HAMLET's Ludovic Gontrand Plays with Fire for Belgian Artist Blu Samu’s Music Video

Belgian artist Blu Samu’s new EP ‘7’ is about acceptance of overwhelming emotions she identifies with, so for the music video for track ‘Turquoise’, HAMLET director Ludovic Gontrand turned her into a human torch - a visual representation of what feeling overwhelmed can look like.

The ‘Turquoise’ promo is set on a beach at night, but the bathers are acting like it’s the middle of the day…snoozing, reading. Just as in a typical beach image inspired by a Martin Parr photograph.  It’s also a nod to Blu Samu’s Portuguese roots, and childhood memories of spending long, hot Summers on the beach in Portugal.

We see Blu Samu as a human torch running through the crowd, with an almost spiritual energy, illuminating the space around her.  But it’s as if she’s invisible - not noticed by anyone - she’s then reborn in the healing powers of the ocean.

Everything was created in camera, so filming with fire had to be very skilfully planned, and it needed to be on a cold night. With only six stunt people and a maximum of 30 seconds permitted per fire stunt, there was no room for mistakes. So multiple cameras were used on set.

Ludovic Gontrand commented: "Blu Samu is great to work with, and there is a lot of feeling in her new EP, and is basically a way of accepting the overwhelming emotions carried in her heart. When she approached me to create a visual world around Turquoise, some of her key words stuck with me ; ‘Re-birth’, ‘New era’ and ‘Calm' ".

Blu Samu is signed to Animal 63 label.