In April 2017, STXsurreal –the immersive content division of STX Entertainment –collaborated with YouTube influencer Joe Penna (MysteryGuitarMan) and animator TJ Fuller to create an original animated music video in 360-degree format that would premiere on Penna's MysteryGuitarMan YouTube channel. The video was part of a larger STXsurreal production deal with YouTube to create original content for the launch of the YouTube app on the Daydream VR platform.
With the Rainbow Good Boy music video, STXsurreal and its partners set out to create a cutting-edge, 360-degree animated video concept brand-new to the immersive content ecosystem. The objective was simple in theory—to produce a unique and engaging experience that would capture the attention of MysteryGuitarMan's loyal fan base and the larger YouTube community. However in practice, it was a much more challenging undertaking because it required STXsurreal and its partners to break new ground and learn how to animate in a 360-degree environment. Together, they invented new rules in the immersive space, including creating a custom animation pipeline that would translate Fuller's animation work into a 360-degree format, and discovered along the way that the level of complexity involved was much greater than when just producing content for a single frame. Fuller worked closely with STXsurreal and Penna to ensure the animation was in line with the MysteryGuitarMan point of view. With a vibrant and colorful aesthetic that harkens back to the original 8-bit gaming world, Rainbow Good Boy harnesses the emotional power of nostalgia while utilizing the 360-degree format to fully transport audiences on a surprising and exciting journey through a beloved bygone era.
To date, Rainbow Good Boy has 349,461 views on YouTube. Through innovation and the creation of new technology, the Rainbow Good Boy music video has paved a path forward in the immersive content world, fueling new dynamic and original animated storytelling that lives up to the potential of the 360-degree format.
