When the team sat down to see the first cut with Daniel, it was clear the aesthetic would be crucial to captivating the audience. Jonathan Freeman, 2D artist explains, “The simplicity of the last scene really lent it self to stylizing the ghost effect. We wanted it to have a vintage feel and move away from a more stereotypical magical effect. We built this in 2D using various ink drop and smoke effect textures. Daniel also provided lots of great references, we worked together closely to apply his vision throughout the film. ”

 

Senior Colour Assist Mikey Pehanich, “Our goal with the grade was to create distinct looks differentiating between the ballerina and Regina until they ultimately come together in the end. Daniel and I achieved this by staying true to the environments and using a soft, lifted contrast overall. 

For Regina at the piano, we used warmer blacks and cooler mid-tones to bring about depth and separation between Regina and her environment. For the ballerina scenes, we focused on warmer, golden hues and cooler highlights to emphasize her costume. As the ballerina enters the staircase, we transitioned to cooler more neutral tones overall merging the two worlds. The ballerina’s natural talent undoubtedly brings the video to life.”

An all Chicago production, the promo was  shot in the old abandoned Uptown Theater on the North Side of Chicago.