ALT J "PLEADER"

INFECTIOUS MUSIC UK
CampaignUK Interview | Shots Interview | Promo News

UKVMA'S Best Alternative Video, Winner; Editing, Colour Grading, Nominated.
CANNES LIONS, Best Music Video, Shortlist. Cinematography, Bronze.
SHOTS AWARDS Music Video of the Year, Nominated
LA FILM FESTIVAL & Film Independent festival, Offical Selection
CICLOPE AWARDS Editing, Gold ; Cinematography, Gold ; Low Budget, Silver
KINSALE SHARK AWARDS Winner (Gold) Direction, Cinematography, Production Design, Post Production, and Colour Grading
CAMERIMAGE Best Music Video and Best Cinematography, Nominated
CREATIVE CIRCLE Best Music Promo Film, Winner. Best achievement in Music Video, Winner; Production, Winner. Best Music Video Cinematography, Gold; Visual Effects, Silver; Best Editing, Bronze.
SHINEY AWARDS Best recently signed director
NY FESTIVAL Cinematography, 2nd Prize
BERLIN MUSIC FESTIVAL, Best Director, Nominated

SELECTED PRESS: David Review's | Paste Magazine | NPR

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Set in a Welsh mining village amidst the backdrop of impending doom, PLEADER is the story of a community whom, in their supernatural wisdom, believes the birth of a child could save their valley from destruction. And while the child, blessed with a magnetic force, can not stop the machines of destruction, his survival preserves the institutional memory of the land.

The film has many inspirations, as does the song, which grew from the novel, How Green Was My Valley and the photos of Bruce Davidson. I researched those thoroughly and also brought in elements from Tarkovsky’s The Sacrifice, and the Window Water Baby Moving by Stan Brakhage (who’s estate honored us by letting us use footage from his seminal birth film).

And after a few years not making music videos, this marks by far my most ambitious effort, testing the limits of the format itself. It was profoundly supported by the Biscuit teams, as we shot over three days in Wales (where light seemed to stay golden forever). And along the way, there was an outpouring of UK love for the song and band, which found amazing cast and crew to help bring it to life.

The film stars Sophie Cookson (who’s performance continues to move me) along with Morgan Watkins, Anton Saunders, and Ewan Hipperson. In fact, Ewan was so perfect we agreed to digitally remove his braces in order to have him in the film. Thankfully, our digital partners, Time Based Arts London, were completely on board. And while braces were an afterthought, the heart of their efforts went into creating the potent and tragic destruction sequence as the centerpiece of the film. This was developed through merging volcanic Pyroclastic Flow with 3d effects, Digital buildings to destroy, and a number of matte paintings including the exterior of the schoolhouse. The Irish boxer/cinematographer John Lynch lensed the film with a tremendous discipline and Marie Lanna brought her amazing voice to the story through her production design. Mr. Gammon designed wardrobe and Stuart Reeves edited the film, Jon Clarke executed the sound design and the song was actually re-orchistrated for the opening via my longtime collaborator Luke Lynch.

When starting into the journey, the band sent me one line to describe the video they wanted — an elegiac supernatural love story that ends in a tidal wave of earth hurtling toward the village. I wanted to give them this film, but to bring in the transcendent feeling I experience while listening to the song, we put the tidal wave in the middle and ended it with the Childs return.

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ALT J "PLEADER" Teaser