American Horror Story: Coven is the third season of the popular TV series, American Horror Story. This season revolves around a coven of witches in modern-day New Orleans. The storyline primarily focuses on a rivalry between two powerful witches, Fiona Goode and Marie Laveau, as they battle for control over the Coven and the city. The coven at the center of the story traces its origins back to the infamous Salem witch trials in the 17th century. The descendants of the Salem witches carry on their magical traditions while hiding in plain sight in the modern world. The Coven is led by the Supreme, the most powerful witch of her generation.
Tyler is one of the night’s performers who is also nominated for an award. He’s up for Best Rap Album, with his album Igor competing against 21 Savage’s personal I Am > I Was, Dreamville’s collaborative Revenge Of The Dreamers III, Meek Mill’s fiery Championships, and YBN Cordae’s contemplative The Lost Boy. Of the five, Tyler has the second-most nominations after Dreamville’s J. Cole with three nominations. Tyler was nominated for Album Of The Year in 2012 for his work with fellow Odd Future member and close friend Frank Ocean on Frank’s debut Channel Orange and again in 2017 for his own Flower Boy, which was up for Best Rap Album. A win for Tyler would be his first.
Tyler The Creator was joined by Charlie Wilson, Boyz II Men, and an army of Igor cloens for his intense Grammys performance of songs from his Best Rap Album-nominated album Igor including Earfquake and New Magic Wand. He s up for Best Rap Album, with his album Igor competing against 21 Savage s personal I Am I Was , Dreamville s collaborative Revenge Of The Dreamers III , Meek Mill s fiery Championships , and YBN Cordae s contemplative The Lost Boy.
The Coven is led by the Supreme, the most powerful witch of her generation. Fiona Goode, played by Jessica Lange, is the current Supreme who is struggling with her fading powers and mortality. She is desperate to find a successor to carry on the lineage and retain her power.
TYLER THE CREATOR - GRAMMY PERFORMANCE
Working under the direction of Drew Best at Immenent and Alex Reardon of Silent House productions, I was tasked with designing and animating a virtual set extension for Tyler, the Creator’s explosive 2020 GRAMMY Performance of EARFQUAKE / NEW MAGIC WAND, at which he took home the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for his IGOR album. The physical set, designed by Silent House, depicted a neighborhood street lined with pastel colored houses. During the performance, the set would crack apart and spew flames. My task was to create a mapped animation to extend the set and enhance the effect with added VFX.
002// THE CONCEPT
The performance opens on a colorful neighborhood street where Tyler is accompanied by a quartet including Boyz II Men and Charlie Wilson. The mood quickly changes to a dark, stormy environment. As the earth-rattling bass hits, the street cracks open and the scene begins to self-destruct. Powerlines spark, structures fall, and basically everything explodes as a fiery abyss opens in the middle of the street. At the finale moment, Tyler drops off the backside of the physical set, into the virtual fiery pit.
003// THE Process
I began recreating the houses and the street in Cinema4D using the physical set as a reference. There were a number of unknowns including the final placement of the set in relation to the screen and the camera angles that would be used on show day, so I created the scene in 1 point perspective with plenty of breathing room for ease of remapping and flexibility for the live cameras. Another unknown was the actual audio since Tyler was creating a bespoke mashup for the performance. So I created a series of looping layers and musical moments that could be arranged and composited in After Effects so that we would have the ability to remix as needed as those details solidified.
004// CREDITS
Production Design - Alex Reardon // Silent House
Animation Studio - Drew Best // Immanent
Design & Animaton - Sean Bowes
Tyler The Creator was joined by Charlie Wilson, Boyz II Men, and an army of Igor cloens for his intense Grammys performance of songs from his Best Rap Album-nominated album Igor including “Earfquake” and “New Magic Wand.” The extras wore duplicates of his signature, powder blue suit and Andy Warhol wig on a stage set to look like a burning suburban cul-de-sac. Check out the performance below.
The Coven is also home to a group of young witches, known as the "Generation of Wonders," who are learning to harness their powers under the guidance of the Supreme. Each witch possesses a unique set of abilities, ranging from telekinesis to clairvoyance, and they face various challenges as they navigate their newfound powers and the dangerous world of witchcraft. The Salem witches are a central element in the storyline, as their history and knowledge play a significant role in the Coven's survival. The past traumas and injustices endured by the Salem witches continue to haunt the present-day Coven, and their legacy is explored throughout the season. American Horror Story: Coven of Salem witches delves into the world of witchcraft, power struggles, and the consequences of past actions. It showcases the resilience and strength of the witches as they confront external threats and internal conflicts. The story highlights themes of female empowerment, sisterhood, and the enduring nature of magic across generations. Overall, American Horror Story: Coven of Salem witches is a captivating and dark exploration of the supernatural world of witches, blending history with contemporary storytelling and offering a fresh take on the witchcraft genre..
Reviews for "The Evolution of the AHS Coven of Salem Witches throughout the Series"
1. Samantha - 1 star: I was really looking forward to watching "Ahs coven of salem witches" since I'm a fan of the American Horror Story series, but this season was a major disappointment. The plot was all over the place, and it seemed like the writers were just throwing in random twists and turns without any coherent storyline. The characters lacked depth and development, making it hard to connect with any of them. Overall, it felt like a messy and confusing season that couldn't live up to the previous seasons' standards.
2. Mike - 2 stars: As someone who enjoys supernatural and witch-themed shows, I had high hopes for "Ahs coven of salem witches." However, I was left feeling underwhelmed. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the storylines felt disjointed. The constant flashbacks, while trying to provide background information, only further confused the narrative. The acting was okay, but the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked the complexity that made previous seasons so captivating. I found myself losing interest by the middle of the season and struggled to finish it. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to explore the rich history of Salem witches in a compelling and engaging way.
3. Lisa - 2 stars: I've been a loyal viewer of American Horror Story, but "Ahs coven of salem witches" just didn't do it for me. The writing felt lazy and predictable, with clichéd characters and situations. The attempts at horror and suspense fell flat, and the scares were cheap and unoriginal. The portrayal of witches in this season was disappointing, as it lacked the depth and complexity that I was hoping for. It seemed more like a soap opera with supernatural elements rather than a horror series. Overall, this season lacked the creativity and originality that made me fall in love with American Horror Story in the first place.
4. James - 1 star: "Ahs coven of salem witches" was a complete mess. The plot was convoluted and had so many unnecessary subplots that it became impossible to keep track of what was happening. The characters were poorly written and lacked any real depth or motivation. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with forced attempts at humor that fell flat. The performances were uninspiring, even from actors who have previously excelled in the series. Overall, this season felt like a lazy attempt to cash in on the popularity of witches without putting in any real effort to deliver a compelling and engaging story.
5. Sarah - 2 stars: "Ahs coven of salem witches" had so much potential, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The storyline was messy and inconsistent, leaving many loose ends unresolved. The characters were poorly developed, making it hard to care about their fates. The season tried to tackle too many themes at once, resulting in a jumbled mess. While there were a few standout performances, they were not enough to save the season as a whole. It felt like a wasted opportunity to explore the intriguing world of Salem witches in a way that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. It's a shame, as American Horror Story has proven in the past that it can deliver captivating and innovative storytelling.