Director Spike Lee chose Smoke & Mirrors New York (SMNY) to execute post and visual effects work for a special postmortem tribute to Michael Jackson. The video is a stirring montage of images spanning the King of Pop's lifetime and is set to the sounds of "This Is It," a track that is two decades old.



"When Spike [Lee] asked us to be involved in a secret project, of course we said yes. It was a huge compliment to SMNY, as he could have chosen anyone to help him achieve his vision," says Smoke & Mirrors creative director Sean Broughton. "We knew this would not only be a fun project but also a heartfelt goodbye to the King of Pop."



Michael Jackson - This Is It (Directed by Spike Lee) from VJ Bobo on Vimeo.

This project is the latest in a long line of music videos for which SMNY has handled effects, and a fluid process has been installed to handle the workflow. Nick Seresin led the team of artists at the SMNY facility, working tirelessly to finish on a tight deadline. The crew used Autodesk Flame to create seemingly three-dimensional movements to Lee's deftly chosen assortment of videos and photos spanning 50 years, from Jackson's childhood to his live performances to his interactions with fans. 



As they refined the edit, more photos became available and every department at SMNY came together to rotoscope and matte paint to achieve Lee's vision and ensure delivery. To bring all the different film and archive mediums together, SMNY employed its new da Vinci grading solution, helmed by the legendary Ben Eagleton, to do a masterful grade of the final work. The finished product is a joyous celebration, a careful mixture of slowed-down video, treated still shots and classic reels that pay homage to Jackson's life.