From the imagination of Factory Fifteen
The city being broken, fractured and distorted. We wanted to build a world that amplified the current system; our consumerist lifestyles and reliance on capitalism has causing a build-up of tension and pressure on our city, and our way of life. We are living knowingly unsustainable lives within a system which only caters for the 1%. Something has to crack.
The concept became to visualise the collapse of our consumerist society; the bursting of the bubble, the moment we all anticipate but don’t believe will happen. We wanted to play on the polarity of the tracks by visually juxtaposing a build-up of tension with a physical and fantastical break down of both the environment and our protagonist.
The narrative is about a person stuck in a totalitarian system; medicated to think, feel and function. The story is what happens when he decides not to comply any more. Set in an alternative present, we follow our protagonist on an existential journey to leave his society conforms.
"Set in a landscape which combines London’s brutalist architecture with CG-generated skyscrapers, the new short film by Factory Fifteen for The Bug's "Function / Void" sees the daily, monotonous routine of its protagonist suddenly and inexplicably start to crumble. A collaboration with digital studio and production company Nexus, the new video, was created for two tracks off The Bug's album, album Angels & Devils (out now on Ninja Tune) and was produced in conjuction with The Creators Project". - Kevin Holmes
Read the full Creators Project exclusive interview HERE
Album Artwork
The whole project started with a conversation with Ninja Tune and Kevin (The Bug) about the notion of polarity. Visual polarity as well as conceptual and metaphorical polarity. From the offset we knew this wasn't your typical music video project as there was also two tracks that were to be featured; Function featuring Manga (the first track) and Void featuring Liz Harris (the second track). The brief was to find a way to showcase both of these great tracks in a music video that felt fluid, yet with two distinctive sides, rather than separate videos.
We were sent the beautiful set of album art which had a great sense of chaos. We took this at the beginning as a type of visual brief, speculating on possible narratives behind the artwork.
We were sent the beautiful set of album art which had a great sense of chaos. We took this at the beginning as a type of visual brief, speculating on possible narratives behind the artwork.
Flat Design and built by Craft Design
Designers: Armando Elias, Hugo D'Enjoy
www.craftdesign.co
info@craftdesign.co
Designers: Armando Elias, Hugo D'Enjoy
www.craftdesign.co
info@craftdesign.co
James Hatt, did a great job on the art direction, providing us with a working model of the pill machine to use on set. Even though we digitally replaced the machine in post production, it gave the actor a vital reference point and also anabled our 3d artists to re-create the model and texture it with ease.
Kevin (named after the bug) was our pet rhino beatle and the unsung hero of our video.
May 2014- August 2014 RIP
5 Merchant Square
Designed by: Mossessian & Partners
CREDITS
Artist: The Bug
Director: Factory Fifteen
Production Company: Nexus
Label: Ninja Tune
Commissioner: Maddy Salvage
Producer: Beccy McCray
Production Manager: Caroline Milsom
Director Of Photography: Luke Jacobs
Lead Actor: Gary Grant
Lead Actress: Ani Lang
Focus Puller: Tom Mcmahon
1st AD: Dan Precious
2nd AD: Alex Paterakis, Carmen de Witt
Gaffer: Joel Rainsley
Focus/ Gaffer Assistant: William del Rivero
DIT: Prince Yemoh
VFX Supervisor: Matt Townsend
Design and VFX: Factory Fifteen
Animation / Compositing: Alexey Marfin, Jonathan Gales, Paul Nicholls, Prince Yemoh, Isaac Eluwole, Carl Kenyon, Ares Simone Monzio Compagnoni, Roberto Brichese, Matt Townsend.
Tracking: Tom Carter, Kibwe Tavares
Tracking: Tom Carter, Kibwe Tavares
Rotoscoping: Singarajan Studios
Kinect Character Development: Eran Amir
Offline Editor: Paul Hardcastle
Edit House:Trim
Post Production Consultant: Dave Slade
Studio Manager @ Nexus: Natalie Busuttil
Art Director: James Hatt
Art Dept Assistant: Rebecca Carey, Michelle Renee
Art Dept Runner: Arthur Menezes
Stylist: Crissie Aranda
Hair & Make Up: Bobbie Ross
Hair/MU Assistant: Maggie Forrest, Sharon Chagger
Production Assistant: Billi Hatfield
Production Runner: James Alexander
Unit Minibus Driver: John Targgart
Security: Per Doda
Offline Editor: Paul Hardcastle
Edit House:Trim
Post Production Consultant: Dave Slade
Studio Manager @ Nexus: Natalie Busuttil
Art Director: James Hatt
Art Dept Assistant: Rebecca Carey, Michelle Renee
Art Dept Runner: Arthur Menezes
Stylist: Crissie Aranda
Hair & Make Up: Bobbie Ross
Hair/MU Assistant: Maggie Forrest, Sharon Chagger
Production Assistant: Billi Hatfield
Production Runner: James Alexander
Unit Minibus Driver: John Targgart
Security: Per Doda
Extras: Kimberley Goldsmith, Mark Craddock, Silvia Ferreira Santos, Susete Furtado, Justinas Vilutis, Eran Amir, Patrick Dishman, Freny Pavri, Roberto Brichese, Konstatin Zhukov, Peter Efe
With thanks to:
Kate Michelson
Pete Spence and all at Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum Trust
5 Merchant Sq
Jimmy, Wayne & Godfrey at Robin Hood Estate
Michelle Myrie & The Film Office
Vince, Rhian & Team at Film Fixer
Craft Design for Flat Design and build:
Designers: Armando Elias, Hugo D'Enjoy
www.craftdesign.co / info@craftdesign.co
