Meow Wolf and BUCK Launch Surreal Film Starring Houston Legend Fat Tony

HOUSTON, TX, October 1, 2024 – Arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf, known for their mind-bending immersive experiences, has teamed up with renowned global creative company BUCK to produce a striking new film promoting the highly anticipated opening of Radio Tave, Meow Wolf’s permanent exhibition opening October 31 in Houston’s historic Fifth Ward. The film, which stars Houston legend Fat Tony as a charismatic used car salesman, takes audiences on a wild ride as a family gets pulled into their TV and journeys through a psychedelic wonderland — a world filled with surreal visuals and narratives inspired by the immersive experience of Radio Tave.

BUCK, known for its inventive visual storytelling and imaginative work, has crafted a film that captures the essence of Meow Wolf’s ethos. The film, which blends elements of comedy and fantasy, showcases the collaboration’s unique approach to advertising, offering a sneak peek into the kaleidoscopic universe of Radio Tave. Both Meow Wolf and BUCK, as certified B-Corporations, are committed to using creativity not only as a tool for artistic expression but also as a means to make a positive social impact. 

“We are huge fans of Meow Wolf, so partnering with them to bring Radio Tave to life with this film has been a surreal dream come true,” said Robert Bisi, Creative Director at BUCK. “Together we’ve made a psychedelic expression of the soon-to-open Houston experience, an immersive and visually rich narrative that invites you to Change Your Frequency. Fat Tony’s appearance as a spiritual cowboy car salesman underlines the spirit of the exhibit — authentic Houston culture wrapped in the surreal, magic of Meow Wolf.”

In addition to its local star power and psychedelic visuals, the film will serve as a key component in Meow Wolf’s advertising campaign for Radio Tave. The full-length version will air online across Meow Wolf’s platforms, with shorter versions to run on social media, local television, and various digital channels. The campaign will also extend into out-of-home (OOH) activations and experiential marketing, further embedding Meow Wolf into Houston’s cultural fabric.

“Partnering with BUCK on this project has been an incredible way to express the magic of Radio Tave,” said Vinny Nicoletti, Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at Meow Wolf. “Their expertise in creating visually stunning, narrative-driven work perfectly aligns with our mission to bring immersive, awe-inspiring experiences to the public.”

The film’s whimsical, immersive aesthetic mirrors the artistic essence of Radio Tave, Meow Wolf’s latest permanent installation. The Houston exhibition will feature contributions from local artists, musicians, and performers, blending global art experiences with Houston’s diverse cultural landscape.

Meow Wolf | Kati Murphy, Vice President PR & Communication
Phone: 312-927-8463
Email: kati.murphy@meowwolf.com

Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences that have transported millions of participants of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Recognized as Time Out's #1 Immersive Experience in the US (2023), in Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies (2022 and 2020) and USA Today’s Top 10 Best Immersive Art Experiences (2022), Meow Wolf experiences engage millions of curious seekers through discovery and play. The company's first exhibition in Santa Fe (2016) is the THEA Award-winning, international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, which reveals a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, mesmerizing art exhibits. Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas (2021) is an eye-popping smorgasbord of art in a dreamlike grocery store where other worlds gleam just beyond the frozen aisle. Denver’s Convergence Station (2021) is a maximalist grandiosity of architecture, a quantum transit station that connects to four alien worlds forged together in a post-singularity moment of amnesia. Meow Wolf opened The Real Unreal in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in July 2023 and the next location will open in Houston in 2024 followed by Los Angeles in 2026. Meow Wolf is proud to be the first certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry.

BUCK is a global creative company that combines design, technology, and storytelling to create compelling experiences for brands. Founded in 2004, BUCK has built a reputation for outstanding craftsmanship and innovation through collaboration with a wide range of clients across the cultural and technology spheres, including Nike, Apple, Netflix, IBM, Airbnb, and Google. Recognized as an industry leader, BUCK’s trophy case includes two Emmys, multiple gold Cannes Lions, Clios, pencils, cubes, and over 200 other awards from the most prestigious competitions in the world. 

BUCK is in Residence, a collective of beautifully curated companies with the shared goal of empowering creative potential.

Marketing Creative Director: Dave Jasmon, Allyson Lupovich
Brand Creative Lead: Phil Jones
Principal Graphic Designer: Luke Dorman
Sr. Visual Designer: Marley Prudeaux
Director of Marketing Production: Merritt Davies
VP, Marketing Operations: Megan Ambrose

Group Creative Director: Daniel Oeffinger
Executive Producer: Kim Stephens
Creative Director: Robert Bisi
Senior Art Director: Sylvia Witter
Technical Director: Daniel Pernikoff
Director of Photography: Ben Kitchens
Senior Producer: Monica Lynn
Producer: Elizabeth Abrams
Associate Producer: Khadim Dieng
Line Producer: Serene Bynum
Editor: Dave Conte
Post Production Supervisor: Jose Fuentes
Animation Lead: Juan Ricardo Hernandez
Animation: Diego Abad, David Hobizal, Hannah Sun, Scott Jonsson
VFX / Compositing: Daniel Pernikoff, Brooks Tomlinson
Design / Concept Art: Mark Kulakoff, Twisha Patni, Joel Plosz, Codie Chang, Victoria Kociman
Additional Design: Yukyung Lee, Kate Wu, Zack Williams, Haeri Cho, Nikko Gary
Storyboards: Tristyn Pease, Max Forward
Colorist: Jose Fuentes, Ben Rohel
Pitch Consultant: Yker Moreno

Sound Design: Ant Food