The Director Explains: A.O. Gerber - 'In The Morning'
We talk to Madeline Kenney about working with A.O. Gerber on her curious and intimate visuals for ‘In The Morning’, taken from A.O. Gerber’s forthcoming album, ‘Another Place to Need’, due out May 22nd.
Where was the video filmed?
We filmed in a tiny coastal CA town that prefers to remain nameless.
How does the video connect with the song?
When I heard the track for the first time, A.O. Gerber's confidence was obvious both lyrically and sonically. However, the storyline of the song seemed sort of melancholy... I wanted to make a fantastical world where she could lose her mind serenely, seemingly defying death and enjoying herself in a almost hedonistic way. That allowed the line between trepidation and confidence to really shine.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
Well, Olivia really went for the role, going so far as to rub her dress all over in this dank, foul mud that really reeked... and then covered herself in seaweed and chowed down on some mussels. I was truly in awe of how she embodied my wild idea. Also, we filmed this in the same week we recorded her album (during the nights!!) AND shot another music video for a different song. We were multi-tasking at an Olympic level.
Can you tell us about the ideas/themes/imagery used?
I love visuals that blend seemingly disparate elements, so it was so satisfying to see Olivia first in a flowy, pride-and-prejudice-esque dress immediately followed by her slumping around town smoking and wearing seaweed as a shawl.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
I don't really want videos to "convey" a message. I think it's more fun to just enjoy the visual, absorb your own meaning from it, and watch it interplay with the music and what the lyrics are trying to say. For me, it's enough to just see the idea of a story sort of shimmer across the screen and leave you wanting an explanation. It makes the re-watching all the more rewarding.
Interview by Karla Harris
A.O Gerber’s upcoming album, Another Place to Need is available for pre-order, here.