Sam Fender has reunited with Adolescence director Philip Barantini for a video starring Owen Cooper - the young star of the acclaimed Netflix drama.The video for Little Bit Closer follows Cooper and a group of friends on a camping trip in the Lake District, where Cooper’s character quietly contemplates questions of faith. It’s a beautifully-shot short film that broadly plays on the original themes expressed within the song’s lyrics.The film is largely a character piece, so viewers may speculate on why the boy's emotions bubble to the surface in moments away from his friends. Essentially Barantini has focussed upon another, less sensational but entirely relatable aspect of growing up: the change from childhood to youth, when you may start to consider your actual existence. Fender previously worked with Barantini back in 2021, working alongside him and fellow Adolescence star and co-writer Stephen Graham for the UKMVA-winning video for Spit Of You. That was very powerful and in a quite different way, so is this."It’s so great to be working with Phil [Barantini] again," Sam Fender has commented. "I had no doubt he was the right director for this piece - his video for Spit of You was my favourite."Phil called to say he’d asked Owen if he’d like to be in the video, and that Owen was keen. I was elated that he could do it after seeing his incredible performance in Adolescence. Alongside Semera Khan [Creative Director] and the rest of the cast and team, they have created something beautiful.”Philip Barantini adds: “To have the opportunity to direct another video for Sam was an immediate 'yes' - an absolute no-brainer for me! Not only is Sam an incredible artist but he’s a beautiful human and a great friend! Also, the opportunity to direct Owen again so soon after Adolescence was an absolute joy!"

Harry Tomlin directs a heartfelt promo for singer-songwriter Kat Penkin, telling the story of a teenage girl struggling with an eating disorder, how it affects her life, her wellbeing and her family. Anchored by a powerful performance from Birdie Wright, the video recounts the artist's experience as a 15-year-old girl struggling with body image issues, and follows her through different struggles and aspect of her youth. Employing naturalistic cinematography, the visual is broken up with narrative sections which drive home the theme of the track, showcasing the acting talent on-screen. With DoP Ben Smith's framing and utilisation of natural light Tomlin focusses on fragmented moments which help us connect with these characters. And with so much narrative to pack into this video, Rebecca Quinn creates a momentum which builds with the song and creates this rich, non-linear story of the characters' lives. "I worked very closely with Kat at every stage, taking care in making sure we did this story justice," explains the director. "I wanted us to understand these characters beyond the visuals - to project our own experiences onto them, how we might react differently or the same. It felt like a dynamic that was so universal and many of us react so differently in tough times like these."It was important that even though we were inspired by Kat's experience, we were not just retelling it. This is it's own story that hopefully many can get something from. I’m so grateful to Kat for trusting me with telling her story and lucky to have had such a wonderful team working on this."Kat Penkin adds: "My ED is such a big part of my life that I’ve kept hidden and never spoken about publicly. Maybe because it already took too much of my life and I didn’t want to give it anymore, or maybe because I felt ashamed I’m not sure."I’m so proud of that girl in those pictures who found the strength to fight for her life. I didn’t realise at the time of writing 15 that it would help me heal in ways I didn’t know I needed and I hope it brings the same comfort to others."

Elliott Gonzo directs a dreamlike dance film for singer-songwriter Isla Greenwood. The video for Earthdog is a visual journey navigating loss and grief. Choreographed by Joshua James Smith (who is also one of the performers), Gonzo’s tender direction fits perfectly with the dreamy, melancholy of the song."(The video is) set in a dream-like forest and fairground, which reflects the protagonist's turbulent emotions," Gonzo explains. "We wanted to delve into the solitary process of grappling with the loss of a loved one while capturing the profound interplay between memory and absence. We aimed to craft a dance piece that evokes the path to acceptance, offering a universal meditation on the theme of loss."Effortlessly cinematic and atmospheric, it's a beautiful visual which reflects the gentle drama of the track.