Helping to build this one-of-a-kind digital spread in SSENSE using volumetric assets was an incredible journey. When the team at EDGLRD approached us with Harmonie Korine’s vision for the piece (a digital replica of Abel Tesfaye, AKA The Weeknd, traversing CG environments in rebellious, monochromatic ensembles from Rick Owens, Givenchy, and Prada) we knew that volumetric capture technology was the perfect medium.
In the SSENSE interview, The Weeknd delves into a digital exploration of Self, examining the virtual and real-world personas he’s crafted over his career against the backdrop of Metastage’s holographic assets.
The Metastage production team was tasked with capturing The Weeknd’s edgy persona in a series of ruggedly-textured, streetwear-inspired looks curated by SSENSE stylist Matthew Hensen, all while the artist posed on a stationary motorbike. Everything, including the bike, was filmed practically inside the capture volume, with careful collaboration between technical and creative teams to ensure clean capture and preservation of the artist’s glam looks.
The final holograms were used to create a series of high-octane 2D stills and video with sweeping virtual camera pans of The Weeknd traversing a moody nighttime landscape.
Directed by: Harmonie Korine
Production Companies: EDGLRD