Beck's video "Girl" is one of those puzzles that prompts a pro to ask "How did they do that, anyway?" The challenge was to illustrate the singer's darkly inflected but light-sounding lyrics with a new take on the cartoons of Mad magazine's Al Jaffee. The artist's trademark "fold-ins" were drawings with a caption that unfolded to reveal an expanded cartoon with a new caption. Building this origami-like bridge from Beck to Jaffee were co-directors Mathew Cullen and Grady Hall of Motion Theory in Venice.

Creating an entirely different perspective for the visual fold-ins was a taxing venture and physical production was particularly complicated. Executing the effect involved plotting precise live-action shooting, which was combined later with CG during seven weeks of post. In order for shots to match, they were planned "to the millimeter," says Hall. Over three days, DP David Morrison shot 300 minutes of Kodak Vision 2 5212 and 5218 negative, focusing on details of the LA neighborhoods where Beck grew up- Echo Park, Boyle Heights and East LA- that were examined more closely in the added perspectives of the fold-ins.

The co-directors wanted to be on the street, as if observing Beck on the sidewalk. "We shot with a couple of [Arri] 435s and a 235," says Hall. A portable Gazelle motion control unit was used for all of the full-screen fold-in shots on location. Even with the Gazelle, Hall chose to shoot handheld to counter the overly polished feel of special effects.

"The whole move starts in-camera, with us shooting two different camera moves of the same scene. We designed these camera moves so that they match exactly, except one is the reciprocal of the other. So, for instance, one move goes right, and the other goes left. Then we composited those shots together in a way that brings the perspectives together," says Hall.

In post, the center section of the shot was replaced with CG in Maya and After Effects, using textures and materials from the live-action shoot to enhance the realism of the backdrop. As the scene folds, the physical objects become entirely CG just before they flatten and collapse into the fold like so much cardboard. Finally, the eye is tricked into accepting the movement by the addition of such visual flourishes as particles flying, puffs of dust, and candy emerging from a pià±ata.

To watch "Girl," visit Beck's Web site (www.beck.com/news/), or view additional stills at Motion Theory's site (www.motiontheory.com/work/beck_girl).