Boutique VFX studio delivers big-time effects for artist Travis Scott’s eye-popping video.
In a tour de force effort, boutique visual effects studio MOD teamed with director Dave Meyers for Sicko Mode, the trippy, new music video from artist Travis Scott, featuring Drake. Led by creative director/VFX supervisor Les Umberger, MOD produced nearly 200 visual effects shots in a month for the video, a surreal tribute to Scott’s hometown of Houston.
Drawn from Scott’s album Astroworld, Sicko Mode unleashes a whirlwind of hypnotic visuals, ranging from colorfully stylized renderings of Houston streets (caused by a solar eclipse) to a scene of Scott performing in front of a music store with foreground and background perspectives warping to the undulating rhythm of the music. “Dave’s videos are always visually rich and conceptually daring,” says Umberger, whose collaborations with Meyers goes back many years, including work for Missy Elliot and Pink, and, more recently, Jay Rock’s Win and Janet Jackson’s Made for Now. “For this one, he pulled out all the stops and packed it with fascinating imagery.”
Umberger assisted Meyers with pre-production visual effects planning and was also on set for the production’s three shoot days in Houston. He notes that concepts for some of the video’s most imaginative visuals evolved considerably as the project proceeded through production and post. “Dave set the baseline high and encouraged us to go up from there,” Umberger recalls. “This project was a rare opportunity to stretch artistically and create something truly memorable.”
Among the more striking visuals is an image of Drake face, turned into a mosaic that splinters into pieces and leaves behind a skull as he sings. “All of the effects have a kind of musicality,” says Umberger. “The scene in front of the music store, where Travis grows bigger and smaller while the background does the opposite, was another rhythmic effect. I’m not sure that’s ever been done before.”
Umberger launched MOD to tackle projects with unusual creative needs. His concept is to rely heavily on freelance talent, assembling teams based on the specific requirements of the project. For Sicko Mode, in addition to bringing in compositors and 3D artists, Umberger hired a graffiti muralist to create street art that’s digitally applied to a train. “The beauty of this company is how easily we can expand and contract,” he says. “Large companies aren’t so nimble.”
Sicko Mode has been viewed more than 45 million times on YouTube and earned praise from publications ranging from Billboard and Spin to Marie Claire and NPR. “It’s made a big splash,” Umberger says. “People have fallen in love with it, how over-the-top and fun it is. We’re thrilled to have been part of it.”
Visit MOD at mod-creations.com
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2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More