Jamie Benyon directs an affecting video for South London band Bears In Trees.

A young man, struggling with his mental health, gets a small box delivered to his front door. Within that is a drive that contains footage of him and a girl in happier times, on a day trip to Brighton. 

Benyon shifts between the digitally-shot present-day and the Super 8mm-shot home movie footage of the day trip to build the story, and effectively weaves them together in a well-crafted narrative that features strong performances by the main protagonist Elliott Eason and Jackie Tamayo. The changes in format also works well with the unconventional folk-like structure Little Cellist, that switches between vocal and speech elements.

"Bears In Trees created a beautifully poetic song, which demanded a powerful story and distinct images to convey the piece’s particular tone," says Benyon. "We settled on a surreal world, employing reversed digital photography whilst intercutting with the nostalgic feel of Super 8, to replicate the experience of memory.

"Making the music video to the Little Cellist has been one of the most challenging and creatively fulfilling filmmaking experiences in my career and I think we created something really special."