Filmmaker Joseph Carney and alternative R&B singer IAMTHELIVING have linked up for a beautifully meditative musical short film that is as passionate as it is calm in its execution.
“The Reverse Music Video” is a project from the likes of Film 404– one that is nontraditional, to say the least, being the end result of “structureless improvisations” while reverse engineering a song from a series of raw footage taken over multiple sets. After capturing the most suitable cuts from the footage, director Joseph Carney weaved together a story that is unconventional in plot, but manages to display a concept wrapped in the idea of healing.
Upon first listen, the song didn't strike me, but I was listening to it as a single with an accompanying video, not the other way around. The music layered on top is not structured like a normal song, and therefore must be taken in as an unconventional bit of audio. It’s a construction of song elements meant to best accompany the feel and nature of the video, which it mashes with quite well. Every shot is beautiful.
Despite not having a clear end goal in mind, Carney manages to capture enough footage to visually tell a story while being aesthetic in nature and the vocals provided by IAMTHELIVING match the same energy presented in every shot.
There’s a section where the beat goes into this techno-crazy rush with a series of vocal melodies thrown on top like a freestyle. There’s no tangible direction, but it is played with IAMTHELIVING's Michael Jackson-influenced spinning, thrusting, and moving in unpredictable ways with nothing but a sense of freedom conveyed.
The last few moments depict our protagonist coasting along the beach while the instrumental comes to a crushing cool down, with a very soft piano key setting the mood, reinstating that this is the end of a story we will never fully understand.
There are so many emotions thrown around the video, that it’s easy to get lost in the motion.
“The Reserve Music Video” is a beautiful cooperation between the two- one that sees the talents of both come out and balance each other's faults. Both being of British descent and now based in Vancouver, BC, it almost seems like the collaboration between Joseph Carney and IAMTHELIVING was predetermined.
The video itself is odd, as it is not a predetermined, planned-out idea concept, but an idiosyncratic collection of takes and shots that result in a wonderful product.
The Reverse Music Video feat. IAMTHELIVING from Joseph Carney on Vimeo.
