Bus Group

bus.group creates brand-sensitive, culture-aware images and films that challenge existing aesthetics, spark conversations, and elevate communication. Founded in 2017 by directors Manuel Birnbacher and Daniel Schnitterbaum, bus.group is a studio for visionary minds. We direct, design, and animate, transforming brand and product narratives into contemporary visual experiences. Our design-driven, exploratory CGI work breaks away from conventional aesthetics, offering fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.

Address

bus.group
Ritterstraße 2
10969 Berlin

Instagram

@bus.group

Selected Clients

Art Basel, Away, Babor, Balenciaga, Cartier, Dell, Ferragamo, Instagram, Maison Margiela, Maybach, Mercedes Benz, MCM, Nike, Porsche, Rimowa, Renault, Sotheby's, Visa, Woolmark

Work with us

We are looking to expand our team via project-based freelance roles and dedicated full-time positions. Please send your application (portfolio, cover letter and resume) to jobs@bus.group with the respective role included as subject header. Please note, we can’t reply to every application. Thanks for your understanding. Current opportunities can be found below. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

  • Senior CG Artist/Art Director

    We have an opening for a full-time senior role. Long-term experience in Cinema 4D, Houdini and Redshift is required. Skills in related tools such as Marvelous, Unreal, Stable Diffusion etc. are a plus.

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Did you hear about pragmatic mythology?

bus.group is a creative service for metaphysical sightseeing. We develop contemporary visual content in close partnership with clients across the corporate and cultural stage. Consider us the stunt doubles of graphic design, render whisperers of CGI and trip sitters of brand strategy. We’ll be your leading lady, background extra, design director and production runner.

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Mirage à trois

CGI and 3D animation for a product exhibition by Cartier.

Selecting a trio of pieces from their collection, the luxury label have crafted ‘Wildlife’, ‘Mineral’ and ‘Cultural’ worlds to highlight the particularities, suppleness and savoir-faire of Cartier. bus.group were asked to envelop the three ‘hub’ spaces with accompanying 3D animations that would highlight the technicity of selected pieces as emotional extensions to their product environments.

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Swatch Break Free

bus.group directed and produced four unique animations for Swatch’s Break Free campaign, each bringing a distinct artist's vision to life through breakdance, bespoke outfits, and expressive storytelling.

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Gurtenfestival 2024

bus.group were invited to direct and produce the colourful experience that is Gurtenfestival. The psychedelic outcome is the result of skilfully composed CGI environments, AI graphics, organic simulations and 2D post effects.

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Watch me Wonder

Direction, Art Direction, and CGI Production for Cartier's Watches and Wonders ’23 video featuring CGI worlds for over 20 new models inside 8 product families.

We worked with Cartier to create a showcase film presenting their line-up for Watches and Wonders, Geneva 2023. We designed eight animated sculptures and digital landscapes which serve as borderless environments to explore the physics and atmosphere of each watch family. As the camera dynamically moves through each world, the audience encounters the carefully crafted details of each model interacting with our sculptures. This creates a journey through time and space, producing a CGI experience which defies reality as we know it.

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Lancôme Beauty

bus.group created a video showcasing Lancôme's L’Absolu Rouge Drama Matte. Our goal was to capture the luxurious texture and vibrant colors of the lipstick, embodying the elegance of Lancôme.

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Otherworld Luxury

CGI and 3D animation for the interior of the Maybach Atelier in Shanghai.

For the new showroom of Mercedes Benz most exclusive sub-brand, Maybach, bus.group was approached by Antoni to create the digital key elements, which are used to extend the iconic architecture of the space. Virtual dreamscapes and lush sounds are unfolding on several custom screens inside the atelier, inviting a deep dive into the sophisticated luxury and materiality of their newest collection.

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Is vodka a carb?

Direction and production of a concept film by the House of Carbonadi.

Carbonadi revitalises the process of spirit production in its unique integration of the black diamond. Passed through 2,000 carats of ‘carbonados’, the processes removes impurities that standard filtration methods cannot to produce a supremely clean spirit. bus.group produced and directed a short film that illuminates Carbonadi’s vision, revealing its conceptual craft via a study of textures and crawling sequences.

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Tuning (back) up

CGI and 3D animation for the 2022 edition of PITCH.

After an extended period of distance between bodies and movement, bus.group were asked to create visuals for the returning music and arts festival in Victoria, Australia. We worked with PITCH to produce a playful 3D-driven film that combines surreal materialities against minimalist studio environments.

"Bringing together a community of like-minded individuals for our fifth edition, we welcome you back to the tranquil Grampian plains for an aural experience of electronic music and an assembly of visual delights."

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Interstitial wear

CGI and 3D animation for the global launch of the Zig CR shoe by Maison Margiela and Reebok. First launched during the Artisanal SS19 show, the ongoing collaboration between Maison Margiela and Reebok is reinforced once again by a new silhouette in SS22 – the Zig CR. As part of its global launch, bus.group were asked to bring the new model to life, revealing its form with fly-through intimacy and the trio of colour-ways that are now available to purchase worldwide.

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Mercedes Big in Tech

Direction for Mercedes-Benz's Big in Tech campaign. bus.group developed three films that captured the innovative technology within the compact car lineup for Mercedes-Benz.

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Timeless precision

CGI and 3D animation for a global campaign by luxury goods brand Cartier.

The Culture of Design film showcases the seven-strong collection of watches and jewellery within dynamic movement and fine lighting. bus.group worked with Haw-lin Services to produce the film and elevate each piece’s allure and precision.

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Forward Festival Titles

We created the title sequence for Forward Festival 2024. Drawing inspiration from the untouched beauty of the desert landscape and the adventurous spirit of camping in its vast terrain.

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Pitch Festival 2024

bus.group crafted visuals for the 7th Edition of Pitch Music and Arts Festival 2024. This year we juxtaposed nature’s organic sophistication and the structured aesthetic of industrial elements.

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Baggage Surfer

bus.group created a variety of playful visuals for the German suitcase manufacturer Rimowa.

The iconic brand presents their Essential Suitcases in a special series of social media videos.

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Baggage Surfer

bus.group created a variety of playful visuals for the German suitcase manufacturer Rimowa.

The iconic brand presents their Essential Suitcases in a special series of social media videos.

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Renault R5VOLUTION Teaser

bus.group had the privilege of creating captivating visuals for the much-anticipated launch of Renault's new electric model, the R5.

Our team poured creativity and expertise into crafting visuals that not only showcase the sleek design and cutting-edge features of the R5 but also embody the spirit of innovation that defines Renault. Our goal was to elevate the launch experience and leave a lasting impression on enthusiasts and future electric car owners alike.

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Big guru energy

CGI and 3D animation for the 50+50 anniversary campaign of SCI-ARC.

Across a year-long programme of events and initiatives, the world-renowned school of architecture looks in both directions to celebrate its past and future. bus.group developed an accompanying visual presence that gives collective voice to the junctions of 50+50: morphing messiah, holy water and cultish monuments included.

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Away

bus.group created a series of videos for Away, designed to highlight the functionality, style and range of their travel essentials.

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Just in ‘case

CGI and 3D animation for the first chapter of the Rimowa Design Prize, designed by zak.group.

The Rimowa Design Prize – launching its first chapter from October 2022 to April 2023 – is a collaboration with 15 top design universities. Each will be offering its students the opportunity to showcase work around their interpretation of Rimowa’s grand theme of ‘mobility’. For this special occasion, we sculpted and animated a 3D interpretation of the prize’s fine-lined logo by zak.group.

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Fang Gang CGI for the fourth album by Post Malone, ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’.Released last Friday via Republic Records, the rapper and singer finds darker introspection in his latest LP. Across the fourteen-track record, Post Malone battles with depression, addiction and the gleeful lows of fame. In collaboration with PlayLab, bus.group have gnawed typography into the album’s visual accompaniment.

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Termino

Creative direction, CGI look development and animation for Termino, a sophisticated modular kitchen system made in Germany.

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A3 Festival 2024

Launch video for A3 Festival 2024, capturing the festival's essence, a harmony between audio, visual and spatial disciplines. To interrogate the concept of enlightenment and sensory stimulation, we’ve designed and animated a unique A3 amulet forging a new connection with our humanoid, elevating its experience to unparalleled sensory heights.

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Melodic ecologies

CGI and 3D animation for the album artwork of band Jeans for Jesus.

19xx_2xxx_ is the third LP of Swiss band J4J. For the supporting imagery, bus.group transformed 3D scans of the band members into eco-mythical figureheads.

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ICONICALLY EMO

bus.group has created a painfully sharp animation announcing Anne Imhof’s 2023 solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers titled EMO. We’ve deconstructed Zak Group’s typeface into metal shards and tossed them around before we let them galvanize into 100% emotionally stable words again.

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Let's connect on a higher fabric

Our collaboration with Otto Resource involved enhancing their textile archive's visual identity. Through meticulous graphic editing, we curated modern visuals that honor the brand's heritage. Our work exemplifies a fusion of tradition and innovation, creating a captivating narrative for the brand's future.

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From A to V

CGI and 3D animation for the Mono V utensil series.

Founded over 125 years ago, the heritage German cutlery company expands its lettering of cuts to a new series of utensils. Mono V introduces a technology of precision to expand its production method. bus.group have developed a set of stills and animations that introduce their form.

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Weightless function

CGI & 3D animation for the XPS 13 Plus product film by Dell.

Exposing its reduction in form and enhancement of function, bus.group have produced a product film that draws a horizon across Dell’s reformed XPS 13 Plus. In search of a harmonising visual that illuminates the boundaries between light and dark, noise and calm, function and intention, the film renders an explorative movement from one state towards another.

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Arriving on Panamera

CGI for a self-study on the idyllic supercar photography of the 1970s and 80s.

bus.group worked with HAW-LIN SERVICES and RGBERLIN to twist this era of imagery into an unknown age of travel. In the fog of an otherworldly landscape, the Porsche Panamera voyages across a rugged terrain.

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Ultra mirrors

CGI and 3D animation for the MCM ULTRA campaign.

Collaborating with Haw-lin Services, bus.group has produced a short teaser animation that reveals the Ultra Fragrance from their new collection. A mirrored maze-like stage speaks to the many facettes of the scent and connects the broader ultra campaign. The bag-shaped bottle is revealed centre stage for quick-time viewing within the dynamic animation.

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Lid it, bid it, try it, buy it

CGI and 3D animation for the launch of JOOPITER, a new auction house for today's collectors.

For the launch of JOOPITER and the invitation for Pharrell Williams’ "Son of a Pharaoh" auction in SoHo (NYC), bus.group created a set of digital card tricks with a smokey sleight of hand.

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Scoring High

3D and 2D animation for the launch event of Juventus x Liberal Youth Ministry limited edition collection at Dover Street Market LA and NY

Celebrating the community of LA and its on-site presence, the iconic soccer club Juventus collaborated with the Mexican fashion brand Liberal Youth Ministry on an exclusive capsule collection made out of re-interpreted Juventus jerseys. The collection was launched and sold exclusively at Dover Street Market LA. bus.group produced animated assets in line with the concept developed and implemented by BAM.

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Did you hear the story of the golden wurst?

CGI and 3D animation for a Rimowa sticker pack.

The collection brought together iconic Berlin imagery, allowing travellers and seasoned Berliners the chance to board with a piece of the German capital. bus.group modelled a golden currywurst for the pack.

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Scans of the Zodiac

3D imagery for a musical project by actor and musician Edison Chen.

The Monkey King unites two figures — a series of 3D scans of Chen, with another of Ai Weiwei’s artwork The Monkey — into an emotive, golden figurehead.

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Socioglyphic content

CGI and 3D animation for Instagram’s new 3D-driven identity directed to their creators.

The dedicated project provides users an active network of conferences, tutorials, interviews and content for those looking to publish on the platform.

bus.group transformed the Instagram glyph into a fluid, iridescent emblem for the sub-brand’s launch.

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If you didn’t see the render, did you even wear the shoe?

CGI and 3D animation for a global campaign launch of the Balenciaga Triple S.

bus.group produced a teaser film for Balenciaga and provided full concept, modelling and animation. Though, even before our machine had finished rendering, the Triple S had already incited industry riot.

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A polyphony of performance

3D animation and 2D motion design for an incubation platform by Woolmark.

Designed to award emerging talent for forward-thinking solutions in performance textile design, Woolmark invited On and Salewa to initiate projects for the challenge’s participants in their respective ‘Running’ and ‘Ski/Mountain’ categories.

bus.group developed a campaign that defines a connective visual thread across the finalists’ diversity of concepts and material. Inspired by Franco Grignani’s iconic Woolmark logo design, we produced a winding 3D protagonist that takes center stage across all projects, weaving the finalist’s polyphonic results into one multi-layered narration.

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My little precious

CGI and 3D animation for a product launch by skincare company BABOR.

The Precious Collection is a seven day program that combines high performing, active ingredients into an ampoule-sized delivsery. The campaign film produced by bus.group amplifies the collection’s fluid properties and product offering.

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Long views and deep wilds

CGI and 3D animation for a product campaign by Canada Goose.

HUMANATURE signals a new era of sustainable, ethical production for the winter clothing company. The Standard Expedition Parka is made from recycled and undyed fabrics and 100% responsibly sourced down and reclaimed fur.

bus.group produced a 3D campaign film that unveils the Parka within a cocooned, arctic world. The animation travels inside and outward, revealing its arctic technology.

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New ties for an old bow

CGI and 3D animation for a campaign film of an Italian luxury goods brand.

Salvatore Ferragamo launches a collection of bags that re-work its signature Vara Bow. Originally conceived by Fiamma Ferragamo in 1978, the bow’s iconicity is updated within a contemporary silhouette.

bus.group were asked to realise a 3D-driven campaign film that re-imagines the bow in fluid motion, centring the bag within a surreal architectural scape.

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Wining and splining

As summer draws to a close, we’ve used up the last of our seasonal stock for a fine, liminal feast. Sun-dried refreshments and extroverted introspection are served fresh in COVERT GALA, a 2021 film by bus.group. Volume up at the banquet please!

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Have you heard of pragmatic mythology?

From bus with love: our first ever signature shirt will be available for order soon in a limited edition of 100. Our first piece of merchandising – the PRAGMATIC MYTHOLOGY tee – is produced as a limited run in collaboration with silkscreen studio Merch and Destroy. For all the daydreamers, creative vanguards and design clairvoyants - the t-shirt is tailored for all measurements of mythos.

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You need your eyes tested

CGI and 3D animation for an eyewear brand’s campaign film.

bus.group provided the modelling and animation for the Sportmax FW19 eyewear campaign. The film emphasises the strong and experimental shapes of the collection, with a nod to its active geometry.

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How does the future smell?

3D outtakes for an editorial feature entitled The Doors of (Multi-Sensory) Perception.

MOLD is a magazine about the future of food and investigates the potential of ‘designing food’ across interviews, editorials and critical essays. For the fourth issue, Designing for the Senses, bus.group were commissioned to envision a new model for perception, worn amongst a text by Maria Jimena Ricatti.

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How does the future smell?

Animated outtakes for an editorial feature entitled The Doors of (Multi-Sensory) Perception.

MOLD is a magazine about the future of food and investigates the potential of ‘designing food’ across interviews, editorials and critical essays. For the fourth issue, Designing for the Senses, bus.group were commissioned to envision a new model for perception, worn amongst a text by Maria Jimena Ricatti.

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Artificial Teller Machine

3D modelling, texturing and rendering for a short campaign animation.

bus.group was commissioned to produce imagery for the financial company Liechtensteinische Landesbank. The animation unmasks the inner mechanisms of a robotic figure.

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Bad objects, found lands

CGI and 3D animation for an editorial interlude within the second issue of This is Badland.

Pronadeni Objekti is a series of four objects ‘found’ by bus.group between 2017 and 2018. The names attributed to these sculptures are Mali Zmaj, Dvostruka Vjšala, Bakin Hrast and Janjeće Iznutrice.

bus.group welcome any further discoveries of those caught between lands.

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24-carat imagery

CGI for a luxury jewellery event held in Berlin.

The Salon of Rare Beauty is a two-day jewellery and watch salon, hosted by FUSION at the Ritz-Carlton in Berlin. For the private event, bus.group were asked to produce a collection of 3D imagery to sit amongst its event material.

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Marble for your ears

CGI and 3D animation for the album artwork of band Jeans for Jesus.

2000 etc. and milleneufcentquelquechose are the fourth and fifth LPs of Swiss band J4J. For the supporting imagery, bus.group transformed 3D scans of the band members into glimmering heads of polished marble and ancient steaming lava.

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You smell like you sound

CGI and 3D animation for an album artwork.

In 2017, Swiss band J4J released their second musical offering – an eclectic album entitled P R O. For its supporting artwork, BUS developed 3D imagery of the LP’s ‘scent’, rendered out as a sleek flacon and filled with sonic smell.

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Dimensions of debate

CGI for the web shop of a product design studio’s collection.

The young, Berlin-based venture Argument proposes a new perspective on design, understanding its collection of furniture as something discursive where objects ‘become arguments’ in themselves. bus.group augmented the website of Argument with fine 3D imagery for the collection’s launch campaign.

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Balenciaga Royale

3D animation featuring elements developed for the ready-to-wear Spring 2019 collection of Balenciaga.

bus.group created an eccentric, casino-themed print, produced as full-form patterning within a dress, shirt and scarf silhouette. The pieces were presented during Paris Fashion Week inside a blockbuster, multi-reality show – a collaboration between Demna Gvasalia, Jon Rafman and Ezra Miller.

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Beethoven’s gemstone

CGI and 3D animation for the visual framework of Musikfest Berlin.

During the Beethoven jubilee year, the month-long programme pulls together instrumental and vocal ensembles as part of its orchestral festival for the music of our times. For the 2020 edition, bus.group developed a trail of 3D imagery that encrusted rock around its rhythm.

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Lag-free shopping

CGI and 3D animation for a digitally driven shopping experience.

Project RetailCX is a “highly configurable in-store system” that comprises storage robots, interactive screens and output compartment. bus.group were commissioned by Knapp to produce supporting 3D imagery as part of the project’s international launch.

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No feeding on the dancefloor

Visual identity and supporting CGI for the music festival Nachtiville.

Following the party trail left by Nachtdigital last year, another musical offering arrives from its makers. For Nachtiville's debut by the Baltic Sea, bus.group developed a playful identity and 3D-driven artwork that welcomes its arrivals with a waddling, winter mascot.

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Wrap up your bruk

CGI and creative direction for a music label’s inaugural release.

"BRUK is a new platform for fresh variations on the soundsystem ethic, developed as an artist-focused endeavour and geared towards producers with range, depth and ingenuity in their sound." Beside the chopping first statement from Josh Thompson's FFT alias, bus.group produced abstracted imagery to cover the sleeve in its own sheathed visual.

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Lucid Daydreaming: Transcending the Confines of Self

In recognition of this year’s Istanbul Biennale and Contemporary Istanbul, opening on September 13th, Otto Resource c/o Adam Barnard invites bus.group to present Lucid Daydreaming, an animated short film spanning ideas of confinement, change, and liberation.

Hosted by KİRALIK DEPO, Istanbul, the exhibition’s site-specific centerpiece — a towering LED screen titled Trip Wall — is contextualized by an improvised soundtrack from Istanbul Ghetto Club. Juxtaposed against the A-OR02 Meditative Pedestal by @actetm and Otto Resource c/o Adam Barnard, Lucid Daydreaming is part of a matrix of items that culminate to help attendees reconfigure their own perception of self.

With the video built around the Sportsaware Top — a cropped training jersey — Lucid Daydreaming renders visual landscapes of distinctive, yet correlated dream worlds, and questions reality, illusion, solidity, and plasticity.