This spec promotional film for Black Opium, a YSL perfume, was entirely self-financed and produced. It marked my first time incorporating virtual production and LED volume, AI-generated backdrops, full-CG product shots, and live talent on a traditional greenscreen, all within a single project.

Producer Brian Antezana offered me the opportunity to shoot in a virtual production studio due to a last-minute cancellation one weekend. The entire production, from pre-production to filming, was completed within five days.

The original story I wrote, "Sisters," was a dreamlike tale about two women, one in a blue gown, the other in black, who meet after traversing cosmic portals. Though strangers in this universe, they feel a connection, like a Yin-Yang duality.

On the filming day, however, one of the actresses became unwell and I had to let her go on set. This unexpected development forced me to adapt instantly and conceive the idea behind "Metamorphosis." The remaining actress played both roles on the shoot day. This concept presents a new branding of Black Opium that connects women of a larger age range to the product. We start with a woman in a baby-blue chiffon gown to connect with perfume buyers who may not typically identify with Black Opium users, the edgy youth who embraces night culture. The film invites these women – perhaps the older and more sophisticated ladies of Chanel and Dior – to envision themselves transforming into a darker, bolder, and more youthful version of themselves. The film aims to tap into their fantasies, bridging their daytime identities as executives, professionals, wives, and mothers to the fun-loving, uninhibited creatures of the night.

I directed, edited, color-graded, and designed all the VFX, apart from the CG bottle shots that feature elaborate fluid simulations.