Coachella is the world’s most popular music festival. Since 1999, artists have used its canvas to introduce some of the most innovative moments in culture.
As creativity continues to transcend physical and virtual boundaries, Coachella works to offer the technological tools that allow artists and fans to experience the canvases of tomorrow.
Since 2021, Cenima Studios has led the creative strategy and production for Coachella’s Innovation programs. Collaborating with festival producers, marketing leads, global creators, and tech partners, we create unified and emotional experiences across gaming, mixed reality, livestream special effects, web3, short-form content, and film.
Our aim is to scale the festival with emerging technologies, ensure authenticity, and make novel platforms approachable through timeless storytelling principles and modern appeal.
Storytelling feels like magic. A great story can shift our perspectives, immerse us in new worlds, unlock emotions, and connect us.
It also serves as a practical tool. Through tasteful narrative and design cohesion, we abstract away the technical nuances of emerging technology platforms and allow separate experiences to connect across an emotional world.
Our approach leverages the understanding of storytelling as an evolutionary technology to bring audiences across platforms and emotionally communicate the themes of Coachella's brand.
To create Coachella’s story, we build a world inspired by the experience - one that mimics that of a heroes journey.
Fans embark on a pilgrimage to an extraordinary world in the desert where they discover new forms of creativity, develop relationships, and gather new perspectives. On the other side, they return to the ordinary world with a renewed outlook on life and memories that will last forever.
Inspired by this idea, we set out to define the themes, principles, and experiences found within Coachella's extraordinary world. What are the rules of this world? What exists there, and how do fans engage?
We carefully craft every aspect of this world—from the visuals to the interactions—to ensure that each experience, whether in the desert or online, feels like an integral chapter in Coachella’s epic journey.
Coachella's innovation programs are released in the several months between the Januaray lineup drop and the festival in April.
We take advantage of this timeline to craft a narrative that unfolds over time, creating a story arc that touches and connects each experience. Along this arc, we give fans glimpses into this world through video content, social imagery, and text - each glimpse resonating with the greator whole.
This approach allows us to promote the experience, market it, and also release tutorials that help fans who may feel less comfortable on new platforms.
Designing connected experiences across a physical festival, musical spaces in Fortnite, web3 games, and mobile augmented reality experiences involves collaborating with dozens of creators, developers, and partner stakeholders. Ensuring narrative and design consistency in each experience involves creative coordination at scale.
To achieve this, we apply our tailored transmedia design process. Our discoveries coalesce into a document known as the World Handbook. This comprehensive guide serves as the central narrative and design reference for all creators and partners involved in producing Coachella’s innovative experiences.
The World Handbook is more than just a static guide; it's a living document that evolves as the creative vision for each year’s festival takes shape, ensuring that every contributor is aligned with the overarching narrative and aesthetic.
Coachella's innovation programs are released in the several months between the January lineup drop and the festival in April.
We take advantage of this timeline to craft a narrative that unfolds over time, creating a story arc that touches and connects each experience. Along this arc, we give fans glimpses into this world through video content, social imagery, and text - each glimpse resonating with the greater whole.
By gradually revealing the story over time, we not only build anticipation but also deepen fans’ emotional connection to the festival. Each interaction becomes a puzzle piece, drawing them further into the immersive world we’ve crafted.
This approach allows us to promote the experience, market it, and also release tutorials that help fans who may feel less comfortable on new platforms.
As Coachella continues to evolve, so too does our approach. Each year presents new opportunities to push the boundaries of storytelling and technology, deepening the connection between the festival and its global audience. We remain committed to crafting experiences that resonate on a deeply emotional level while embracing the latest innovations. Our work isn’t just about creating moments—it’s about shaping the future of cultural experiences.
