Client
Molec
Year
2024
Services
3D Design
Content Creation
Motion Design
Tools
Blender
Houdini
Da Vinci
00_Overview
Molec’s lyrics are rooted in tradition and faith, using words, structures, and themes more commonly found in old poetry than in contemporary music. At the same time, the sound is unmistakably modern — driven by rhythm, current production techniques, and a sense of forward momentum. The contrast between what is said and how it sounds creates a tension that defines the project.
This tension shaped the visual direction. The visuals needed to exist between those two worlds, supporting the performance without competing with it or explaining it. Over time, a clear visual language emerged. Abstract, elemental forms replaced recognizable imagery, allowing the visuals to feel grounded and restrained rather than illustrative. Treated as monolithic presences instead of decoration, they leave space for interpretation and keep the focus where it belongs — on the music and the performers.
The project spans an entire live show and was structured in three distinct parts, each with its own musical character and visual demands. While the themes shift, all visuals were designed to function within the same performance context and follow the same underlying principles.
01_White Part (feat. choir)
The opening section called for the most restrained visual approach of the show. The palette was reduced to black and white, emphasizing clarity, purity and presence while avoiding unintentional symbolism. A small set of motifs - portals, stair-like structures, and natural elements - formed the basis of the visuals. These elements carried spiritual weight without relying on literal imagery or iconography.
Working within such a delicate space required care; the visuals needed to remain respectful and calm without becoming static or boring. By varying composition, scale, and pacing, these limited elements were developed into a wide range of material that could support the energy of the performance.
The acoustic section removed rhythmic structure and shifted the focus toward intimacy and tone. With no beat to follow, the visuals were designed to move with the music rather than synchronize to it. Nature became the central theme, explored through procedural blossoms, an endlessly blooming flower, and a liquid grass system that transformed growth into motion instead of static form. For the most delicate song, a heavily distorted lens was introduced to soften the image and create a dreamlike, elusive atmosphere.
The second half of the show introduced the scrapyard as a continuous spatial environment. Several singles from Molec’s upcoming album had already been released with music videos set in a scrapyard, so the concert visuals were designed to extend that world rather than introduce a new one.
This part of the show was conceived as a single, evolving space rather than a sequence of separate scenes. The environment had to remain coherent across transitions, allowing light, mood, and density to change without breaking continuity.
The primary challenge was spatial credibility. The scrapyard needed to align with the audience’s perspective, read clearly at scale, and support long sections of the performance without visual fatigue — functioning as a stable world that could host variation rather than a backdrop for isolated moments.
Objectives:
- Let the image fade naturally at the screen edges
- Build clear depth through layered composition
- Match the audience perspective accurately
- Maintain true 1:1 scale (screen initially planned ~30% larger)
- Treat the scene as one continuous environment
- Enable seamless transitions between songs
- Use lighting and atmosphere to suggest progression
Process
First, we analyzed some existing solutions for scene composition to get ideas how to use Foregroud/Middlegorund/Background to serve the set goals
Snapshots, documenting the process
In order to make the show feel like one continuous act, we illustrated going through the sunset, into the night
03b_Scrapyard: States of the Environment
After crafting the environment it was time to do some cool stuff on it.
Maybe Submerge it in water?
On their previous tour, Molec brought with them the light star from one of their music videos. So we decided to take advantage of 3D and bring for the song as well.
So when we had to introduce the yard, we wanted to tease it, starting from black and gradually turning on scattered lamps on it.
Instead of rendering the whole sequence, we rendered each lamp turned on separately, And then animated their opacity in DaVinci with additive blend mode on each layer. This saved time and gave us flexibility
Sound-synched version
Depth was used to drive gradients through the scene. This introduced progression despite stillness, symbolizing time
*Visual by Stefan Bedelev - @poly.universal
This one ^ is probably my favourite from the whole project due to the use of negative space, symbolism and alternative use of the environment in the portal.
Credits:
