12 May 2021

JULIA STONE - DANCE, DIRECTED BY JESSIE HILL

a summer mood infusing marvid

Some videos simply have a certain je ne sais quoi which not only makes them memorable, but also keeps them close to your heart. Such is the case of “Dance” promo for Julia Stone, directed by Jessie Hill,  a video our series’ editor Maria Dicieanu expects to have in her thoughts not only during the upcoming summer, but also for a long time ahead.

Maria: “Angus and Julia Stone are musicians I actually discovered thanks to their promo for Big Jet Plane. Set in a supermarket, the promo was following the routine and rather boring existence of one of the employees. With little excitement and an overheated workspace, the girl finds herself dreaming of lavishing beaches and perhaps a better life all-together.”

“The promo directed by Kiku Ohe might not have had the most spectacular production – Angus and Julia are even seen rather briefly on a television screen – yet it created a wonderful atmosphere and, for 4 minutes you were really in the shoes of the day-dreaming girl. And the music was simply beautifully showcased by the whole setting and narrative.”

“While Julia and Angus continued to do interesting works together (and separately as well!), it was Julia’s promo video for her track “Dance” that instantly revived the emotions I experienced when watching Big Jet Plane. Dance was directed by Jessie Hill, a longtime collaborator of Angus and Julia, but also known for her works with Chris Cornell and Halsey.

At first glance, the video for Dance couldn’t have been more different from Big Jet Plane. The story deals with two life-long friends and neighbors meeting for a midnight dance. Cast are the super famous and experienced actors Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover. And boy do they steal the show! Their interpretation seems so effortless, natural, bubbly and absolutely adorable! Yet there’s loneliness in this promo as well.”

“For the most part of the video, each protagonist is in its own space, emptied of any other living presences. Much of their communication happens via electronic devices. There’s joy at the prospect of their meeting, but we can easily fill in the blanks about how their usual days look like. Just like Big Jet Plane, it has a minimalistic vibe in terms of actions, yet it conveys so much more. At the end of the video you simply find yourself knowing more things and emotions related to the duo than you would have thought. And there’s an infusion of nostalgia mixed with day-dreaming as well. These characters too aspire to a better outcome, though from other reasons than the supermarket girl.”

“The cherry on top however comes from Julia’s appearance in the video, facilitated by a TV screen. A beautiful shout-out to Big Jet Plane. And just like in its case, every time I will listen to the song (and I AM planning to listen to Dance quite a lot in the upcoming months as it’s such a gorgeous summer-mood infusing song) I will have images from the music video flashing in front of my eyes! Which I find it’s always a strong indication of how well constructed a music video experience is!”

Music videos are still very much alive and kicking as a genre where cutting edge creativity happens. And this is exactly why with this series, curated by Maria Dicieanu, we’re focusing on the absolute must sees artistic gems of music video origins. Whether linear, VR or interactive, The Marvids (short for Maria’s Marvelous Videos) aim to show-case why promos are still holders of unique aesthetic with their own particular beauty and artistry.

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