Floating Points, AKA British electro musician and neuroscientist Sam Shepherd, has released a new video for the track Last Bloom which takes us on a botanical journey through an illuminated forest.

Filmed over 30 days, Last Bloom is a celebration of nature and optics, and uses scale models of colourful plants, fauna and vegetation. It’s all been captured using a five-axis robot arm, as well as motorised sliders and turntables to achieve an up-close perspective. 

While lighting effects are often added digitally during post-production, the crackling effects seen in Last Bloom were actually created in-camera using lasers, motion controls and computer-controlled LED lighting. Programmed rigs were also set up for several days to capture timelapses for the video, which help to change up the pace and allude to the transience of nature. 

The final scenes take on a decidedly trippy and almost celestial feel as we’re taken through a kaleidoscopic wormhole. Again, the team opted for in-camera tricks to achieve this aesthetic, building and 3D printing over 14 metres of tunnels. The final section was LED programmed to achieve more cosmic effects and the whole sequence was then stitched together in the compositing stage to create a space-like trip.

The video was directed and produced by Hamill Industries, a partnership between multi-disciplinary creatives Pablo Barquín and Anna Diaz. Through its experimental projects, the studio marries computerised, robotic and video techniques to explore concepts such as “nature, the cosmos and the laws of physics”.

Floating Points has previously collaborated with the duo and their partnership looks set to continue: Hamill Industries has created artwork for the musician’s forthcoming album, and is also working on visuals for a series of live shows in November, where microscopic landscapes will react with Floating Points’ live performance.

Credits:
Director and production: Hamill Industries