Methyl Ethel 'No. 28' by Olivier Groulx
Luke Bather - 14th Nov 2016
Methyl Ethel's new video is another collaboration with Olivier Groulx, and this dance number is just as playful as it is sinister.
Shot entirely with an infrared camera, the video sees a wonderfully choreographed dance between a couple – including dancer/choreographer Rachel Meyer, who was 4 months pregnant at the time of the shoot. The dancing is romantic, intimate and switches effortlessly between contemporary and a more classical style seen in musicals mid 20th century.
But the additional, looming presence of a number of old men – wearing only Y-fronts – is a reminder that all harmony comes with a peripheral sense of dread, even in the most perfectly synchronized couples.
"The best part of working with Methyl Ethel is that I get to chat with Jake Webb before I start writing anything. This way of working gives this sort of project a sense of immediacy and it's tremendously helpful when I'm trying to unpack the song's meaning.
"I immediately wanted to shoot a musical number. Something earnest and irreverent and playful, where the characters' performances are expressions of their inner lives. To avoid making something that was too sentimental, we used a night vision camera. I'm really happy with how romantic and eerie images are – it's impressive what our cinematographer and his crew managed to capture with this tricky method.
"We also wove in these creepy guys throughout the video. I'm not sure where I got the idea (maybe it was the election?) but these pants wearing middle aged men acted as a kind of manifestation of some forgotten resentment festering within this happy couple’s relationship. I have to say, all three actors played their part fantastically.
"By sheer luck, our amazing producers were able to put us in contact with Rachel (dancer and choreographer) and Andrew (her partner in the video). Rachel's choreography and their performance is the best part of this project, in my opinion."
Luke Bather - 14th Nov 2016
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Credits
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Production/Creative
- Director
- Olivier Groulx
- Producer
- Meriah Schultz
- Producer
- Joshua Olson
Camera
- Director of Photography
- Liam Mitchell
- 1st AC
- Jared Boyce
Lighting/Grip
- Grip
- Scooter Corkle
Art
- Production Assistant
- Nathalee Paolinelli
Wardrobe
- Hair & Make-up
- Redia Soltis
- Wardrobe
- Clayton Evans
- Wardrobe
- Adam Dekeyser
Choreography
- Choreographer
- Rachel Meyer
Misc
- Grip Assistant
- Simona Analte
Luke Bather - 14th Nov 2016