James Ogram directs an ambitious and expansive promo for London-based indie band Famous, ahead of their debut album.The video for What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life is structured like a trailer for a road trip movie. Different vignettes play out, providing snapshots of character and story - written by Ogram with Famous frontman Jack Merritt - with a focus on the feeling of the scenes, rather than sticking to a strict narrative. “It was an unusual production,” explains Ogram. “The video itself was probably made over the course of about six months, whenever we could all get together. Jack and I would write new scenes, then we’d go out with Mike, our DP, our actors and capture more images that we felt continued to suggest this larger, ambiguous story."The video was shot by DoP Mike Pain on a limited amount of film stock. “So we had to be very sparing with what we captured," adds Ogram. "We’d probably spend a few hours preparing a set-up, to then turnover for about thirty seconds.”But focussing on an abstract, irregular structure has opened up the visual to some special moments. The performances by actors Billy Jacobson and Anais M are charismatic, taking viewers on a rollercoaster of emotions alongside these characters, and Ogram's skill at directing actors shines brightly throughout the video.
Rob Ulitski - 10 months ago
