KEANE

Interview: the Disconnected video directors 11 October 2012

In the week of the Disconnected single release, we dropped the video’s directors – J A Bayona and Sergio G Sanchez – a line to find out a bit more about the video.

Q. Hi guys. How did you get involved with the Disconnected video?
A. Through our friend Alexandra Rossi, who knows Adam, the band’s manager. She introduced us after a show during the Perfect Symmetry tour. And when the new album came out they thought of us to shoot a music video. The day the phone rang felt like Christmas morning.

Q. Were you fans of Keane already?
A Diehard fans. Yes. Definitely.

Q. What was your original concept / plot idea for the video?
A. The lyrics were full of imagery that suggested a horror story. Something’s crept in under our door… Silence soaking through the floor… You’re boarding up the windows now. We thought it would be interesting to follow that line and develop a full-on horror plot that would work as a contrast to the melancholy tone of the song.

Q. How closely did you try to tie the plot to the lyrics of the song?
A. Only as a foundation for something the audience could build upon. The idea was to create a plot that could be interpreted in many ways. Not a closed narrative, but something ambiguous. Fans are going to watch the video again and again just to listen to the song, so we thought it would be interesting if each viewing could be interpreted in a different way. When two people become disconnected, who is haunting who?

Q. How did you find the location for the video?
A. The house is Capellades, about an hour from Barcelona. And there are no ghosts in it. Actually, the people who live there are very much alive and couldn’t be friendlier. Jorge Llama, the line producer for Canada, the production company, found it. They had shot another music video there, Invisible Light, for Scissor Sisters. We went scouting there and we fell in love with it immediately. It was perfect, and we thought we could make it look entirely different. Maria, the owner was a great sport and allowed us to do everything we wanted, even flooding up the bathroom, which almost made floor collapse… It was a tense moment!

Q. Did the shoot go well?
A. It was a blast. Everyone involved gave their best and we had lots of fun shooting. It was like a bunch of kids playing and enjoying it immensely.

Q. What did you think of Tom’s acting abilities?
A. He was so kind! He made it perfectly clear that he was not an actor and didn’t really enjoy "acting" in his music videos, but he went for it anyway. The atmosphere couldn’t be more relaxed and he quickly felt at ease with the little challenges we threw at him. And we abused him quite a bit. Especially while we were shooting with the dead leaves flying around, they kept getting in his eyes and he swallowed a few. Poor guy! It was very funny when Bayona asked him to make a Norman Bates face for the end shot. He’s such a sweet, good natured guy. But he managed to show a hint of a dark side there, even without the red eyes!

Q. Are you happy with how the video turned out?
A. We love it, and we loved making it together and getting to know the band. It’s a memory we’ll treasure forever.

Q. Have you kept an eye on the fans’ response to it on YouTube etc?
A. Yes, some of them thought the horror movie approach was a bit of an odd choice, but the response has been positive. So we’re pleased. Hopefully we’ll shoot another music video for them sometime.

Q. Presumably you were pleased with the Q Award nomination for Best Video?
A. You bet! For us making the video felt like an award already, but the nomination was wonderful. It’s great to feel that your work is being appreciated by other Keane fans.

Q. Finally, what will you be working on next?
A. THE IMPOSSIBLE, which Juan Antonio directed and Sergio wrote, will be out in cinemas soon. Right now we’re promoting the film. After that Bayona will make his new movie and Sergio is going to direct his own film as well, but hopefully there’ll be new opportunities to work together sometime soon.

Keane Disconnected – Making Of

Production: Canada
Director: Sergio Sanchez / J A Bayona
Camera Making Of: Cenzo A de Haro
editing/post: Pablo de Felippo

http://www.lawebdecanada.com/

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