A wind rose — sometimes called a compass rose — is a polar diagram mapping cardinal directions. I started by experimenting with C4D's new particle system to recreate sand procedurally, capturing that faint sparkle of desert quartz. Heavily inspired by the cinematography of Dune, I also used the vertex map system as my primary driver for texture transitions across the rose. For the sun backdrop sequence, I wanted to evoke those National Geographic frames shot through ultra-zoom lenses. Simulating heat distortion proved tricky, so I moved that stage into After Effects compositing for a cleaner result.