The Artist Explains: Bridesmen - 'The Times'
LA based LGBTQ artist Bridesmen (Kenton Chen) talks to us about his life affirming single/music video, ‘The Times’ and the importance of unity, especially during darker times.
Where was the video filmed?
The video was filmed at Electric Pony Studios in Los Angeles.
How does the video connect with the song?
The whole concept, as my director Stephanie Kim and I envisioned it, is the journey of one person, as they battle the feelings of helplessness in our chaotic world today. What we want to communicate with the video is that this journey is not isolated- that we are stronger when we fight for who we are, together.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
Do not drink coffee with white outfits! Haha. I may or may not have had a spill and we had to delay filming while Stephanie used a Tide pen on my pants (I did). Thank goodness the film is not high definition.
Also, I learned so much about this process, as this was the biggest production I’ve ever been lucky enough to work on. There were so, so many people that were critical to making it all come together- including ones that didn’t make the final cut. I list them in the description on YouTube.
Can you tell us about the ideas/themes/imagery used?
The first scene is how I conceptualise everyday life— bland, quiet, lonely. The second world is all about the emotions exploding underneath. We often mute our inner world in an effort to fit in, protecting ourselves from the judgment and ire of others, when in reality, vulnerability is our superpower.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
You are not alone. The main line “I don’t know where the time has gone, but the times they don’t reflect me” is a direct reference to Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a Changin’” in that the world we thought we grew up in is not the one we see today.
Yes, there is a sinister river that runs through the earth and its history—but there is a lot of hope, joy, and resilience to be found if we don’t give up fighting for one another.
Interview by Karla Harris