A look behind the scenes of Björk’s 2017 video.

Back in 2017, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, poet and hand embroidery artist James Merry and Andrew Thomas Huang came together in collaboration with Björk to bring into being the surreal world of ‘The Gate’.

The utopian vision, which takes cues from fantasy video game landscapes, sees Björk inviting us to observe her inner most processes, as she allows us to glimpse into the wound that featured prominently in the imagery surrounding her 2015 album, Vulnicura, before exchanging energies with an intricately animated CGI lover.

For the final instalment of Andrew Thomas Huang’s residency, the Grammy-nominated filmmaker deconstructs his mind-expanding vision for ‘The Gate’, shedding light on every aspect of the production, from the Alessandro Michele-designed dress that Björk wears, to the motion capture performers and jaw-dropping 3D animation from visual effects team Wolf & Crow.

The video is the culmination of a five-year period of continuous collaboration between Huang and Björk, which includes stunning visual accompaniments for ‘Mutual Core’ and ‘Black Lake’, a “moving album cover” and a series of digital avatars for Vulnicura, VR works for ‘Stonemilker’ and ‘Family’, as well as a dual-screen installation at the MoMA.

For more information about Andrew Thomas Huang and his work, you can visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Björk – ‘The Gate’ Credits:

Director: Andrew Thomas Huang
Creative Directors: Bjork, James Merry, Andrew Thomas Huang & Alessandro Michele

Executive Producers: Tom Berendsen, Sara Greco, Kevin Shapiro & Tai Thittichai
Producers: Sara Nassim & Jeremy Hartman

Cinematographer: Oliver Millar
Production Designer: Grace Alie

Dress by Gucci

Choreographer: Nina McNeely
Avatar Dancer: Leo Morimune
Makeup by Andrew Gallimore
Hair by Johnny Stuntz

Visual Effects by WOLF & CROW
Production Supervisor: Conor Bailey
Production Coordinator: Jenni Lopez
1st A.D.: George Nessis
Art Director: Alex Nawrocki
Art PA: Carlyn Hauk
Choreography Assistant: Danny Axley
1st A.C.: Wayne Goring
2nd A.C.: Dom Jones
DIT: Mark Wilenkin
Crane Operators: Christian Hurley & Derrick Rose
Pursuit Systems Operator: Yuriy Fuks

Gaffer: Drew Valenti
ACLT: Joey Waring
SLT: Will Martinez
Board Op: Derek Hoffman
Key Grip: Chris Bauer
Best Boy Grip: Christopher Pevey
Grip: Steve Coreas
Grip: Ricky Walter
Grip: Michael Telfer

Dress by Gucci
Creative Director: Alessandro Michele
VIP Designer: Daniel Del Core
Pattern Maker/Modelist: Carlos Garcia
Tailor: Paola Biasini

MOTION CAPTURE by Animatrik Studios
Tom Armbruster
VTR/Playback: Matt Hillyer
Script Supervisor: Nathan Snyder

Office PA: Nick Jaicomo
Truck PA: Doug Koontz
AD PA: Manny Jimenez
Set PAs: Jim Ryan & Cecilia Sweet-Coll
Craft Service: Paloma Aguirre
Site Rep: John Dexter

Visual Effects by Wolf & Crow
Executive Producer & Managing Director: Kevin Shapiro
VFX Lead: Adam Swaab
CG Lead: Matt Berenty
Compositing Lead: Matt Lavoy
Character Animation Lead: Mitch Gonzalez
2D Animator: Kevin Stein
3D Animator: Scott Pinson
Compositor: Kevin Kim
VFX Animator: Wilfred Driscoll
On Set Supervision: Benoit Mannequin
Colorist: Mark Wilenkin
Senior Producer: Matthew Olson
Associate Producer: Sophia Richard

A Strangelove Films Production

Watch next: Andrew Thomas Huang Presents: FKA twigs – ‘Cellophane’ – Behind the Scenes