The Mirage

A festival world revealed across film, interaction, and play.

Creative Direction

Creative Direction

Production

Production

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About

Discover the Mirage is a brand film introducing Coachella’s virtual identity through a new creative device: the Mirage - a connective creative force bridging the festival’s physical and digital worlds. The film earned over 1.2 million views and served as the entry point to a broader mixed reality ecosystem.

Since 2022, we’ve partnered with festival and brand leadership to shape Coachella’s world-building strategy, defining the themes, spaces, and creative logic that extend the festival beyond the grounds. This work lives across storytelling, design, and emerging technology, treating Coachella as a canvas for creativity across dimensions.

Released in chapters ahead of the festival, each piece aligns with an interactive touchpoint - from mobile AR to Fortnite worlds and on-site scavenger hunts - inviting fans to explore, discover, and participate both on-site and at-home. The result is a layered experience that blurs film, world building, and engagement, using emerging technology to scale the magic of Coachella in ways that feel intuitive, playful, and human.

Client(s)

Coachella
Meta
Epic Games

Credits

Client Lead

Forward Studio

Talent

Alex Watson

Director

Ryan Cenicola

Producers

Reed Matthews & Daniel Kelley

Cinematographer

Sterling Adgate

AC

Alex Fauver

Associate Producer

Zarye Wossene

Editor

Jake Zieman

Color

Dylan Hageman

Mix

Joshua Chang

VFX

Pendulum VFX

Credits

Client Lead

Forward Studio

Talent

Alex Watson

Director

Ryan Cenicola

Producers

Reed Matthews & Daniel Kelley

Cinematographer

Sterling Adgate

AC

Alex Fauver

Associate Producer

Zarye Wossene

Editor

Jake Zieman

Color

Dylan Hageman

Mix

Joshua Chang

VFX

Pendulum VFX

Credits

Client Lead

Forward Studio

Talent

Alex Watson

Director

Ryan Cenicola

Producers

Reed Matthews & Daniel Kelley

Cinematographer

Sterling Adgate

AC

Alex Fauver

Associate Producer

Zarye Wossene

Editor

Jake Zieman

Color

Dylan Hageman

Mix

Joshua Chang

VFX

Pendulum VFX

Cenima

est. 2021
Los Angeles, CA

Cenima

est. 2021
Los Angeles, CA

Cenima

est. 2021
Los Angeles, CA

Cenima

est. 2021
Los Angeles, CA

Info

Cenima is a creative company shaping reality through storytelling, design, and emerging technology. We craft cinematic worlds, cultural experiences, and strategic campaigns - on screens, stages, and the spaces in between.

Shape Reality is our mission and worldview. We believe story is the most powerful force in the world - and technology is how it moves forward. Together, they give us the power and responsibility to imagine better futures, inspire culture, and create deeper human experiences.

Info

Cenima is a creative company shaping reality through storytelling, design, and emerging technology. We craft cinematic worlds, cultural experiences, and strategic campaigns - on screens, stages, and the spaces in between.

Shape Reality is our mission and worldview. We believe story is the most powerful force in the world - and technology is how it moves forward. Together, they give us the power and responsibility to imagine better futures, inspire culture, and create deeper human experiences.