I was fairly unimpressed watching the selection of Dawn Shadforth’s music videos during class today. Garbage’s Special. Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. Goldfrapp’s Number 1. Really not my thing.

That was until we got to the MV for Lights by Hurts, and the jaw dropping commenced.

SO-OH-OH-OH GOOD!

I’ll be honest, I never understood the whole choreographed dancing thing until recently. That is to say, I never saw the point in watching it as a spectator. Over the last few years, though, I’ve started to see and understand the beauty in figure skating and professional dancing/ballet, and how much hard work and talent goes into being able to perform so effortlessly, and with so much emotion.* The dancers in the Hurts MV are superb.

I love everything about this music video: the narrative and characters, the colour, lighting and location, the costumes and styling, and of course… the choreography! (I guess the song is OK too, hah!) In this interview, Shadforth explains that the DP Robbie Ryan “[was] like having another dancer on set“, as his camera work attests to. It is so dynamic, following the actors and the action like a wandering pair of eyes, missing nothing but never feeling like his camera movements are planned or practiced. The sharp editing also keeps the dynamism flowing.

It feels like a film, not a music video. I think that’s what I love the most about it. I am sure that this MV is going to have an influence on my work this semester, in some capacity or another. I just can’t stop watching it!

* I am also a closet fan of Dance Moms, but shhh don’t tell!