Cardel Welcomes Director Stefano Ottaviano
Cardel produces a new music video for Diplo by Cardel director Stefano Ottaviano, the psychedelic and emotive visuals encapsulate the sheer magic and beauty of Diplo, Elderbrook and Andhim’s sundrenched dance vibes.
Stefano Ottaviano is a Film director based in London. He has a particular flair for filmmaking, animation and post production. And he’s drawn to projects that allow him to innovate and tell an immersive story that means something to the viewer. Stefano believes in the power of art in all its forms. He brings a rare, creative blend to each of his projects, whether he’s directing art and fashion films, music videos or narrative films.
He also thinks that talent trumps location. For the last six years he has coordinated remote teams from across the UK and Europe. This has two big benefits. Firstly, he gets to work with the best creative minds around. And secondly, he’s already prepared for a future where remote working is the norm.
Stefano has worked with a variety of big brands, including Nike, Mercedes, MTV and Disney. His films have been published and featured at Schön! Magazine and Nowness, as well as other respected publications.
When Cardel was approached to produce the track for Diplo we were inspired by the creative energy of the track and atmosphere. We knew there was a chance to make something which really celebrated the positive vibes of the song in a really unique and visual way. That’s where Stefano came in. We’ve developed a creative relationship with Stefano over time and his imagination and craft are at the core of everything he does. We had a large crew of creatives that helped bring together the music video for this awesome track.
Where was it shot? What were the interesting challenges? Did it use any novel technology? Were there any unusual or interesting collaborators?
This was a very international production with Cardel as the production company we shot on location in Czech Republic with Closer Productions, completing VFX with Madnomad by Buralqy based in Kazakhstan and Rotoscoping in India with Root VFX.
When Delwyn (Cardel) mentioned that the best place to fulfil my vision with this video would be to shoot it in Prague, I took 10 seconds to think, and then I said, "Yeah, why not? Let's go!"
As you might have heard, music videos are quite challenging, because budgets and resources are always very limited. Also, most of the time, you have to make creative decisions minute-by-minute. Hoping you won’t regret any of your decisions, and you carry on with determination to achieve your full scope.
Adding Covid into the equation made things far more complicated. Limited time for pre-production work, innumerable Covid tests, social distancing... And even without counting that, after the shoot, on my flight back to London, unfortunately, someone on the plane had Covid. So I had to do 11 days of quarantine while we were rushing to get the VFX online edit sorted.
We had an AMAZING team working non-stop for weeks in Prague. In my initial pitch, I was very specific about what I was looking for, for the cast, locations and the art department.
Finding twins was one of the main tasks. Regarding the cast, the sex or ethnicity didn't matter. The only thing that really mattered to me was to get someone talented, who could really stand out. Emma, in the main cast, was a last minute find (2 days before the shoot). Although she didn’t have a twin sister, when I first saw her, I thought she was perfect for the film. She is very talented and has this beautiful androgynous look that really I hope is going to be one of the signatures of my work. Fuck genders and labelling.
Give us an idea of the creative vision behind the project – for example were there any notable inspirations or influences? What was your creative talent hoping to achieve with the project?
The first time I listened to the track, I felt like I was levitating. I imagined myself walking on this flat surface with essentially nothing on it. As the song progressed, my walking pace increased and increased to the point I was able to fly and get lost in the universe. Here, I was at peace with myself.
So that was my first thought without even reading the brief. I like to do that when I first receive a music video brief. Usually, the first thing that pops up in my mind becomes the idea.
For this brief, I decided to approach it differently. In my attempt to answer the question from the initial pitch.
“How do we capture the spark changing the world?”
I completely believe that, in order to change the world, it is us that first needs to change.
I would clarify that I'm not the only one saying this.
I’d like to quote Gandhi for this:
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”
And how do we change ourselves?
After asking our good friend Google and through my experience speaking with therapists, everyone suggests that the change happens over time and with a great amount of effort. But, it is definitely possible for every single one of us.
And how do we do it?
By simply solving problems step by step. Following day to day exercises that will help to improve yourself. Start small and that will lead to a big picture. Start opening your eyes, which will lead you to stand up, then walking, then running, and eventually flying. This concept is brought to the concept of our video. My interpretation of the title of the song One By One led me to the concept of step by step, day by day, inch by inch.
And again, how is this spark captured?
We captured this spark through the creation of a cinematic/surreal film, using practical effects and techniques, that starts with micro and ending with colossal.
A sequence of surreal scenes, all connected to each other, based on my reinterpretation of the following steps.
Something that visually leads us to free ourselves.
1. See yourself outside yourself.
2. Find the habit associated with the thing you want to change.
3. Practice every day, no matter what.
4. Set realistic goals.
5. Constantly look in the mirror.
6. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth.
7. You have to take risks.
Future work aspirations?
In the short-term, I would like to continue working with Artists and Labels creating music videos and work with Agencies and high-end brands creating commercials for brands such as Nike, Puma, Adidas, Hermes, Burberry, Apple, Mercedes or Porsche, and many more to create beautiful things.
In the long-term, I’d like to work on feature films. I have some ideas for scripts, and one day I would love to dedicate a solid couple of years to work on them. :)
Diplo, Elderbrook and Andhim
Diplo, Elderbrook and Andhim are three of Dance Music’s best-known artists in their own right. Now, they come together on the legendary FFRR imprint and Diplo’s Higher Ground to deliver summer-ready house anthem ‘One By One’ out now.
This unique collaboration is already well on its way to becoming an international hit with close to 3 million global streams to date. With a remix by Sofia Kourtesis already released there is still much more to come.
The artists involved need little introduction. Ten time Grammy Award nominated Diplo is a name that echoes throughout all corners of electronic music and beyond. He has firmly established his influence through multiple projects as Diplo, Major Lazer, Jack Ü, LSD and Silk City and has worked closely with the likes of Beyonce, The Weeknd, Madonna, Bad Bunny and many more.
German super-house duo Andhim are also no strangers to the spotlight. The pair have successfully navigated between creative outputs as filmmakers, music producers and record label owners. Claiming over 60 major releases, 100 international shows a year and heading their own imprint Superfriend Records.
First bursting onto the scene in 2015 with his hit “How Many Times” which was also championed as Mixmag’s ‘Best Track Of The Year’, Elderbrook’s progression has since been unstoppable. The UK born multi-instrumentalist is no stranger to successful collaborations from an abundance of projects with the likes of Gorgon City, Clean Bandit, Robin Schulz and the voice of Grammy nominated Camelphat’s “Cola”.
