concept character-performance ◆ established
Humanizing Technical Processes
n editorial strategy focused on revealing the human element within complex, procedural, or machine-driven events. Instead of prioritizing the mechanics of a process, the editor foregrounds the reactions, decisions, and emotions of the people involved, transforming a potentially dry, technical sequence into a relatable human drama. This extends directly to motion graphics, where techniques like speed graph sculpting are used to make computer-generated animations feel more organic and less 'keyframy,' mimicking the imperfections and variable velocity of natural movement.
notes
Walter Murch's advice on subtitles is a perfect microcosm of this idea. He doesn't just say 'add a 20% opacity black solid at Y-coordinate 950.' He says to slide it around until it 'feels natural and yet still legible.' This transforms a technical task (adding a graphic) into an intuitive, aesthetic judgment, grounding the digital process in human feeling.
visual examples
- Apollo 11 (2019) — The film avoids detached technical explanations by using the real-time, in-the-moment audio of mission control officers as narration, grounding complex procedures in the authentic human experience of the participants.
- Westworld (1973) — The film's pixelated point-of-view shots were created by adapting a digital imaging process used by NASA for the Mariner 4 mission, demonstrating an early instance of repurposing a purely technical tool for a narrative and character-based effect.
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