Gather Up (Grant-Lee Phillips)

Music Video for Grant-Lee Philips “Gather Up.” \

From the album “Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff,” on Yep Roc Records.

The song’s lyrics and mood suggest the preachings of an old-time sidewalk prophet warning of imminent disaster. With this atmosphere as guide, I composited footage of Grant (it was important that he be barefoot) into a series of foreboding hand-painted environments. I’m particularly pleased with the color palette, especially the greens and yellows.

With every project I try to learn at least one new technique or process. Here I pushed myself to develop some custom particle effects (steam, fog, and windblown leaves). I also assigned randomized parameters to some elements (like the trees losing their leaves and the birds converging on the ark-spaceship) for more naturalistic choreography.