The Artist Explains: M. Craft - 'Chemical Trails' (Video)
Wonderful musician M.Craft speaks to us about his elegant indie offering and accompanying music video, 'Chemical Trails' taken from his recently released album 'Blood Moon', out now on Heavenly Recordings.
The Artist Explains:
Where was the video filmed?
We filmed around Palm Springs- in the desert and under the turbines- then my friends lent me their swimming pool. Lastly we drove up to Joshua Tree for some big expansive shots.
How does the video compliment the song?
The song is based around piano improvisations, and similarly the video is improvised and freeform. We wanted it loose. I think the song has a disaffected feel to it.. a lost, hazy ramble.. and somehow the video captures this.
Any behind the scenes stories?
For the underwater shots, George wanted me to dive in right above him but just miss him. He went down to the bottom of the pool and waited, but I was scared I'd land straight on top of him, so I kept diving just to one side. He thought I was just missing the target due to lack of coordination, and I had to dive in five times before I told him I was scared to dive straight. Eventually I did, and of course went crashing into him. Luckily we're good mates.
We were weaving in and out of each other on the highway for quite a while to get the driving shots. In reality it was actually quite speedy and action-packed but slowed down it comes across very relaxed.
Tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
We felt the sky was important as that's where chemical trails occur.. so there are a few cloud formations, birds crossing the shot, and other lines fading into trails.
We loved the sunlight dancing in the water, and thought it matched the randomness of the piano notes. It almost looks like soundwaves.
When editing, we kept making the cuts and the speed slower and slower till the pace felt right. This was very important to us. We talked alot about Terence Malick films. I like it slow.
At the end of the clip we liked the ambiguity that I was maybe dying, maybe being reborn.
What is the message the video is trying to convey?
I don't think there is a particular message.. perhaps it's about dropping out. Or dropping in to your friends with swimming pools- both of which are good ideas.
Interview feature by Karla Harris
The song is based around piano improvisations, and similarly the video is improvised and freeform. We wanted it loose. I think the song has a disaffected feel to it.. a lost, hazy ramble.. and somehow the video captures this.
Any behind the scenes stories?
For the underwater shots, George wanted me to dive in right above him but just miss him. He went down to the bottom of the pool and waited, but I was scared I'd land straight on top of him, so I kept diving just to one side. He thought I was just missing the target due to lack of coordination, and I had to dive in five times before I told him I was scared to dive straight. Eventually I did, and of course went crashing into him. Luckily we're good mates.
We were weaving in and out of each other on the highway for quite a while to get the driving shots. In reality it was actually quite speedy and action-packed but slowed down it comes across very relaxed.
Tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
We felt the sky was important as that's where chemical trails occur.. so there are a few cloud formations, birds crossing the shot, and other lines fading into trails.
We loved the sunlight dancing in the water, and thought it matched the randomness of the piano notes. It almost looks like soundwaves.
When editing, we kept making the cuts and the speed slower and slower till the pace felt right. This was very important to us. We talked alot about Terence Malick films. I like it slow.
At the end of the clip we liked the ambiguity that I was maybe dying, maybe being reborn.
What is the message the video is trying to convey?
I don't think there is a particular message.. perhaps it's about dropping out. Or dropping in to your friends with swimming pools- both of which are good ideas.
Interview feature by Karla Harris