Cracks in reality in AU/RA’s new music video
In Andy Mihov’s cyberpunk dystopian music video, CRACK! Au/Ra traverses different video game-inspired realities on a quest to reclaim her identity.
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Alt-pop artist Au/Ra (Jamie Lou Stenzel) returns with CRACK!, a visually arresting music video, directed by Andy Mihov and produced by Fight Gravity.
The promo blends a surreal, sci-fi narrative and striking production design with visual effects and animation, to explore themes of mental health, escapism and overcoming the darkness within us. Inspired by anime and video game culture, Mihov skillfully crafts a narrative of worlds within worlds, and the cracks between them through which our heroine must navigate.
Au/Ra begins at rock bottom and we’re right there with her, trapped in the lair of a machine entity which begins syphoning her consciousness away. As she fights to retain control, she must jump between worlds inspired by different video game genres and styles. In each game she works towards reclaiming her power, symbolised by a sword.
One of the music video's most visually striking elements is the physical set, built by the incredible duo of Fingal Green and Tilda Bonham Carter. Working together with long-time collaborator and close friend, Arran Green (Dop), Mihov provided sketches and previews which the production design team took, interpreted and enhanced, helping to bring the world out of the director’s fantasy and into reality. Taking inspiration from The Matrix, Ghost in the Shell and spider webs/the intestines of a great machine, the set was built overnight and featured over thirty working screens.
Credits
View on-
- Production Company Fight Gravity Films
- Director Andy Mihov
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Credits
View on- Production Company Fight Gravity Films
- Director Andy Mihov
- Executive Producer Paul Cheung
- Editing Marshall Street Editors (MSE)
- Editor Chris Walker (Editor)
- Assistant Editor Curtis Rutherford
- Color Fawn
- Production Designer Fingal Green
- Producer Tuli Litvak
- Production Designer Tilda Bonham Carter
- DP Arran Green / (DP)
- VFX Supervisor Dan Roberts / (Executive VFX Producer)
- Post Supervisor Johnny Richards
- Colorist Felipe Szulc
- Color Executive Producer Dan Hills
Explore full credits, grab hi-res stills and more on shots Vault
Credits
powered by- Production Company Fight Gravity Films
- Director Andy Mihov
- Executive Producer Paul Cheung
- Editing Marshall Street Editors (MSE)
- Editor Chris Walker (Editor)
- Assistant Editor Curtis Rutherford
- Color Fawn
- Production Designer Fingal Green
- Producer Tuli Litvak
- Production Designer Tilda Bonham Carter
- DP Arran Green / (DP)
- VFX Supervisor Dan Roberts / (Executive VFX Producer)
- Post Supervisor Johnny Richards
- Colorist Felipe Szulc
- Color Executive Producer Dan Hills
The video game world scenes were crafted by numerous artists from the UK and abroad, all under the creative leadership of Mihov.
“Communicating, briefing and overseeing various artists in different time zones, all working in everything from After Effects, to Blender, to Nuke and the Unreal Engine was a huge logistical and creative challenge,” says Mihov. “But I had the privilege to work with true professionals and the support of the fantastic producers at Fight Gravity.”
Despite its highly stylised visuals, CRACK! is a deeply personal work, shaped by Mihov's own experiences and passion for the subject of promoting better mental health.
“It’s something that was incredibly important to both myself and Au/Ra. The song (and Au/Ra’s whole ethos as an artist) resonated with me because of the importance they place on mental health and wellbeing. At the core of our promo is a story about overcoming the darkness and the numbness we all sometimes get entangled in.”
“I believe that escapism in books, games, movies and fantasy can often be the very thing that saves people. Through some of my own dark times, imagining myself as one of my heroes, I could find the strength to push through. I didn’t want to just play at being the hero, I wanted to work to become one. In no small way, that’s what the ending of the video is about. See yourself as the thing you want to be, that is the first step to becoming it.”
Behind the scenes, CRACK! was fuelled by a very dedicated team whose contributions shaped the details and helped to craft the final product.
“A director is only as good as the great people around them,” Mihov says. “ I want to especially thank my producer, Tuli Litvak, Chris Walker and the team at Marshall Street Editors; Felipe Szulc and Dan Hills at Fawn for the colour grade; as well as the many, many other incredible warriors of production and post production that stood by me on the course of this journey. And more than anyone Au/Ra herself. It was a true honour to work with a kindred spirit and I felt we were connected and shared trust on a truly unique level.”
