OK Go’s “Love” Music Video Used 29 Robotic Arms Holding 60 Mirrors to Create Kaleidoscopic Effect

Did you know OK Go’s “Love” music video was shot in an old, shut-down train station in Budapest over two days, all in one long take with no cuts? They used 29 robotic arms from Universal Robots, set up to move super precisely, holding 60 mirrors to make colorful, spinning reflections that amplify the song’s idea of endless love.

The arms were told exactly how to move along with the song’s beat and the band’s steps, creating a smooth, kaleidoscopic effect. Each arm had a set path, tilting and turning mirrors to bounce light and images in real-time, making fancy patterns that changed during the 3-minute shot.

The team, including robot experts from Universal Robots, worked for weeks to get the arms moving together perfectly. The arms were fixed to bases all over the station’s floor, placed to make the reflections pop. They were so precise—down to millimeters—that the mirrors lined up just right to bounce visuals without distortion.

Setting up 29 arms for one long shot was tough—if even one mirror tilted a tiny bit wrong, the whole take was messed up. They did 39 takes, dealing with cold weather, tiredness, and sometimes pesky pigeons. About six mirrors broke while filming, so they had to swap them fast without throwing off the arms’ moves.