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Tropics 'Rapture' by Chris Toumazou

David Knight - 29th Jan 2015

The problems of empty-nest middle-aged couples is an unusual subject for a music video, but with this one for Tropics' Rapture, Chris Toumazou takes it on, and does a very impressive job.

It's the portrayal of an ordinary, council flat-dwelling couple left in an emotional void when their only son leaves home. The gritty realism of the situation is emphasised by the cinematic look - it's shot on 35mm. But in keeping with Tropics' soulful ballad, it's ultimately a lot more sweet than downbeat, as the midlifers make tentative steps at rebooting their relationship. 

Chris and Tropics (aka Chris Ward) and good friends, and their previous video together, for Home & Consonance, was nominated for an MVA. There's a good interview with Tropics about the video – and his new musical direction – on Noisey, although the interviewer is a bit obsessed with 'fruit porn' - see picture above.

 

CHRIS TOUMAZOU:

"Chris Ward aka Tropics and I have been good friends since making his previous video for 'Home & Consonance'. We started working on ideas and after the success of our previous collaboration, it made sense we go for it again, and challenge the video format further with pace and narrative. 

"I've been developing my style for a while as a director and the great thing about working with Tropics was his allowance to let me do so and create something more akin to a short film if anything. When people see this and my other music videos they can see a pattern forming and emerging. With 'Rapture' I wanted to tell a very honest story that was human and relatable, playing with emotions has always been an interest of mine.

"Tropics and I are both very much into the same types of cinematic influences which helped form a strong grounding for the piece. I've shot a lot of my work on film and with 'Rapture' this was not going to be an exception. Working on 35mm again, I wanted to evoke a palette that heightened the mundane lifestyles of the characters as well as the look and the world in which their from."

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David Knight - 29th Jan 2015

Tags

  • Director's notes
  • Narrative
  • Alternative, Alt-soul

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Chris Toumazou
Producer
Kadri Mahmoud,
Production Company
Executive Producer
Kiran Mandla
Executive Producer
Chris Toumazou
Production Manager
Hannah Shipley

Camera

Director of Photography
Robert White
Focus Puller
Jim Mclean
2nd AC
Leo Winslow

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Richard Mills

Art

Production designer
Phoebe Platman
Art Director
Juno Calypso

Wardrobe

Wardrobe
Marine Edith Crosta
Make-up
Sophie Medhurst

Editorial

Editor
Kiran Mandla
Editing company

Grading

Colourist
Julian Biard
Colour grade company
Finish

Agent

Director's Representation

Commission

Commissioner
Jamie Strong
Label
Innovative Leisure

Other credits

Spark

Ben Barber

Production Assistant

Nikita Patel

Production Assistant

Faris Rai

Runner

Mia Veglio-Taylor

Runner

Kaspar Bucknell

David Knight - 29th Jan 2015

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