Filmed during lockdown on the West Coast of Canada, Dana Sipos has revealed her stunning new video for Lily in the Window. The Director/Cinematographer was Colin Harrington (a Pocket History of Mars) and it was edited by Nick Zubeck. Looking at the end results, you could say that while COVID threw a curveball and placed them in new territory it also pushed them into a new creative headspace and while the results may have been simplified they are all the more powerful for it. I love everything about it, from their strong use of colours to sun-dappled artistic visuals and their ability to create such strong emotional visuals in such minimalist ways…it’s an ingenious and perfect match to an equally thought-provoking song which was inspired by an unusual and unique situation.
Dana Sipos on Lily in the Window
Lily in the Window was originally written a number of years ago when I toured with The Caravan Stage Company, an extraordinary circus-style theatre company, housed on a tall ship that toured political and experimental shows all over the world. Our 6 month tour consisted of storms of every stripe – actual hurricanes, political dramas, the emotional turbulence of group dynamics – it was mesmerising and challenging and I tried to capture some of the exuberant tension in this song.
The initial treatment for the video was quite different – although it was still contemplative in nature, we did a 180 when COVID hit and the world stood still. Once it was safe to revisit a shoot (while “bubbling” with the director and actor), we pared down exponentially and simplified our vision – opting for a considerably more intimate, solo vibe to mirror the isolation and separation we were experiencing across the globe. We strove to create a tension in exploring our ubiquitous desires for connection, intimacy, creative outlets and movement contrasted with the imprints and manifestation of memory, stillness, isolation and our cultural discomfort with being alone. We wondered – to what degree is our desire for movement escapism or self-expression? Without our usual tools of engagement, how is our human need and desire for connection altered and transformed? What role do our memories play in keeping us engaged and hopeful in the present moment? We wanted to ask these questions with the video, without necessarily seeking the answers.
Lily in the Window is taken from Dana’s album ‘Trick of the Light’ (Roaring Girl Records) which can be ordered here: http://hyperurl.co/e0kav7
CREDITS:
Lily in the Window by Dana Sipos
Director/Cinematographer: Colin Harrington/ A Pocket History of Mars
Edited by: Nick Zubeck
Featuring: Valentina Morelli & Dana Sipos
Extra special thanks to Carly Woolner
Shot on location in Victoria, BC
Produced by Roaring Girl Records Funded with the generous support of FACTOR Canada
Photo Credit: Polina Teif (Courtesy of Roaring Girl Records)