Dancing With Shadows /The Transits

The Challenge

The Transits are an indie band working remotely between New Zealand and South Africa. With a growing global fan base, especially in Brazil, they see music videos not just as a way to reach their fans but as emotional extensions of their songs. For their new track Dancing With Shadows, they wanted a visual narrative that could express the depth and metaphor of the lyrics: a journey through darkness, emotional collapse, and the return of hope.

But producing high-end, metaphorical visuals across continents and with limited resources is a creative challenge.

The Approach

Directed by Arthur Machado (Paranoid BR), the video was built entirely using generative AI. It enabled the team to design impossible visuals: liquid shadows consuming entire environments, metaphorical spaces collapsing under emotional weight, and characters navigating surreal transitions.

The process was collaborative from the start. The band gave Arthur full creative freedom, and with Dom Antelme (frontman and ECD at Bastion Shine) involved in shaping the narrative, the project became a fusion of music, storytelling, and technology.

The Brazilian fan connection added another layer. With over 70 percent of The Transits’ engagement coming from Brazil, teaming up with a Brazilian director based in Aotearoa and backed by Paranoid BR, one of the leading production companies in Brazil, felt culturally and creatively aligned.

The Result

The final video is a poetic, visually rich film that expands the song’s emotional message through metaphor and mood. It showcases how AI, when used responsibly, can empower artists to tell bigger, bolder stories, regardless of geography or budget.

The video was featured in international music and creative media and was the subject of an interview on CNN Brazil.