How Holograms Were Added to a Video Using Only Exhaled Breath and Light

With the advancement in technology in the past few years (and decades), music videos and videos in general use more and more computer generated imagery and effects. The band 'Travis' decided to go back to the basics and hired Matt Robinson and Tom Wrigglesworth of Wriggles & Robins to help them create a super creative video without using CGI and green screens. Instead, they just used a projector and breath. Yes, breath. Actually, freezing breath. They filmed below freezing temperatures, and when band members exhaled into the cold air the projection showed up in mid-air. Creative, simple and awesome.

Check out the BTS video showing how they filmed it and how it came about:

Filming with the band was only the last part of the process as Matt from 'Wriggles & Robins' explained: "The animations were created by the London based company MPC after we drew up our storyboards. It was a very collaborative process that required a lot of testing and back and forth because each loop of animation needed to be tested with our technique weeks before the shoot to make sure that it would show up clearly".

To get the right effect in the video, they had to film for a full day in freezing temperatures. Matt: "There are a lot of variables that hugely effect the clarity of the animations once they're projected, the temperature needs to be sub zero, (but not so cold so that the breath is too thick) there also needs to be absolutely no air movement, otherwise the breath gets carried away too quickly. We shot the video in one day including lots of toilet breaks as we kept giving the band mugs of hot tea to keep their breath as warm as possible!"