Get the Promonews daily round up

User Accounts

Get the Promonews daily round up

Belle & Sebastian 'I Don't Know What You See In Me' by Andrew Litten

Rob Ulitski - 12th Jan 2023

Andrew Litten's thought-provoking video for Belle & Sebastian features Olympic figure skater Jonathan Cassar, who uses his time on the ice to escape from the demons of his past.

Litten's approach to I Don't Know What You See In Me - a song from the new Belle & Sebastian album Late Developers - is to create a starkly cold aesthetic and faintly disturbing atmosphere at a vintage ice rink, which is deserted apart from the presence of Cassar. 

This is a real counterpoint to the familiar lightness of B&S frontman Stuart Murchoch's voice, and then the champion skater begins a graceful routine on the ice with plastic bag taped around his head. This powerful symbol of suffocation remains until the final moments of the video.   

"The band was passionate about this being a character study of a figure skater, and referenced one of my favourite noirs, The Swimmer," Litten explains. "I wanted to juxtapose the sensitivity of the song - which speaks to depression, self image and acceptance - with a narrative that confronts these feelings head on.

"The bag and the pulses of suffocation serve as a reminder of the baggage we carry throughout our lives, and how we cannot truly see ourselves until we have done the work to do so. I have endless gratitude to Stuart and the band for allowing us to create something so bold and unnerving with a hint of catharsis."

It's a touching and powerful exploration of self acceptance, with plenty of engaging visuals to keep viewers hooked.

Featured sponsors

Rob Ulitski - 12th Jan 2023

Tags

  • Indie
  • Ice Skater
  • Olympic
  • Performance
  • Narrative
  • Surreal
  • Unnerving

Popular content

Feedback

Problem with this page? Let us know

Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Andrew Litten
Producer
Sara Clausen
Production Company
Executive Producer
Ryland Burns
Head Of Production
Ari Schneidermann

Camera

Director of Photography
Trevor Wineman
Focus Puller
Erick Aguilar
2nd AC
Ali Arminio
Steadicam
Drew Weaver

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Sam Wilkerson
Key Grip
Corey Brown

Art

Production designer
Evaline Wu Huang
Art Director
David Arteaga
Prop Master
Dillon Hayes

Choreography

Choreographer
Randy Gardner

Casting

Lead actor
Jonathan Cassar

Editorial

Editor
Andrew Litten

Grading

Colour Producer
Claudia Guevara
Colourist
Mike Howell
Colour grade company
Color Collective

Agent

Director's Representation

Commission

Commissioner
Gabe Spierer
Label
Matador Records

Rob Ulitski - 12th Jan 2023

Related Content

Industry News

Promonews logo

Music video creativity everyday.

promonewspromonewstvpromonews.tv
Submit your video