Melitha Sidabutar’s music video pioneers virtual production in Christian music

Indonesian singer Melitha Sidabutar launched her new single ‘Mengucap Syukur’ in February 2023 with an ambitious music video powered by virtual production techniques. The Christian pop song was among the very first of the genre to take advantage of the technology. In this case study, you will see how Impactmusik Indonesia and V2 Indonesia used Disguise’s rx II to create brilliantly realised scenery and deliver a video to remember.

At a glance

Melitha Sidabutar has made a name for herself as one of Indonesia’s biggest names in Christian music, and the video for ‘Mengucap Syukar’ needed to effectively show her message of thanks and gratitude.

The production team envisaged an evocative video that would place Sidabutar in a number of extraordinary settings: the blazing heat of the desert, a wintry forest in the grips of a snowstorm, and at the top of a skyscraper in a futuristic city. At the centre of everything, Sidabutar would sing her praises to God, passing her faith and thanks back to him.

The challenge

Working to a tight schedule and budget is a challenge for any production. Record label Impactmusik Indonesia creates diverse virtual environments that Sidabutar could perform in, while also aiming to minimise production costs and work efficiently.

It was also important to the team that the end video met a high visual standard. Though they knew that, with their budget and the multiple settings, they would need CGI techniques, they were still invested in finding a way to immerse their star in the scenery as if it were real.

The solution

The answer came through collaboration with audio-visual experts V2 Indonesia, who offered the opportunity to film the video in a virtual production volume. By filming in front of high quality LED screens, Melitha Sidabutar was able to engage more easily with her surroundings as they would appear in the final video.

It was easy to create a realistic sense of place, with Sidabutar naturally lit by the scenery to better place her in each set. 

Disguise’s rx II render engine enabled changes to be delivered in real-time on set, meaning small adjustments could be made to better show off the environments created for the shoot. 

In a busy environment, and working to a tight schedule, these changes enabled the crew to avoid unnecessary delays and stay focussed on their deadline.

Success

The final product did not merely deliver the team’s ambitious take on a Christian music video, while keeping to a tight budget and schedule.

Instead, with over 450,000 views already, the video captures Melitha Sidabutar at her very best, in a beautifully captured virtual world.