In January 2019, I was approached by the Australian dance trio Rüfüs Du Sol to collaborate on a visual accompaniment for their song 'Underwater' for the HP Dome at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival that year. I would develop an immersive 360º film for the world's largest geodesic dome. 

I worked on a concept outside my usual parameters. I had to consider a 180º field of view using CG-generated particles to tell the story. Having worked with particle processing a few times, I was cognizant of the possibilities and acutely aware of how time-consuming the process was. I took the track and broke it into sections, naming them "Overture," "Collapse," "Reflection," Climb," & "Serenity," the emotional responses I had when listening to the song. These became the words of inspiration that would help define the imagery of the piece. 

We had eight weeks to concept and create a six-minute film. The only way we would achieve this would be to work with multiple artists. Julia Sourikoff, Dan Kent, and I got to work to assemble a team of artists that would complement my vision for the piece. Together, we assembled some of the most talented visual artists working today.

I broke the treatment down into segments and distributed them to each artist; it was important for me to allow them to interpret my idea independently with their own signature style. I believed it would enhance the visual journey for the audience. I created a 'keyword' sheet where I wrote feelings and emotions for each scene to act as a guide.

The team consisted of Ryan Hawthorne, Nicholas Arnold, Joyce N. Ho, Harrison Vincent & Joey Camacho.

I was privileged and honored to have a team of some of the best visual artists working today.

The Band & I at the premiere Thursday, April 11th, 2019, at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, Indio, California. 

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Credits:
Director: James Frost
Digital Artists: Nicolas Arnold, Joey Camacho, Ryan Hawthorne, Joyce N. Ho, Harrison Vincent
Producers: Rebecca Diaz, Dan Kent, Julia Sourikoff
Agency: Infinity Marketing Group
Client: HP, Warner Music Group
Special thanks to all the artists, Rebecca Diaz, Julia Sourikoff, Dan Kent, Rüfüs Du Sol, Alex Katzki, Danny Robson, Andrew Ibea, Natasha Killbarda, Infinity Marketing Group, and HP.

All Images courtesy of the respective artist.

More information on how the project was created.  

Press:
‍CULTR
‍The Recording Academy/Grammy.com
This Song is Sick

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