Designing for Water and Light
Behind the scenes with BT and Nation of One
I never expected to get work in the middle of a global pandemic. Like most of the world, I was at home, quietly realizing that all my life goals had hinged on a functioning society. So I was blown away when I was approached to design and build custom costumes for a music video.
It was amazing to work with vocalist Kristi Krings from Nation of One and producer, Aric Johnson. These are two artists I’d been wanting to collaborate with for years. I had met them both long ago, but our schedules had never aligned. Kristi had recorded vocals for a track by Grammy-nominated techno/trance pioneer BT (Brian Transeau), and they were looking to create a music video for the song.
This design presented several technical challenges. They needed a gown that could not only support video projections but also float away from her form in dark lake water and be backlit for a specific video sequence.
Choosing the right fabric for the gown was critical—it had to check many boxes. It needed to be light and airy, able to support projections, and easy to rinse clean of lake water and mud in case of multiple takes. The gown also had to preserve some modesty, as white chiffon becomes transparent when wet. On top of that, we needed a few distinct looks for different parts of the video to support the narrative. I designed and constructed two long, fantasy-inspired tunics that transformed the gown into a versatile base layer. A small bustle system was added at the back to shorten the gown for the castle sequences, then let down for the water and projection scenes.
Another piece I created was her shoulder and chest “armor.” This symbolized her mental and physical preparation for taking the leap—she sheds both the tunic and the shoulder piece before entering the water in her gown.
Kristi’s custom multi-purpose gown, armor, and over-tunics were all handmade in a very condensed timeline. (That’s production life!)
COVID posed a challenge, as many filming locations were either closed or prohibitively expensive. It looked like the shoot might be postponed. However, I remembered a previous time I was visiting Bishop’s Castle in Colorado and thinking how glorious it would be for a photoshoot. I suggested it to Kristi and the production team, noting that it was open to the public and could accommodate social distancing. After a site visit, they fell in love with it. I was thrilled to help solve a major problem for the team—and to get the chance to do something creative at that location with some amazing people during a very difficult time.
Premiered Dec 6, 2020 #BT #MattFax #NationOfOne
Can you hear the waves? BT, Matt Fax & Nation Of One is an unstoppable force that will enchant you from beginning till end. 'Walk Into Water' perfectly closes 2020 with a stellar art piece.
Directed by Aric Johnson
Produced by Anti-Matter Media https://www.anti-mattermedia.com
Director of Photography Steve J Roberts https://www.stevejrobertsdp.com
Director of Aerial Photography Brent Murray https://www.LazerHawkDrones.com
Additional Aerial Photography Keenan Hock https://www.keenanhock.com
Editing / VFX Peder Morgenthaler https://www.framelinear.com
Costume Design and Construction https://www.RachaelKras.com
Production Assistants Sarah Branion & Lindsay Miller
Filmed at Bishop Castle https://www.bishopcastle.org
Soundstage provided by Candlelight Dinner Playhouse https://www.coloradocandlelight.com
