Last summer we awarded Zenith Apex our Barclay Award for the video shown above. Something happened and I neglected to write an article about his work. We also forgot to interview him for our podcast. I take full responsibility for neglecting to do this. I will blame on my age. Yeah! That’s it. I’m old and forgot.
But now we are making up for this oversight. I’m so glad we are because since we first connected with him about the award, he has become a dynamic presence in the AI animation community. His production is beyond amazing. He is always challenging himself and trying new styles. His music is hypnotic. It grabs the listener and guides them into the animations.
Zenith Apex is part of a growing movement of innovative AI music video animators exploring new techniques. Late year we highlighted another producer, Robert Mann and his Everymann Productions. He too is working to push boundaries and explore new directions.
Recently Zenith Apex completed an album of animations based on a theme. He calls this After the Last Take. Here is an album of moody, jazzy, and soulful music set to animations in a very film noir style. For those unfamiliar with the style here is a definition: AA style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace. The term was originally applied (by a group of French critics) to American thriller or detective films made in the period 1944–54. In French it literally translates to ‘black film’. It is important to understand this when you watch his videos in this playlist.
His influence for the in this series music back to when he was a child driving with his father who listened to older classic jazz. When listened with the film the music seems familiar. Zenith is one of the artists we follow because of how he pushes himself. Breaking through boundaries and trying new techniques. He does this by finding and participating in groups introducing new artists. What better way to challenge yourself than looking at what others are doing. Competition challenges most artists to explore new techniques and looking for ways of doing something unique to them.
Last summer we awarded Zenith Apex our Barclay Award for the video shown above. Something happened and I neglected to write an article about his work. We also forgot to interview him for our podcast. I take full responsibility for neglecting to do this. I will blame it on my age. Yeah! That’s it. I’m old and forgot.
But now we are making up for this oversight. I’m so glad we are, because since we first connected with him about the award, he has become a dynamic presence in the AI animation community. His production is beyond amazing. He is always challenging himself and trying new styles. His music is hypnotic. It grabs the listener and guides them into the animations.
Recently he completed an album of animations based on a theme. He calls this After the Last Take. Here is a collection of moody, jazzy, and soulful music set to animations in a striking film noir style.
For those unfamiliar with the style, film noir is a genre marked by pessimism, fatalism, and menace. The term was originally applied by French critics to American thriller and detective films made between 1944 and 1954. In French, it literally translates to “black film.” Stark lighting, heavy shadows, morally complex characters, and a sense of inevitable consequence define the look and tone.
It is important to understand this when you watch his videos in this playlist. Zenith doesn’t simply imitate noir aesthetics; he internalizes them. His animations breathe with that same tension—the sense that something has already happened, and we are witnessing the emotional aftermath.
His influence for the music goes back to childhood drives with his father, who listened to classic jazz. Those early soundtracks—smoky horns, brushed drums, late-night melodies—left an imprint. When paired with the visuals, the music feels both nostalgic and immediate. It’s as though you’ve heard it before in another life, echoing down a rain-slicked alley.
What sets Zenith apart is not just talent but momentum. He pushes himself relentlessly—experimenting with structure, pacing, and visual technique. He actively participates in creative communities, introducing new artists and engaging in collaborative challenges. There is something powerful about placing your work alongside others. Competition, when healthy, becomes fuel. It forces exploration. It demands originality.
Zenith Apex embraces that tension. Each new project feels like a response to the last—an evolution rather than a repetition. After the Last Take is more than a themed collection; it is a statement about mood, memory, and artistic courage.
We may have been late in telling his story. But sometimes the delay makes the appreciation sharper. And in this case, it gives us the pleasure of recognizing an artist not just on the rise—but in motion.
This video is simply titled: Playlist: Journey To Art 2026; Event: RunwayML Daily Challenge; Day: 707
