Blood Orange 'Charcoal Baby' by Crack Stevens
This wonderful video for Blood Orange (aka Dev Hynes) by Crack Stevens (aka Akinola Davies) is, in effect, two videos played alongside one another. They are at the same time very similar and widely different, and their juxtaposition serves to send a message about the diversity of the black experience in London.
In both cases, we're witnessing the different stages of a family celebration, of two different communities, taking place in the same social club, where Hynes is the performer. And what is the so appealing about it is the level of detail and the beautiful portraiture so that documentary merges seamlessly with the music video form.
It's a celebration of similarities - the bringing of the food, the socialising, the dancing - and the differences - and most of all, the fact that it is real - which makes every frame (and split-frame) fascinating.
CRACK STEVENS:
"I wanted to make something for black people to be able to celebrate our complexly embodied lived experiences in the face of all the sensationalised violence and recycled stereotypical images perpetrated about us.
"Making the video was a lot of work but when an artists like Dev treats the director equally as an artist it makes it a real collaboration - I can safely say I’ve never worked as hard or learnt as much on a project before."
PRO Credits
Credits
Director | Crack Stevens |
Producer | Nick Hayes |
Production Company | Nuuksio Films |
Production Manager | Martha McGuirk |
1st AD | Bryony James |
Director of Photography | Nicolai Niermann |
Focus Puller | Mike Hannides |
2nd AC | Josh Bloomer |
Art Director | Studio Augmenta |
Wardrobe | Ruka Johnson |
Hair | Virginie Moreira |
Make-up | Marielle Mata |
Editor | Kit Wells |
Editing company | Final Cut |
Colourist | Jason Wallis |
Grading company | Etc La |
Post production company | Etc La |
Post Producer | Sara Gbadamosi / Chris Lewis |
Lead actor | Chloe Rosolek |
Commissioner | Johanna Mcmanus |
Label | Domino Recording Co |
Other credits | DIRECTORS ASSISTANT: MOYA DE YOUNG PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: ISLAY LEEFE-GRIFFITHS 2nd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: OLIVER WATERS RUNNER: PIER NOBLE-BERRY RUNNER: ARCHIE TRUEGER RUNNER: ALEX TAWNEY SPARK: LEON PYSZORA SPARK: RAMZEY SABBAGH GRIP: CARL "LUMP" DUNN PLAYBACK: NATHAN VALENTE PRODUCTION DESIGN: STUDIO AUGMENTA ART DIRECTOR: STEPHANIE KEVERS ART ASSIST: YLAN LUCAS STYLING ASSIST: MELANIE CHATELET-ADJO HAIR ASSIST: ISSAC POLEON MU ASSIST: MANDANA MIRZALI LOCATION SCOUT: ANDREW GILLMAN CASTING DIRECTOR: CHLOE ROSOLEK OFFLINE PRODUCER: NIKKI PORTER @ FINAL CUT SOUND DESIGNER: FRED PEARSON @ MACHINE SOUND AUDIO PRODUCER: LAURA PEARSON @ MACHINE SOUND |
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Franc Moody 'Super Star Struck' by Crack Stevens & Mason London
Super mamma puts things right whereever she goes in London in this fab animated video for London outfit Franc Moody, directed by Crack Stevens (aka Akinola Davies) and animated by Mason London.