She & Him 'Stay Awhile' by CANADA

By David Knight
Posted On 21st November 2014
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Views 49,942 (youtube)

How often do we get a genuine 'how did they do that?' video? Not so often these days. But it's the inescapable question watching CANADA's video for She & Him's Stay Awhile.

The concept? Well, that's easy to figure, from the moment that Him (M Ward) sits on a invisible stool and starts playing an invisible guitar, and then She (Zooey Deschanel) start dancing with an invisible partner. But it's the execution - as Zooey starts falling backwards and defying gravity with her moves, just as if someone is really there. But of course there is no-one there. So how did they do that?

In fact, there's a clue in the relative unshowiness of this video for She & Him's cover of a 60s Dusty Springfield tune from their new classics album. The wonderful art direction and photography set the scene in a distinctly CANADA way - a gorgeous LA house being a good stand-in for their usual gorgeous Barcelona locations. But the clue is how this doesn't want to get you believe in the invisible man idea straight away. It just behaves as if there really is someone there...

And guess what? There was someone there, dancing with Zooey. By various means, that someone has been removed, literally taken out of the picture. Motion control played its part in making it happen - but that really only got the CANADA team (with so far. However, by one way or another, they have pulled off a VFX trick of quiet brilliance. They have created a work with a marvellous combination of serenity, glamour and mystery. And its blissful escapism is absolutely timeless.