David Knight - 19th Jan 2018

Jack Whiteley's new video for Young Fathers presents itself initially as a recognisable sub-genre of the medium - beautifully-shot, tastefully art directed, evocative and 'artistic'. And then it begins to strip away at the artifice.

Whiteley's video for In My View is a meta-satire that like others of it's ilk works on at least a couple of levels - not least in presenting Young Fathers in a fascinating light. It coincides with the announcement of the band's third album, and makes you want to hear it.

JACK WHITELEY:

"I started with the question: how do you make people care about your video? In the age of the internet anything seems to go. Videos can be controversial and shocking or just purely bizarre or beautiful, and they don’t necessarily have to make sense. So, in collaboration with the band, I came up with a set of vignettes that attempts to tick these boxes in order to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. 

"We then threw in an added meta curveball layer by deconstructing what you’re seeing within the video itself, to the point where we’re essentially presenting a step-by-step guide on how to make a video that people will care about and therefore will want to share online.

"I love videos that challenge perceptions, pull the rug from under the viewer, offer twists and subvert things, and so that’s what we’ve reached for here. I hope you care about it. And if you do, don’t forget to share. Because sharing is caring."