Built from a deeply personal concept and developed over five months of animation, Synthetics is a three-person collaboration that merges music, storytelling, and handcrafted visual language.
Created by Yuko Rade in partnership with animation studio Soulproprietor, the video unfolds as a carefully structured visual journey — one shaped by shared influences, detailed storyboarding, and a commitment to symbolic imagery.
Below, artist Yuko Rade breaks down the process behind Synthetics.
A Three-Person Creative Core
How many people worked on your selected video? Who played a key role in it?
3 people total. Myself and the two animators that make up Soulproprietor studio.
From Lyrics to Storyboard
The project began with the song’s lyrical themes and evolved into a fully developed visual narrative before animation even began.
How long did it take to make it? What was the process (in short)?
It took approximately 5 months to animate. I came up with the story myself, based on the lyrics of the song and further developing the themes I wanted to explore.
Soulproprietor actually found me on instagram because they had done some animation work for the band Ghost previously and my mask is made by Immortal masks, which also makes Ghost’s masks so we began chatting and I approached them with my idea for Synthetics.
I came to them with a pretty developed storyboard and we discussed everything in detail. We had many meetings going over the visual ideas for each scene and what the visual style could be.
A Shared Visual Language
Despite the complexity of animation production, the process unfolded with unusual creative ease.
What challenges did you face while working on the video?
Not many challenges to be honest. Soulproprietor and I quickly developed the ideas due to our common interests in visual language and storytelling.
Crafting Every Scene
Rather than centering around a single standout image, the video is constructed as a cohesive emotional arc.
What part of the video is your favorite?
I don’t have one favorite moment. I have a favorite moment in every scene of the video, we spent a lot of time crafting every scene and detail. I feel the video is a nice journey from start to finish.
Leaving Meaning Open
The final layer of the project remains intentionally unresolved — inviting interpretation.
Is there any message that the video is sending that you don’t want the viewer to miss?
I would prefer the viewer to decide what it means for them.
Watch the music video below.
CREDITS
Music and Story by Yuko Rade — www.instagram.com/yukorade
Lyrics and Vocals by Kayrae — www.instagram.com/kayraelien
Animation by Soulproprietor — www.soulproprietor.studio
