The Artist Explains: Unknown Neighbour - 'Home'
Berlin singer-songwriter Unknown Neighbour speaks to us about his poignant single and music video, ‘Home’, which explores the themes of loneliness and the conflicted emotions associated with the meaning of home.
Where was the video for 'Home' filmed?
We filmed the main parts of the video in an old country house near the Baltic Sea here in Germany. We found the house on the internet and were happy to book it for one weekend. The location was of course very important and we were looking for a sparsely furnished, unrenovated and old cabin“ where the main character lives in. It should look like a house/home he built/maintain on his own. But it shouldn’t look too cosy or kind of romantic. We wanted the house to look lonely when the main character is alone in it. And we were lucky that the unsettled weather supported our idea.
Near the house there was also a beautiful lake where we filmed the group scene in the evening.
How does the video connect with the song?
Independently producing a scripted music video is so much work that you think twice about doing it. The video should somehow complete what the song tells by adding another layer. It all started with the title of the track. I know and cherish some other songs called home but they all have in common that they tell the story of a wonderful and peaceful home. A place where you come from and where you belong.
But there are so many people out there who don’t have such a warm image in their minds when they think of the place and the people they grew up with. That is what my song is about. About building your own home, no matter where you come from and against all the odds from in- and outside. The video should illustrate this. A home that is yours. Not a perfect one, you share it with your doubts and inner demons but also with the people you found on your path. A young child is of course the strongest picture of a new start, a new chance.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
Karlo, the little boy in the video, is actually the son of the main character. Shooting a video with little children is very challenging because you never know what will happen. But Karlo performed just like his dad – by ignoring the camera and just being himself.
Can you tell us about the ideas/themes/imagery used?
While writing the script for the music video we discussed the profession we wanted our main character to have. A man, a woman? A pc worker, a craftsman? We decided to support the idea of building your home with a character that has a craft profession. This is also the reason why we included a construction yard in our video.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
Of course this video holds a message for the viewer, as every other piece of art. But the story can be interpreted in different ways, depending your own situation and history. I would even say that the charm of it lies in not naming one concrete explanation and not strictly defining the relationships between the characters or the main character's inner conflict.
In the end the video should depict a state of mind, a feeling that follows you after facing and overcoming challenging times in your live, what ever this might be to each of us.
Interview by Karla Harris