Gregory Porter 'Revival' by Douglas Bernardt
Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020
A young man shifts in scale as he traverses the city in Douglas Bernardt's video for Gregory Porter's Revival.
The visual opens with a shot of the man - played by Jemoni Powe - watching footage of the LA riots from 1994. He shrinks to the size of a mouse, and slides from the sofa, feeling deflated and isolated from society. There is an overarching theme of the battle between oppression and living your truth as an individual, and this sets the scene for what's to come.
A contemporary spin on the "eat me" and "drink me" treats in Alice in Wonderland, Powe's journey involves him growing and shrinking dependent on his situation and emotions. One thing that lights his fire is dance, so when he bursts into a club where Porter is playing live on stage, he immediately becomes his usual form, performing knee-breaking choreography on the dancefloor. Ending with a shot of him both as a giant towering over his house, and as a small man at his door, there are clear metaphors about chasing your dreams and finding something that fills you with joy.
The VFX from Nash are impeccable, handling the shifting scale and various elements with ease and quality, really helping to sell the concept and ground the story in reality.
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Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020
Credits
Featured here in the credits?
Production/Creative
- Director
- Douglas Bernardt
- Producer
- Ryland Burns
- Line Producer
- Jeff Kopchia
- Production Company
- SF
Camera
- Director of Photography
- Christopher Ripley
Art
- Art Director
- Angus Bernsen
Editorial
- Editor
- Danilo Abraham
Grading
- Colourist
- Osmar Junior
VFX
- VFX
- Nash
- Post Producer
- Flavia Gannam
Agent
- Director's Representation
- H
Commission
- Label
- Universal
Other credits
Agency
H5
Rob Ulitski - 7th Feb 2020