Eminem’s “Houdini” video might look like pure Shady madness on the surface, but behind the nostalgia and mayhem is a feat of technical wizardry that is now getting the recognition it deserves.
The video that brought 2002-era Slim Shady face-to-face with his 2024 self has been nominated for a 2025 Telly Award. And public voting is open now.
What makes the nomination even more impressive is how quickly the video came together. Directed by longtime Eminem collaborator Rich Lee, who previously worked with Eminem for “Not Afraid”, “Rap God”, “The Monster”, “Phenomenal”, “Walk on Water” and “Venom”, and produced by his virtual production company Synapse, the entire shoot was completed in just five days. That includes everything from designing the virtual environments to executing AI-powered visuals and real-time camera tracking.
Synapse handled the virtual production at the Los Angeles Center Studios stage. Lee and cinematographer Christopher Probst helped turn a chaotic concept into a sleek, high-tech final product. In an interview, they described the “Houdini” shoot as an experiment in pushing the limits of filmmaking tech — with deepfake-driven scenes, stunt sequences, and era-hopping set pieces stitched together in record time.
Now, the team is calling on fans to help the project earn its flowers. “If you enjoyed Slim Shady’s hit video and want to support innovative production”, Synapse posted, “we’d appreciate your vote!”
Telly Award winners are scored on a points-based system, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels awarded to the nominated works. The more votes, the better the shot at that top tier. Mind you, the competition is tight in the Immersive & Mixed Reality category, where “Houdini” is nominated. Slim Shady has “Die with a Smile”, the “Beetlejuice: Escape the Afterlife” game, “Wicked RP: The Official Experience on Roblox”, and more stacked against him.
So if “Houdini” made you laugh, impressed you technically, or just made you miss the early-2000s Shady era — this is your chance to show love.
Vote here for “Houdini” at the Telly Awards >>>
