Röyksopp’s The Girl and The Robot by Michael Baldwin
Robyn is in love with her robot. And why not In Mike Baldwin's vid for The Girl And The Robot, he's a good-looking, hard-working chap.
It's a literal interpretation of the new Röyksopp single, and Mike makes that work partly by the simple yet effective device of the lovelorn Robyn not lipsyncing a single note in the whole video.
And Röyksopp themselves make a very rare appearance in the clip - as rather sleazy robot salesmen.
Michael Baldwin on making the video for Royksopp's The Girl And The Robot
"The band were really specific about what they wanted for the video and the song dictated that too. One girl, one robot and one broken heart. I didn't want Robyn to sing as I wanted the vocal to seem more like it was all in her head. She is alone in her desperation.
"I liked the idea of trying to match her and the robot's movements, even though they were in different places - hence the use of a lot of match cuts and dissolves. I don't really like special effects and what-not, so needed to get everything in camera. So we built sets and made the robot from scratch with a genius model maker, Jack Kirby, who I deprived of sleep for ten days and kept him going with Haribo and tea. I think he wanted to kill me by the end. But it all came together in the nick of time...
"The band were also keen on the metaphor of fertility to represent loss and not being able to have a proper relationship, so we had the robot as a botanical worker who nurtured and tendered plant life, but wasn't able to function as a 'boyfriend'.
"It was a relationship doomed from the minute she walked into the showroom to buy him - where Torbjorn and Svein from the band make a cameo. I think this was their first appearance in one if their videos.
"Anyhow, it was even more of a team effort than usual, and everyone bust a nut to make it happen. Especially Magni Augustsson who made it looks absolutely beautiful, Toby Stevens who did wonders with no money, Charlotte who kept me sane and John Moule, who was brilliantly collaborative. And a killer song, of course!
"And if anyone wants a robot suit for parties or summer fetes, it's currently in the boot if my sisters car..."
Watch 'Röyksopp’s The Girl and The Robot by Michael Baldwin' here
Credits
Production Company | Flynn |
Director | Michael Baldwin |
Producer | Charlotte Woodhead |
Production Manager | Maria Nielsen |
Director of Photography | Magni Agustsson |
Art Director | To |
Commissioner | John Moule |
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