Behind the Video: Building a Queer Celebration in One Day
Three people, one night, a mannequin head, and a deliberately handmade approach. Tada! comes from a tiny crew led by director and co-writer Isaac Lasserre, DoP and colourist Aristote Pham-Ba, and producer, co-writer, editor and musician Florian Sauvage.
The project was conceived in late 2025 and shot entirely overnight on December 18th. With a raw, under-construction location, handmade props and friends recruited as actors, the team leaned into a visual style where the mechanics behind the illusion remain visible.
That approach became particularly important when bringing the video’s mannequin head to life.
Three People, Every Role Covered
How many people worked on your selected video? Who played a key role in it?
Our crew was a tiny trio, making every single person absolutely crucial. Isaac Lasserre directed and co-wrote, Aristote Pham-Ba was our brilliant DoP and colourist, and I (Florian Sauvage) produced, co-wrote, edited and created the music under my alias Acceptation Radicale.
From November Brainstorm to a 7 AM Wrap
How long did it take to make it? What was the process (in short)?
Isaac and I brainstormed and wrote the concept in late November 2025. Over the next few weeks, we built props, booked our friends as actors, and scouted a raw, under-construction location. We shot the entire project in a single night on December 18th 2025. We naively planned to wrap by midnight, but I guess we were a bit too optimistic (and also very excited to give life to this crazy fun project) and we finally yelled “cut” at 7 AM!
Keeping the Strings in the Frame
What challenges did you face while working on the video?
The biggest challenge was making our Mannequin Head emotionally believable while fully embracing a DIY, Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind-style aesthetic. We actually work in the VFX industry and could have easily erased his puppet strings, but leaving the tricks visible felt logical. However, that made the suspension of disbelief much harder to pull off, requiring endless trials before the shoot and intense puppeteering to have him credibly look in the right direction or interact with his “hands”.
Letting the Actors Go Wild
What part of the video is your favorite?
Filming the reaction shots of our friends (our glorious “cobayes”) was easily the best part. The lighting and lensing made them look fantastic and they were incredibly patient, giving us every absurd grimace they could. Loads of bloopers were recorded that night !
A Celebration of Being Weird
Is there any message that the video is sending that you don’t want the viewer to miss?
On the surface, Tada! is a weird tale of a Mannequin Head trying to understand human expressions. But the true message is a joyful ode to absolute freedom. Our faces are uniquely expressive and beautifully weird. Never be afraid of how you look or what people think : sometimes, being silly is being free !
Watch the music video below.
CREDITS
Director : Isaac Lasserre (@isaac.lasserre)
Producer, Editor & Music : Florian Sauvage / Acceptation Radicale (@acceptation.radicale)
DoP & Color Grading : Aristote Pham-Ba (@aristote_phamba)
Live Footage : Nicolas Castelli (@brumenn__)
The “Cobayes” (Cast) : Sylvain Doussa, Paul Régnier, Sacha Seguin, Eulalie Douce, Guillaume Robert, Léa Bancelin
