Isaiah Rashad, Coachella 2022

David Najarian, Mitch Stomner and M99 Creative craft video footage for Isaiah Rashad’s comeback at Coachella 2022.

Michael Mauro and his team at M99 Studios in LA created a Coachella performance anchored in highly stylised behind-the-scenes footage captured during the creation of Isaiah’s recent record. The concept was to develop IMAG looks that would be indistinguishable from the edited video content. Applying the same post-production techniques to the video feeds from the stage performance used on the content created this blurring of past and present.

The behind-the-scenes footage was a great mix of directed, lifestyle and cinema verite run and gun. Notch artist, David Najarian, wanted to make sure the audience got immersed in the experience, forgetting which screen was behind the scene’s footage or crafted video content. The content was produced to create staggered telepresence on stage, matching the aesthetic of the Coachella festival as a whole.

Najarian started work in Chicago by creating minimal but unique effects given the two-week deadline. Still renders were sent back to Mauro for feedback while his team edited the behind-the-scenes footage. Once approved, Najarian crafted show footage as a placeholder for the live feeds. Fellow Notch artist Mitch Stomner assisted in preparing texture arrays that conformed to the pixelmap for this.

The end result was a highly emotional show that, combined with Isaiah’s backstory, reverberated throughout the internet long after the concert was over.