Break Me Open – TRY (feat. RY X)
A Cinematic Exploration of Passion, Monsters, and AI Innovation
A Case Study in Experimental Cinematography and AI-Enhanced Video Production
Directed by Sam i and shot by Director of Photography Drew Lauer, the music video for “Break Me Open” by TRY (feat. RY X) is a bold departure from traditional music visuals—an ambitious fusion of 1980s horror aesthetics and cutting-edge artificial intelligence. Blending practical cinematography with advanced post-production techniques, this video became a first-of-its-kind project, where nearly every frame was rebuilt through AI modeling and dataset mapping.
The Vision:
“Break Me Open is a song about being broken open by love, about people’s pain and inner monsters being unveiled and intertwined in raw and unbridled passion,” said Director Sam i. The production leaned heavily into metaphor, portraying emotional vulnerability through surreal, creature-filled visuals with an unmistakable B-horror movie charm.
To support this creative vision, Drew Lauer shot the practical elements with purposefully lo-fi textures—low contrast lighting, soft edges, and eerie, analog camera angles—to serve as the skeleton for the AI reconstruction. These visuals provided the base for a massive transformation in post-production, where the footage was re-skinned and animated into an entirely new world.
Cinematography Meets AI
Drew’s approach as DP was to create scenes that felt authentic and emotive, even when knowing they would eventually be remapped by AI. Working alongside camera assistant Carlito Peinado, gaffers Jose Morales and Benji Payne, and lighting PA Nick Floris, Drew embraced imperfections and gave the post-production team a versatile visual foundation to work from.
This technique allowed for flexibility in the AI modeling phase, which involved building multiple character, creature, and environment models, all matched to the original footage using experimental software that, as Sam i described, is already obsolete—proof of how fast AI is evolving in visual storytelling.
Post-Production Alchemy
The transformation of the original footage into an entirely AI-generated universe was led by teams from JAMM, Company 3, and a variety of global VFX and AI artists. AI Editors and VFX specialists rebuilt the film frame-by-frame, mapping surreal visual overlays, dreamlike movements, and complex 3D animations onto the base imagery captured by Drew’s lens.
Color grading by Tyler Roth at Company 3 ensured the final result retained visual coherence, blending the analog origin with its futuristic finish
The Result
The final music video for Break Me Open stands as a groundbreaking exploration of emotion, narrative, and hybrid visual formats. The project showcases the evolving role of the Director of Photography in new media—where mastery of traditional tools is just the beginning, and collaboration with AI, CG, and VFX artists opens new realms of storytelling.
Drew Lauer’s cinematography on this project didn’t just support the creative vision—it helped shape what was possible in post-production. By delivering strong, emotive, and flexible source material, Drew ensured that even in a fully AI-enhanced environment, the heart of the story remained real.
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