Phish stands out with their jam sessions and improvisations. Each concert lasted 4 hours, with each track performed in a freestyle format ranging from 10 to 30 minutes. We were responsible for abstract and narrative render loops, where every detail was meant to immerse the audience into the world of fantasy and music. The Sphere’s content was managed in real-time by Phish Co-Creative and Show Director – Abigail Rosen Holmes.

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Before delving into the creative process, the Moment Factory team outlined the main directions of the show's development and the desired overall look and feel. Having a toolkit for visual manipulation on the Sphere dome was crucial for the team. That’s why we prepared separate masks, backgrounds, and foregrounds for further use in Disguise.

Abstract render loops

For this show, we created over 60 abstract render loops. The loops were crafted in Notch, TouchDesigner, Houdini, and Cinema 4D to ensure a seamless transition between each frame, creating a continuous visual journey. As for the loops themed around "elements", we based them on real footage. Our production director traveled with a drone around Cyprus, capturing seas, fields, and mountains. These frames were processed and assembled in Notch.

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Narrative render loops

We had two scenes – Surreal Clouds and Starry Sky. For Surreal Clouds, we created clouds transforming into animals. In Starry Sky, we depicted an evening sky transitioning into a night sky full of stars. In the end, we developed two distinct simulations using Houdini and Cinema 4D. The rendering process was particularly demanding, especially in Cinema 4D, with a single frame requiring up to four hours to render. A single frame in Houdini took about an hour to render.

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Overall, the entire content creation process took about four months. Before handing over all materials, we tested the content on the setup 3D models in Unreal Engine and Notch. Collaborating with the Moment Factory team on this show was an incredible experience for us. We are proud to contribute to crafting a distinctive musical and visual experience that captivates imaginations and touches the hearts of the audience. This four-night concert series represents a bold step forward in live concert experiences.