MSTRKRFT’s Heartbreaker by Vincent Haycock
Monday, 29. June 2009 - 2:58 pm
The skate-boys hit their local piñata store to mess around, have some fun – and romance the cashier-girl.
Vince Haycock’s slice-of-life in downtown LA for MSTRKRFT – with romantic John Legend on vocals – is beautifully done.
MSTRKRFT (feat. John Legend)
Heartbreaker (Geffen UK)
Prod co: Streetgang Films
Director: Vincent Haycock
Producer: Terence Liff
DoP: Matthias Koenigswieser
Editor: Lee Gardner
Commissioner: Ross Anderson
UK rep: Alexa Haywood at Free Agent
Watch: Quicktime mov
Vincent Haycock on making the video for MSTRKRFT’s Heartbreaker
“I loved the song, but it took me a while to figure out what it was that drew me to it. It’s catchy, obviously, but there was also something about the way John Legend sings it – it’s pretty deadpan. And whereas a normal heartbreak song would be more of a ballad, the music here was much more uptempo and catchy.
“All this suggested a bittersweet quality to me. Yeah, the song is acknowledging heartbreak, but at the same time it’s also advocating for it in a sense because, really, what are your other options? This is reaffirmed by the narrative the lyrics tell: the narrator knows the heartbreak is coming, but he doesn’t avoid it.
“There’s a writer I work with a lot, David Berthy, and he and I talked about how every heartbreak invariably begins with a beautiful moment. I kept thinking about James Dean and The Outsiders. David liked the interplay between Marlon Brando and the rest of his gang in The Wild One – how the rest of the gang is just interested in having fun but Brando is drawn to love. It reminded me of the packs of kids that you see on the streets of LA on skateboards. This delicate age was once described to me by a DJ named Larry Tee as the Morrissey years, because it represented the window in life where Morrissey made more sense than anything else. That description has always stuck with me as the perfect tag for that period of angst-ridden youth we all go through, and I definitely tried to capture some of that here.
“By combing all these elements, we created a narrative about a group of kids who go into a store. The leader focuses on the girl working there, and the rest of the kids go into their own thing. By having the store manager sleep and the store be empty of customers, it allows for this three minute window where everyone gets to have their own little journey free of restrictions.
“Of course everything changed once shooting got closer. Originally, I’d been thinking of a ninety-nine cent-type store, but then we found the piñata stores in downtown LA. They have an incredible visual texture, something Matthias Koenigswieser, the DP, really captured. I wanted the video to feel authentic, like a short film about LA’s youth, to capture the mix of cultures and weirdness of the landscape. I love how the piñatas dangle from the ceiling, and how every aisle is packed full of figurines and toys and bags of candy.
“The cast came together really well I think. I’d worked with Morgan Krantz, who is the main guy, on an installation piece I just did for the opening of the Modern Wing of the Art Institute in Chicago. I love his presence in front of the camera, and I think he really sells the narrative in the video. The rest were a mix of professionals and friends and people I pulled off the street. The kid who draws the devil horns and puts on the piñata head is fifteen, and he frequents a skateshop and is part of LA skate gang, “Endless Bummer,” that my friend Keith started. As for the shoot, we shot it at night, and the street was pretty desolate, but even though we were in there people kept coming in and trying to buy things.
“With the initial edits, I worried that the video was too sweet. Sweetness isn’t something I’m used to working with. But through the editing process with Lee Gardner, I was able to balance the love story more with the journeys of the other characters. I went back to the location and got some sound design for the intro, and I really liked how that added to the texture. By the end of it, I was happy with how it all came together. We have been describing it as a modern-day-punk-Breakfast-club.”
29. June 2009 - 4:03 pm
MSTRKRFT = FTW.
5. August 2009 - 11:41 am
What’s the girl’s name!?
It’s impossible to find!]I’ve swept the internets with no results!
Please someone help me!!!
10. August 2009 - 9:21 am
im trying to look for the girl’s name too.
it’s driving me nuts
15. August 2009 - 6:20 am
Duuuuude, I’m Looking To! haha
17. August 2009 - 9:32 am
Does anyone know the name of the guy who wears the sunnies and has the blue jumper on???? it has been driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!!
21. August 2009 - 1:00 pm
AJ english
24. August 2009 - 10:36 pm
What is the girl’s name?
3. September 2009 - 9:48 pm
Hey, do anyone know were to buy a pair of sun glasses like in the video they are very sweet.. a online-shop perhaps!
thx..
5. September 2009 - 4:49 am
The guy with the sunglasses is model A.J. English, and the leader guy romancing the chick is Morgan Krantz.
30. September 2009 - 5:47 am
We just want to know the name of the girl!!!!
30. September 2009 - 12:46 pm
people! we need to know the brand of sunnies!!!!! Killin me!
4. October 2009 - 1:53 pm
who is the kid with the skateboard and denimshirt?? someone..
tell me! he’s so hot and cute!
X
5. October 2009 - 11:50 pm
what is the guys name that drew on the sleeping guys head??? i really want to know!
7. October 2009 - 8:01 pm
status sunglasses?
11. October 2009 - 9:22 pm
What’s the name of the guy with the sunglasses ?
I love his style.
12. October 2009 - 3:44 am
that looks like Tijuana, mercado hidalgo. I can bet on that
16. October 2009 - 1:49 am
What’s the guys name that draws above the man thats sleeping, the skater one????
im going crazy trying to find out!!!!!
26. October 2009 - 12:09 pm
girls name = Scarlett Kapella
27. October 2009 - 1:16 pm
try karen walker for the sunglasses she made a pair just like the ones on AJ
4. November 2009 - 3:42 am
Whats the name of the guy with the v neck his hair style is sick what is it called . ???
16. November 2009 - 2:12 pm
i need to know the name of the guy who wears the leather jacket! ah! can anybody tell me??
18. November 2009 - 4:39 am
omg what’s the name of the guy who’s wearing the leather jacket!i want to know so bad D: pl does anyone know? D:
24. November 2009 - 2:18 am
model in blue v neck is aj english
he’s wearing rayban wayfarer sunglasses (oversize)
just an indie haircut, dont no wot u’d call it.
just say i want that sweet ‘do.
9. December 2009 - 12:30 am
Thank you for the girl’s name!!!
10. January 2010 - 5:22 pm
WHO IS THE GUY WITH THE SKATEBOARD PLEAASEE
someone?
11. January 2010 - 4:39 am
I WANt 2 KNOW The Name OF The GUY WIth THe Skateboard TOO!
Pleasssseeee!!!!
ive been lokking everywhere!
11. January 2010 - 4:46 am
I LUV The Video by the way…
IT does have an authentic feel to it.:)
The Twins R HOT 2…What are they’re names?
AND I Still Want To Know The Name Of The Cute Sk8ter Guy With The Denim shirt?!?!
12. January 2010 - 1:09 pm
Scarlett is bloody gorgeous. Morgan Krantz is a cutie, and the rest all look very hip.
15. January 2010 - 12:15 am
who’s the dude who puts on the pinata head, the one with the denim jacket???..
whats his name?
ive been looking everywhere but i cant find it
15. January 2010 - 1:28 am
HOW COme NoBOdy ANSWERS THe DAMNNN QUESTION Of WHO DA SK8TER GUY W/ Da DENIM cutoff jacket and the long hair is? he’s the best one in the video.
15. January 2010 - 1:31 am
PLEASSSE! MY COUSIN”S BEGGING!
17. January 2010 - 12:36 pm
“STATUS” SHADES, GREY ANT
try that one at google!
19. January 2010 - 5:53 am
skater guy is…….
DYLAN DAVISS
21. January 2010 - 8:26 am
dylan davis, i had xxx with him
29. January 2010 - 10:04 pm
THANKS 4 DA NAME!!!I LOVE PSON && RICK!!THANK YOU!!!!LOL!!