X1FX, a leading visual effects design and production company specializing in FX for feature films, TV commercials and music videos, has completed dozens of unique visual effects for the just released music video entitled “Honey” from singer Erykah Badu. The announcement was made today by X1FX co-founders Mark Larranaga, Visual Effects Supervisor, and Edy Enriquez, founder and Executive Producer. (NOTE: TO view this video, please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9jpkF1ehD8)
For the “Honey” music video, X1FX worked directly with Erykah Badu herself as co-director with Chris Robinson and producer Megan Gutman, working in conjunction with Robot Films, for Motown Records. X1FX digitally recreated a number of classic music album covers, using the green-screen plate photography of Erykah.
Larranaga said, “I have to hand it to Erykah and Chris Robinson, they really did a great job matching the subjects in the album covers. As we started to layer the images together, the wrinkles, the plastic, the weathering to give them a much more authentic look, it was Erykah’s performance of the character that really brought these images to life. I’ve worked with a lot of stars, but it was a pleasure to work with Erykah, who is a very down to Earth soul.”
Enriquez said, “It was inspiring working with both a producer who knew visual effects and a director with a vision such as Chris Robinson. The collaboration between us and them was coherent and unambiguous, making the job of our artists so much easier. Miss Badu’s presence in the process added another layer of creativity and was a pleasure to behold.”
In the “Honey” music video, Erykah Badu goes shopping in an old fashioned record album store and selects a number of albums to look at. The covers of each of the albums she picks out of the bins “come to life” and feature Erykah in poses that re-create the original album artwork. The album covers that are parodied include The Beatles’ “Let It Be,” The Ohio Players’ “Honey,” Diana Ross’ “The Boss,” Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical,” Grace Jones’ “Nightclubbing,” Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Spirit,” De La Soul’s “3 Feet High and Rising,” and even John Lennon’s famous final “Rolling Stone” Magazine cover.
X1FX’s Visual Effects Team behind the “Honey” music video included:
Mark Larranaga, Visual Effects Supervisor
Edy Enriquez, VFX Executive Producer
Christi Lee Anderson, VFX Producer
Mark Larranaga – Flame artist
Johnny Renzulli – Flame Artist
Anita Razzano – Flame Artist
Anton Gaskell – Graphics Artist
ABOUT ERYKAH BADU:
Erykah Badu is one of the most popular, contemporary R&B singers at the present time. Her debut album, “Mama’s Gun” was a sensation, and her newest release on Motown Records is entitled “New Amerykah (Pt. 1, 4th World War,”) which earned 3.5 stars from People Magazine. “Honey,” is the first single release from “New Amerykah.” People Magazine’s review of the “Honey” music video said, “Badu’s new music video, ‘Honey,’ is a must see. In this hella clever video, Badu is transposed onto the covers of albums by The Beatles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Grace Jones and De La Soul.”
ABOUT X1FX:
Co-founded in 2003 by Mark Larranaga, Visual Effects Supervisor, and Edy Enriquez, Executive Producer, X1FX is a leading visual effects design and production company specializing in providing unique and compelling FX to feature films, TV commercials, and music videos. The company is located in a 5,000 square foot facility in Culver City, CA.
Since its founding, X1FX has contributed FX to such hit films as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Spiderman 2,” “Van Helsing” and “Ladder 49". The company’s music video projects have included those featuring such superstars as Kanye, Britney Spears, Janet
Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, Ashlee Simpson, Jamie Foxx and The Backstreet Boys. TV commercials to which X1FX has contributed include those for NASCAR, Burger King, and the NFL.
X1FX is located at 5870 West Jefferson Blvd., Unit # D, Culver City, CA, 90016. The phone is 310/836-9011, and the web address is: www.x1fx.com
