Client: The Anchoress/Drowned In Sound
Date: Shot September 2023/Released October 2023
Role: Director/DoP/Editor
For release in conjunction with her covers album 'Versions', the Anchoress asked me to make a video for her reworking of Depeche Mode's 'Enjoy the Silence'. I decided to try an idea I'd been sitting on for years: a cover video.
For years, I’ve loved the idea of doing a cover version of a music video. I’m sure it has been done, but I’ve not seen it before (outside of parody) so the release of ‘Versions’ seemed like the perfect time to finally take a leaf out of Catherine’s book and do my own attempt at reworking a classic!
Anton Corbijn’s original video for ‘Enjoy the Silence’ is utterly iconic and though deceptively simple, completely captivating. We wanted to capture its subtlety and beauty, but of course had the extra challenge of shooting our version over the local park, rather than across four countries! Nonetheless, with the odd matte painting here and green screen shot there, I think we ended up with something that captures that original spirit.
Catherine has described getting under the bonnet of some of her favourite songs with this album, and how remaking something yourself can be a fascinating insight into what makes a piece of art work and why our favourite artists make certain decisions that we perhaps wouldn’t. This video, in the same way, was all learning, and a great experience for it!
MUSIC VIDEO
A side-by-side comparison with Anton Corbijn's original video, recut to match my shot-for-shot recreation.
ON SET
A number of shots used green screen to achieve the vistas we couldn't visit in real life.
For this shot, I ended up pulling a key from the grass, using the grass as if it were a green screen, so we could digitally place Catherine on a beach.
Every shot was meticulously storyboarded to match the original video.
Set photos by Sean Adams ( @seaninsound )
