Neon Light & Soapy Splashes

What inspired you to film content for the show in a car wash?

We designed each of the four Phish shows around one of the four states of matter: Solid, Liquid, Gas, and Plasma. So for the Liquid show, we were trying to come up with interesting, immersive ideas that involved water in various ways. I was toying with the idea of a giant washing machine spinning around us, but I wasn’t quite sure it would work — and I was worried it might give the audience motion sickness. As I was pitching the idea to my screen producer, Justin Restaino, he was driving around Vegas and passed by a car wash. He instantly made the connection: “Well, why not a car wash?” We immediately knew that we had to make it happen.

Are there any memorable stories or moments that stand out from shooting this content?

After a particularly long day at Sphere, Justin suggested we change our minds and go rogue filming a carwash! It was a task we had on our to-do list that we hadn’t done yet. So, we drove in his car and hooked up a GoPro to the windshield of his car. We went right through a nearby car wash that was about to close for the day. We went through as many times as we could before it closed. Probably 5 runs. Problem is the GoPro footage was shaky and a little grainy — not quite the video caliber needed for Sphere’s high-resolution canvas.

So, we decided to go back with a rented 360 Titan camera, the best on the market at that time, and a Tesla Model X, because of its wide glass windshield. Then, we scouted for a car wash that had neon lights and an overall theatrical atmosphere. We thought it’d give off the same childlike wonder we felt as kids when our parents would bring us to the car wash. We brought along Zane Kozak, our CG supervisor, to help us shoot it more professionally. He studied the best angle to maximize immersion and found a way to remove the mirror so we’d have as clean a windshield view as possible.

We timed ourselves to go at dusk and then went through the car wash about 10 times with the most expensive wash package, which included colored wax. We used a bunch of different camera settings to make sure we got the best footage for our needs. It wasn’t all a smooth ride though: we had to negotiate with the car wash employees so they’d be in cahoots with us, letting us through without standing in the frame while we were filming. Also, we discovered that the Tesla Model X wasn’t entirely impermeable. Water leaked through the doors, spilling onto us. We ended up covering the door seams with duct tape to keep the equipment dry.

In what ways do you think filming in unconventional locations like a car wash adds depth or layers to your creative process?

There’s something nostalgic about the car wash that I think struck a chord with a lot of people. It brings us back to childhood. But also, it’s something that makes you smile and brings joy. We thought it was bound to trigger similar emotions in others. Lastly, I simply enjoy ludicrous ideas that make people say, “No way they did that!”

The scene ends with a dog licking the camera, a simple yet very analog idea. Do you think integrating analog content into the show, contrasted with predominantly digital elements, presented a unique aspect?

We knew that this was an out-of-the-box idea. But, we thought that this is the type of iconic sequence people will remember because it is just so surprising and different from the other visuals. We also believed that it fit Phish’s general sense of humor.

How did the audience respond? Did it create the impact you envisioned?

During our pre-show tests, the entire crew — technicians, animators, lighting designers — couldn’t take their eyes off the scene. We knew we had to put it in the show somewhere and that it had the potential to blow up.

On the night of the show, the dog charmed everyone, with the band even riffing off the idea on stage and making howl sounds! It got such a positive reaction from the audience that it instantly felt worth it. And then, it went viral online, and we couldn’t have been happier.