The popular rock band’s single-take marvel combines 29 collaborative robots, infinite mirrors, and precision choreography, all synced to a 78bpm heartbeat.
In a cavernous Budapest train station, after 36 failed attempts and with time running out, take 37 finally captured what many thought impossible: a perfect single-take music video featuring 25 robotic arms moving in precise synchronisation with OK Go’s latest track, Love.
The band, which rocketed to fame in 2006 with their song Here It Goes Again, is known for its quirky music videos. They are often elaborately choreographed to be filmed in a single long take and make extensive use of practical effects and optical illusions.
But they’ve truly outdone themselves here in a technical tour de force that merges cutting-edge robotics with creative vision to create a kaleidoscopic journey through infinite reflections. Everything is captured on camera, with no green screen required, and it’s no exaggeration to say that the effect is truly astonishing.
We couldn’t believe our eyes the first time we saw it, so we were keen to chat with Miguel Espada, who co-directed the project along with Damian Kulash and Aaron Duffy, and discover how it all came together.
Mirrors as metaphor
“The main idea behind the video was to use mirrors to create different visual effects,” begins Miguel. “The concept revolved around multiplying reflections as a metaphor for love, with the infinite reflections illustrating the love one feels for family and children.”
However, achieving those infinite reflections presented challenges that traditional filmmaking techniques couldn’t solve. “To achieve an infinite reflection—a reflection of a reflection of a reflection—it’s enough to place one mirror in front of another,” Espada explains. “But if those two mirrors aren’t perfectly parallel, the reflections curve and ruin the illusion.”
This need for absolute precision, combined with the desire for dynamic, moving mirrors, made collaborative robots the only viable solution. Universal Robots’ cobots were selected for their versatility, safety features, and ease of programming, which are crucial factors in an environment where rapid adjustments are necessary.
From mathematics to music
The four-minute video represents a complex choreography between humans and machines. The team developed a two-layer control system revolving around a Python controller launching about 30 threads (one per robot) and an OpenFrameworks layer orchestrating all animations.
“Normally, animations run at 30, 50, or 100 frames per second,” notes Espada, whose background includes a PhD in mathematics and years of experience blending technical expertise with creative vision through his studio Espadaysantacruz. “In this case, we synced everything to 78bpm.”
What makes the achievement even more remarkable is that the entire production had to be coordinated as a single take with no cuts. “We had two days for shooting,” Espada recalls. “After a day and a half, we still hadn’t managed to complete a single full take from start to finish.”
Constant challenges
While the robots provided the precision necessary for the mirrors’ movements, the video’s success hinged on collaboration between human creativity and mechanical execution. “Programming was often a collaborative process across departments,” says Espada. “Many key positions were defined by hand, then transferred to the overall timeline.”
The team discovered that the robots’ distinctive movements added an unexpected dimension to proceedings. “There’s one scene that was choreographed by a human choreographer, and it took us some time to understand that robotic arms don’t move the same way humans do,” Espada recalls. “It wasn’t a limitation; it just required an iterative process to explore the expressive potential of the robots.”
This iterative approach extended beyond the planning stage. Despite creating a complete digital animatic beforehand, the team found themselves continually solving challenges as the shoot progressed.
Visual tricks, perfectly timed
“There was a lot of trial and error throughout the process,” remembers Espada. “Imagining how mirrors and reflections behave is very complicated. Sometimes, the physics of reflections feel like magic or become disorienting. Every new effect had to be tested, and we had to solve the technical challenges that came with it.
“We asked questions like: How do we create this shape? What size should the mirrors be? How
do we move them? What will they reflect? Where does the camera go?”
The biggest challenge, however, was syncing the entire video. “It’s over four minutes long and shot in a single take with no cuts,” Espada explains. “Think of it as a huge piece of choreography between people and robots, all synced to the music. Each individual part may seem simple, but putting it all together was incredibly complex. Every visual trick had to be perfectly timed to match the exact moment of music.”
The team hoped to have everything pre-programmed with only minor tweaks on set. “However, that idea didn’t survive the first few days. There were too many unexpected elements. We had to keep
adjusting things right up to the last minute. I remember after more than 20 failed attempts on one scene, we had to go back, recalculate angles, and reprogram the robots.”
They had two days in total. “But after a day and a half, we still hadn’t completed a single full take. It was very stressful. We had tested individual scenes but never the full sequence.
“The hardest part was the transitions between scenes, not just for the band, but also the camera crew and art team. Everyone had to coordinate perfectly. We hoped to get good takes on day one. That was impossible. Fortunately, everything came together on take 37.”
A glimpse into the future
The project, involving over 60 people from 10 countries, represents a significant milestone in showing how robots can be used to create great art. And Espada believes that when we watch this video, we’re looking into the future.
“Collaborative robotics—technology that enhances collaboration between humans and machines—is going to become more and more present in daily life,” predicts Espada. “We usually associate robots with industrial use, but the possibilities go far beyond that.”
For the director, the next big frontier lies at the intersection of AI and robotics. “I’d love to work with robots that can move in real-time, powered by autonomous AI agents,” he enthuses. “That’s where things get really exciting.”
Mesmerising mechanics
As for the video itself, the final result showcases the unique beauty that emerges when cutting-edge technology and human creativity work in harmony. The mirrors create mesmerising infinite reflections while the robots move with mechanical precision, all flowing seamlessly with the music and the band’s performance.
It’s a remarkable achievement. As Espada reflects: “We had two weeks to set up 29 robots, of different sizes and shapes, inside a train station. A lot was planned in advance, but we still had to reprogram everything from scratch on-site. At the same time, every other department—art, camera, wardrobe—had to do their part. And the band had to rehearse. Looking back, it was total madness. But we pulled it off.”
After all the technical challenges, programming hurdles, and failed takes, Espada offers one final observation: “The only ones who never mess up a take are the robots.”