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Yusuf/Cat Stevens 'Wild World' by Effie Pappa

Promonews - 20th Nov 2020

To celebrate the fifty year anniversary of his seminal 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman, Yusuf/Cat Stevens has reimagined it's tracks for 2020 - including a more laidback, jazzier version of the album's biggest hit Wild World. Now Effie Pappa has visualised the new recording, drawing inspiration from the classic 1940s movie Casablanca, and reminding us that even the toughest days can be brightened by the optimistic perspective of youth.

Pappa conjures up an atmospheric club, like Rick's Bar in Casablanca, but with kids playing the roles of Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Dooley Wilson, and others. A card game between two of the young characters is the jumping off point for depictions of the just how wild the world can be, and always has been - with newsreel footage from around the same time period intercutting the scenes in the club. 

Rendering a modern day filter on the 1940s story reveals how different yet how similar some of the global issues we now face. But ultimately  as the young leads get togethe in a aircraft witnessing an animated dog fight, the WW2-era world dissipates, as they find themselves having tea in space, and drifting towards the heavens in a symbol of hope.

Packed with visual imagination and wonder, Pappa's video is also a product of the conditions imposed by the pandemic: developed and produced remotely between the UK and Greece, where the shoot took place. In many ways, the video itself is a testament to the spirit of optimism in the new world we find ourselves in.

And Yusuf/Cat says of the film: “It shows how much we need art to direct our thoughts sometimes towards inexpressible goals; to relive early childlike innocence and keep our eyes of hope open beyond the clouds of war and darkness.”

EFFIE PAPPA:

“When we come into the world we are taught life’s lessons through imaginary tales, juxtaposing life’s turbulences and misfortunes with stories borrowed from another universe, creating a safe place. Coming to Wild World as adults, this safe area tends to be neglected and lost in space - a vague memory from distant childhood.

To my eyes the lyrics of Wild World are letters from a younger self.

"Yusuf’s iconic song Wild World has spoken to a number of generations, and to my eyes the lyrics are letters from a younger self. I strongly felt the urge to create something that would equally be a recall to our inner child and that exact same safe place.

"Gambling and winning, loss and acceptance, war and love, are a few of the themes that are depicted through this film, borrowing classic themes from Casablanca to reimagine ‘Wild World’ for 2020, and celebrate the comeback of ‘Tea For The Tillerman 2.’”

Promonews - 20th Nov 2020

Tags

  • Animation
  • Director's notes
  • VFX
  • Pop
  • Singer-songwriter

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Effie Pappa
Producer
Ben Parkin
Service Producer
Manolis Kontarinis
Production Company
Executive Producer
Alex Bedford
1st AD
Efi Papageorgiou

Camera

Director of Photography
Dimitris Lambridis

Art

Art Director
Maria Kalamara

Wardrobe

Stylist
Elisavet Karatsoki
Hair & Make-up
Demmy Stamatopoulou

Editorial

Editor
Gary Coogan
Editing company
Edit Producer
Tor Adams

Grading

Colourist
Peter Oppersdorff
Colour Producer
Kayleigh Dugdale
Colour grade company
MPC

Misc

Assistant Producer
James Robinson
Production Services
Takes 2
Additional VFX
Effie Pappa
Stop Frame Animator
Anastasia Papadopoulou

Other credits

Story

Yusuf/Cat Stevens & Effie Pappa

Production Assistant

Tom Davies

Production Manager

George Pergantos

Camera Assistant A

Stamatis Kouros

Camera Assistant B

Spyros Kontorouchas

Camera Assistant C

Peggy Zouti

Gaffer

Michalis Christoforatos

Electrician

Sakis Kiousis, Giorgos Athanasopoulos, Stathis Giannikos

Props Maker

Anastasia Papadopoulou

Set Dresser

Vasiliki Tsiligrou

DIT

Christos Theofanopoulos

Sound Engineer

Alexandros Sakellariou

Production Assistants

Dionysis Metaxas, Christos Panagopoulos, Markos Kontarinis

Promonews - 20th Nov 2020

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