The PNAU Universe Started With a Bang
Following up from the psychedelic GO BANG! music video, PNAU team up again with director Toby Pike in partnership Nakatomi, to create the show visuals for their Changa Album Tour.
"PNAU paved the way with the creation of Kira Devine's goddess persona in Chameleon. This was such amazing fertile ground to build on going into the Go Bang! video, so when the band invited us to create an entire universe for the show, we had to say yes. We've had so much creative freedom to make some insanely colourful and mind bending visuals". Said Toby Pike.
The Changa album explores deep themes of psychedelia and nostalgic rave euphoria of which presents an amazing breeding ground for visual insanity. With 60 minutes worth of new visuals to create, Toby partnered with the
talented team of visual artists and software engineers at Nakatomi to create the hyper-coloured rollercoaster that is the world of PNAU.The team worked relentlessly over the course of 6 weeks, creating a myriad of visual hallucinations ranging from twisted character design, epilepsy inducing visual
illusions, tantric floating eyes, to mind melting deep-dream animations.
illusions, tantric floating eyes, to mind melting deep-dream animations."The team at Nakatomi have such an amazing ability to problem solve and look for new ways to create imagery. I was overwhelmed when the team built a new machine specifically to run an A.I. that we used
to create the style reference & deep dream simulations". Says Toby.
to create the style reference & deep dream simulations". Says Toby.Instrumental in the development of the visual landscape was PNAU's Sam Littlemore. Sam's background in visual and motion design added an all important layer to the animated world.
"Sam and I bounced
ideas off each other through the creative process and alongside Nakatomi we were able to build a body of work we're all extremely proud of."
ideas off each other through the creative process and alongside Nakatomi we were able to build a body of work we're all extremely proud of."For those who have been long time fans of PNAU, you would recall their colourful group of animated characters. The Wild Strawberry, the Dead Dove, The Sun, Lightning Bolt, Skull and so on.
Nakatomi saw opportunity to build on these characters, adding two new members to the family. The Magic Mushroom and the Super High Cacti Guy. At a high point of the set, we see the BFFs skipping along the surface of a psychedelic planet surrounded by a beautiful spiralling rainbow.
Nakatomi saw opportunity to build on these characters, adding two new members to the family. The Magic Mushroom and the Super High Cacti Guy. At a high point of the set, we see the BFFs skipping along the surface of a psychedelic planet surrounded by a beautiful spiralling rainbow.Making guest appearances as collaborating artists are world renowned artist
Velvet Spectrum, Tilt-Brush artist Stuart Campbell, time-traveller Jesse Meha, and FINCH director Luke Bouchier.
Velvet Spectrum, Tilt-Brush artist Stuart Campbell, time-traveller Jesse Meha, and FINCH director Luke Bouchier.Special thanks:
Fabian Rohne, Paul Shakeshaft, Dan Freene
Fabian Rohne, Paul Shakeshaft, Dan Freene
