fluid motion established in the animation.
Second Pass
For our second meeting with the director, we introduced a transition to enhance overall continuity. However, we still encountered challenges in creating a smooth lead into the final lockup, which continued to feel abrupt. Additional feedback included removing the ripple effect on the Grammy and incorporating a moving hold on the lockup to maintain consistent energy throughout the sequence.
Third Pass
In the third version, we introduced a circular transition into the final lockup, but it created a visual disconnect. To resolve this, we added a matching transition between the first and second scenes to create a more cohesive flow. We also extended the final frame by half a second and included a transition out of the opening to better reflect how the piece would appear in broadcast. Lastly, we planned to center the logo and Grammy icon to create a stronger sense of alignment and unity.
Lower Third Animation
First Pass
In our initial review of the lower thirds, we were asked to give more emphasis to the name and category. While those adjustments were made, there were still concerns regarding the readability, the layering of graphic elements, and the overall lack of exaggeration in the movement, which needed further refinement.
Final Pass
Based on the feedback we received, we emphasized the circular motion by introducing a more pronounced ripple effect. We also increased the scale of the typography and aligned the animation of the “Album of the Year” logo with that rhythm to maintain consistency and cohesion across the full package.
Album of the Year Animation
First Pass
In our initial review of the lower thirds, we were asked to give more emphasis to the name and category. While those adjustments were made, there were still concerns regarding the readability, the layering of graphic elements, and the overall lack of exaggeration in the movement, which needed further refinement.
Final Pass
Based on the feedback we received, we emphasized the circular motion by introducing a more pronounced ripple effect. We also increased the scale of the typography and aligned the animation of the “Album of the Year” logo with that rhythm to maintain consistency and cohesion across the full package.
Background Animation
First Pass
After completing the style frames, we produced a 5-second opening animation. However, in a review with the director, we agreed that the three separate cuts felt disjointed and lacked the cohesive, fluid motion established in the animation.
Second Pass
For our second meeting with the director, we introduced a transition to enhance overall continuity. However, we still encountered challenges in creating a smooth lead into the final lockup, which continued to feel abrupt. Additional feedback included removing the ripple effect on the Grammy and incorporating a moving hold on the lockup to maintain consistent energy throughout the sequence.
Third Pass
In the third version, we introduced a circular transition into the final lockup, but it created a visual disconnect. To resolve this, we added a matching transition between the first and second scenes to create a more cohesive flow. We also extended the final frame by half a second and included a transition out of the opening to better reflect how the piece would appear in broadcast. Lastly, we planned to center the logo and Grammy icon to create a stronger sense of alignment and unity.
Technical Execution
Our overall technical process involved using a Cinema 4D emitter combined with a field force and tracer to create particle strands that emit light. These glowing strands became a key visual element, serving as a dynamic and expressive “character” within the final piece.
For the lower thirds animation, we used After Effects to blend circular motion with ripple inspired vector elements, creating a sense of rhythm and flow. To capture the signature gold aesthetic, we applied textured gold overlays to the text and outer ring using masking techniques. Additional glow effects were layered onto select rings and the featured artist’s name in this case, Bruno Mars to bring warmth, depth, and visual emphasis to the composition.
Final Deliverables
