Synapse Virtual Production Wins 2 VMAs for Eminem ‘Houdini’

Synapse Virtual Production won big at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards, securing Best Visual Effects and Best Hip Hop Video for Eminem’s trailblazing ‘Houdini’ music video – now at over 150 million YouTube views and rising.

The award-winning music video pushes creative boundaries from start to finish, a shining example of the ways virtual production, artificial intelligence, and other creative technologies can collide with human artistry to foster innovation. Virtual environments (built in a matter of days) in Unreal Engine set the scene for comic book-inspired visuals, featuring everything from high-stakes car chases to an electric rooftop standoff between Eminem and his iconic 2002 form, Slim Shady, achieved by ‘de-aging’ Eminem with the help of Metaphysic. The action culminates in the merging of both Eminems into one.

These wins come on the heels of Synapse’s 2023 VMA award for the Lana Del Rey (featuring Jon Batiste) music video, ‘Candy Necklace’ and the company’s groundbreaking virtual production work on the Jackson Wang music videos, ‘Cruel’ and ‘Come Alive,’ which currently boast over 38 million Youtube views. 

Justin Diener, CEO at Synapse Virtual Production, comments: “These wins are a testament to the groundbreaking creativity and hard work that went into ‘Houdini’. We’re especially thankful to Rich Lee, our chief creative officer and the genius behind the video’s direction. Rich’s long-standing collaboration with Eminem continues to produce some of the most iconic visuals in music, and ‘Houdini’ is no exception.”

Rich Lee, CCO at Synapse Virtual Production, adds: “Winning Best Visual Effects and Best Hip Hop Video was a team effort, and we want to extend our thanks to our amazing partners. Working alongside Metaphysic and Flawless Post, we combined our virtual production techniques and stunning visual effects with cutting-edge AI technology to create something truly groundbreaking and ‘bring Slim Shady back’ in all his 2000s glory.”