A Celestial Symphony: 'Ka' Takes Flight

“Ka” by Devendra Banhart [for The Birdsong Project]

(Los Angeles, CA) June 18th, 2024 - ODD’s Gary Breslin has released “Ka,” the latest breathtaking music video from the Grammy Award winning Birdsong Project.

This enchanting track from Devendra Banhart is featured on “For The Birds: The Birdsong Project,” winner of the Grammy for “Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package” this year.

A touching journey of wonder and contemplation, “Ka” is inspired by the magic of birdsong. We take flight following a luminescent bird exploring the interplay between nature and sound, a sole beacon of light drifting through a mystical dark forest under a moonless night.

Its journey illuminates the forest in a stunning visual symphony, a hypnotic dance that casts an otherworldly glow across dense foliage and boughs.

Every shot was built in CG using Cinema 4D, Redshift, and After Effects. "This provided an opportunity to visualize a fully CG world that was limited only by our creativity," Breslin explains.
The process began by conceptualizing the video's aesthetic, followed by the creation of individual shots that play within the dense nighttime forest:

“Typically I storyboard before the creative process begins – but this project evolved one shot at a time,” he reveals. “I freely played with the concept, redesigning scenes multiple times to ensure a seamless flow. I often dreamed about the next shot as it came together. It felt like painting on a blank canvas.”

For a realistic depiction of birds in flight, Breslin meticulously studied their movements, flight trajectories, patterns, and behaviors. Meanwhile, to create authentic bioluminescence, he delved deeper.
“Creating a believable wash of light moving through foliage required specific lighting analysis,” he adds. “It was crucial to understand how the bird appeared up close, as well as the light range during flight. Studying bioluminescent creatures as well as the glow of neon signs helped us hone in on this look.”
One of the project’s most challenging aspects became extensive rendering time, often taking days as every scene was literally built from the ground up. “We completed about one shot per week,” Breslin adds.

Upon completion, Breslin found himself missing the project, continually tweaking visuals to achieve the perfect look.

“Creating 'Ka' was profoundly fulfilling and spiritual,” he concludes. “We enjoyed it so much that we repeatedly reinvented and redesigned those final shots. We just didn’t want it to end.”

Sound Design was created by Wave Studios who recently won the Oscar for Best Sound on “The Zone of Interest”

CREDITS

“Ka” by Devendra Banhart (@devendrabanhart)
Director: Gary Breslin
Design & Animation: Office of Development & Design (@odd_tv)
Executive Producer: Matthew Turke
Associate Producer: Chris Edo-Osagie
Animation, Lighting & Compositing: Shane Csontos-Popko
Editor: Iñigo Oleaga
SFX / Mix: Austin Ferreira, Wave Studios
Curated by: Rebecca Reagan