Dezeen Magazine

Projection mapping creates changing setting in Superbien's music video for Irma

Dezeen Music Project: French visual effects studio Superbien has used projection mapping to transport Cameroonian singer Irma to different environments in this single-take music video for her track Save Me.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

The Superbien team worked with directors Marc Antoine Hélard and Xavier Maingon to create the narrative and technical effects for Irma's latest video.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

"The song is called Save Me, so the singer is in different places where she encounters danger," Amandine Le Roy of Superbien told Dezeen.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

Seven video projectors were used to turn four white surfaces into a cityscape, jungle and desert, which the singer and dancers appear to occupy and move through one after another in a single take.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

"We work in a master vision, creating all the visuals and then we cut everything to fit each video projector," said Le Roy. "Everything is done on set."

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

The team created storyboards for each of the scenes, then used animation software with camera movement simulation to work out the best views for each section.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

"With this animatic we created the sequences and the transitions so it looks smooth and natural," Le Roy said.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

An effect in the sequence makes the space appear to rock by tilting the outlines of the corners and the camera simultaneously, and a teardrop graphic is projected onto the singer's face at the beginning.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

At one point the singer and dancers look as if they're stood on small pedestals while actually lying on the floor in different directions, then seem to fall from the sky after floating with balloons.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

"[The video] gives the music a very happy feeling, smooth and colourful and mostly we wanted it to be fun to watch," said Le Roy.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

The shoot took around 20 takes over one day to complete. Apart from some minor grading and colour corrections, no post-production was used on the visuals.

Superbien's music video for Save Me by Irma

Save Me features on Irma's album Faces, which was released in June.