REZA DOLATABADI  Director
Reza@noborder.studio
+44 7980188 603

JORGE AGUILERA Director
Jorge@noborder.studio
+52 55 4347 4200

ALE SAEVICH  Executive Producer
Ale@noborder.studio
+52 55 1852 4498

bastille

what you gonna do?

Attention is the new currency, and Bastille’s “What You Gonna Do???” throws that reality into chaos. This marks the first collaboration between Bastille and Reza, a project where music, motion, and meaning collide.

Given a brief centered on overstimulation, media saturation, and the relentless demand for attention, Reza didn’t just create a video he built a visual onslaught that refuses to let you look away. Every frame is a reflection of the frenetic, fragmented world we live in, where screens compete for dominance and reality is drowned in a sea of noise.

The result? A music video that isn’t just seen, but felt. A mirror held up to the chaos of the attention economy. A piece that demands attention, just like the culture it critiques.

The band’s song writer, Dan Smith said, “This next phase feels like a new beginning. It’s about completely tearing up our process, being spontaneous and starting again. We’re just really excited by the new songs. I think we’re making some of the best music we’ve ever made. We want to put it out now and not wait for the whole album to be done before anyone starts to hear it. This is about where we are now and hearing us in real-time.” According to a press release, the song is about “the frustration with the attention economy in which our eyes and ears are fiercely fought over, yet so few use it for anything worthwhile”. Smith said, “Whether we’re outside or online we’re perpetually hit by so many people vying for our attention, but we’re just left rolling our eyes at how rarely it’s for anything that decent or funny.”

Characters

Character design is all about balance. Push too far, and you hit the uncanny valley. Hold back, and it’s lifeless. The goal wasn’t just to draw Dan Smith, but to capture his essence—stylized enough to fit the animation world without becoming a cartoon.

Then there’s the practical side. Too much detail, and animation becomes a nightmare. Too little, and it lacks depth. The trick is to design something that works effortlessly but feels natural.

These early sketches by Hamid Bahrami, a longtime collaborator and a wildly talented draftsman, laid the foundation. His ability to create characters that move beautifully while staying instantly recognizable is no small feat.

credits

ANIMATION Director & Producer REZA DOLATABADI // Character Designs & 2D Layouts HAMID BAHRAMI // 3D Artist AMIR B.ASH // Animation Supervision EHSAN ANSARI // Character animation EHSAN ANSARI // HAMID BAHRAMI // YASIN HAGHIGHI // AMIR KAZEMI