ROOF Studio (ROOF), a New York–based production house, partnered with Australian electronic music duo Empire of the Sun on its music video for “High and Low.” The video, a surreal visual journey into a psychedelic trip, captures the song’s euphoric celebration of the innocence and boldness of youth by following a small group of people as they are guided by a Shaman into a forest to indulge in the experience of mind-changing substances.
Initially, ROOF sought to create the entire film in computer graphics (CG), but due to the three-week timeframe, felt it was best to combine live action with animation in order to focus on providing more than 40 realistic CG shots. ROOF did two live action shoots: one in a Los Angeles studio with the band, and the other, shot in Costa Rica with the actors and extras, provided the video’s tropical aesthetics. ROOF utilized a 3-D scan of the band members through a technique called photogrammetry to create the video’s telescope shot. This process created multiple images of the band, in which the studio was able to generate 3-D versions of its members. From there, ROOF added cloth simulation in CG to mimic wind blowing their clothes.
The result is an arresting music video in which only the band members’ faces are real—the remaining elements are CG. Using a mix of live action and fantastical CG animation, the film weaves together two worlds to represent the all-encompassing psychedelic experience, of which the Empire of the Sun members serve as the “emperors.”
Initially, ROOF sought to create the entire film in computer graphics (CG), but due to the three-week timeframe, felt it was best to combine live action with animation in order to focus on providing more than 40 realistic CG shots. ROOF did two live action shoots: one in a Los Angeles studio with the band, and the other, shot in Costa Rica with the actors and extras, provided the video’s tropical aesthetics. ROOF utilized a 3-D scan of the band members through a technique called photogrammetry to create the video’s telescope shot. This process created multiple images of the band, in which the studio was able to generate 3-D versions of its members. From there, ROOF added cloth simulation in CG to mimic wind blowing their clothes.
The result is an arresting music video in which only the band members’ faces are real—the remaining elements are CG. Using a mix of live action and fantastical CG animation, the film weaves together two worlds to represent the all-encompassing psychedelic experience, of which the Empire of the Sun members serve as the “emperors.”
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