I recently delivered the music video for “Dididumdum,” the EMD track by rising pop artist Emily Ryan. The project was shot at the renowned Pangaea Studios in Atlanta, GA, and it presented a unique and exciting challenge: creating a dreamlike atmosphere using large LED screens and advanced compositing techniques.
Creating the Dreamlike Visuals
“Dididumdum” is a playful song, and the music video’s director Christopher Scott and singer Emily Ryan had the vision for the video to match its whimsical tone with an otherworldly aesthetic. Pangaea Studios was the perfect location for this, with its massive LED screens providing an immersive backdrop that allowed us to experiment with a range of visuals. Originally the concept called for glowing landscapes to vibrant, shifting skies, and the LED technology gave us the flexibility to create an ever-changing environment that felt like it was straight out of a dream. Ultimately a decision was made to abandon the idea of a realistic environment and go for that of the fire and water theme like that depicted on the singles cover art. Ted Nemeth was the DP on the music video; he shot it entirely on a Panasonic Lumix S5II. The S5II’s rolling shutter proposed some challenges while shooting in front the giant LED screens, but Ted matched the camera’s shutter speed with the movement of most of the background video plates we ended up using in the video. We shot using the dual native ISO sensor at 4k UHD 24 and 60p using V-Log.
My role as the editor, was to gather the raw footage and bring these dreamlike visuals to life. Using some advanced compositing techniques on the Fusion Page in Resolve 18, I merged Emily’s performance with dynamic, digital landscapes. The LED screens were just the starting point—post-production was where the real magic happened. I layered in special effects, adjusted the lighting and color grading, and refined the transitions to ensure the video flowed seamlessly from one surreal scene to the next.
The Art of Compositing and Special Effects
One of the key challenges in editing “Dididumdum” was the use of compositing. The video featured multiple layers of imagery that had to be combined flawlessly to maintain the dreamlike feel. For instance, certain shots required placing Emily within fantastical environments—floating in space or dancing in a field of shimmering light. Achieving this required meticulous frame-by-frame work, blending green screen footage with the backgrounds generated by the LED screens.
Special effects played a crucial role in amplifying the video’s atmosphere. From water particles that floated around Emily to subtle distortions that made the surroundings feel more ethereal, these elements helped create a sense of otherworldly wonder. The challenge was finding the right balance between effects and performance, ensuring that the visuals enhanced, rather than overshadowed, Emily’s charismatic presence.
The Final Result
After weeks of intense editing and collaboration, the final cut of “Dididumdum” exceeded our expectations. The video is a visual feast, blending Emily Ryan’s energetic performance with surreal, ever-shifting dreamscapes. It’s a perfect representation of the song’s playful yet mysterious energy, and I’m incredibly proud of how the compositing and special effects enhanced the overall viewing experience.
The editing process was particularly rewarding because of the creative freedom it allowed me. Each scene was a delicate puzzle, and assembling it into a coherent, captivating narrative required patience and a deep understanding of both the music and the visuals
Working on “Dididumdum” was an unforgettable experience, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to bring such a bold creative vision to life. The combination of cutting-edge technology at Pangaea Studios and the collaborative spirit of the team made this one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on.