Quarry 'Wake Me Up' by Sophia Katyea & The Trash Factory
Rob Ulitski - 10th Mar 2021
Sophia Katyea and James Arden - aka The Trash Factory - team up to direct this breezy beachcombing romp for alt-pop singer-songwriter Quarry.
Exploring themes of humanity, reality and what it means to be alive, the promo for Wake Me Up was shot on 16mm with Cinemascope lenses. It boasts an exuberant performance by Quarry, with vintage styling, slick movement and an exaggerated sense nostalgia, joining together to form a powerful whole.
THE TRASH FACTORY:
It felt like the right time and song to place [Quarry] where he couldn’t be missed.
"Quarry has only featured in small roles in his music videos so far; more of a mysterious and ethereal observer rather than the star. It felt like the right time and the right song to place him where he couldn’t be missed - front and centre, hurling his androgynous alt-pop style right at the audience.
"It was a really fun process developing this concept with Sophia Kateya, Quarry's creative director. Drawing on pop promo influences through the ages, from Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights to the effortless movement of Jamiroquai, we wanted to capture a timeless feeling of joy and reckless abandonment at the edge of the world, all stylishly shot in 16mm Cinemascope by our excellent DoP, Joseph Gainsborough, on the English coast.
"We also had a lot of cinematic references in mind; moments that visually reaffirm what it feels like to be truly present in your own body and feel alive: running barefoot on a beach, riding fast in the back of a car at night. Quarry did an incredible job basically dancing in cold water for nearly 12 hours, with expert guidance and support from our movement director, Natalia Bui.
"Ultimately this video is about overcoming numbness and finding a sense of self again, which I think we're all doing as we slowly come out of lockdown! I hope it aids the process and makes everyone want to boogie a bit."
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Rob Ulitski - 10th Mar 2021
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Credits
Production/Creative
- Director
- Sophia Katyea
- Director
- The Trash Factory
- Producer
- Connor O'Hara
- Production Company
- LF
- Production Manager
- Micheal Newton
Camera
- Director of Photography
- Joe Gainsbourough
- Focus Puller
- Sam Johnson
- Steadicam
- Akhilesh Patel
- Film Lab
- CD
Lighting/Grip
- Gaffer
- Simon Battensby
Wardrobe
- Hair & Make-up
- Bryanna Angel
- Wardrobe
- Sophia Kateya
Choreography
- Movement Director
- Natalia Bui
Editorial
- Editor
- The Trash Factory
Grading
- Colourist
- Michael Pearce
Agent
- Director's Representation
- OB Management
Commission
- Label
- Sony Germany
Other credits
Production Assistant
Jamila Melbourne
Action Vehicle
Tom Dream
Rob Ulitski - 10th Mar 2021