LAICA / Urban Funeral [Music Video]

When I heard the band’s image for the piece, I decided to build it from the feelings I had in my own youth. I directed it with the intention of turning those everyday moments from back then, and the emotions that strangely remain when you look back on them, into the visuals as they are. The apples that appear in the work are a visual expression of memories of youth. For me, youth is strongly connected to cinema as well, so I’ve also included a few slightly film-like scenes and ways of showing them here and there. By using an old compact digital camera and having the cast actually take some of the shots themselves, I think I was able to create a texture that feels close to the perspective and memories of the people who were there.

I paid particular attention to the editing so as to bring out the driving energy in the music without getting in its way. Rather than simply layering the vocal performance shots, I used POV shots as a special device, and to keep the piece from feeling confined to the studio alone, I used a rooftop scene at the end.

I created this work with an emphasis on atmosphere. I was conscious of how the two of them would appear, like a vivid memory burned into the brain. For the singing cuts, I also included separate locations so they wouldn’t appear in the same way, while filming at places that evoke memories, as if the song were about the two of them.

I created this piece with an emphasis on the contrast between the band performance and the drama segments. I wanted to strongly bring out the surreal comedic feel in the drama segments, so I packed in all kinds of elements almost to the point of overdoing it, and intentionally kept the performance cuts simple. My thanks to everyone in Bye-Bye Nietzsche and to Mr. Yamada for their dedicated acting.