senckađ
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Creative in association withGear Seven
Group745

SKUNK's Jonathan Augustavo Directs Striking Promo for SOULS 'Bad Girl'

19/10/2016
Production Company
London, United Kingdom
63
Share
The tracks and films are inspired by hidden vocals in the Alan Lomax 1920/30s collection of American Voices

SKUNK Director Jonathan ‘JJ’ Augustavo has directed four videos for SOULS’ brand new project by producer David Gledhill (formerly of Skint & Demoralised).

The tracks and films are inspired by hidden vocals in the Alan Lomax 1920/30s collection of American Voices that Gledhill discovered, restored and set to music, producing a nostalgic sound that is supremely evocative.

Prolific music video director JJ, his producer and his DOP travelled America filming hours of footage for four films to suit the tracks.  Along their journey they met hundreds of people, heard their stories and captured their portraits; never forcing situations, just respecting the nature of each community.  These utterly moving, urban music videos each tell a different story but still feel very much part of a cohesive whole.

The first promo from the collection is Bad Girl, a track full of soul and atmosphere, beautifully expressed through JJ’s collection of poetic and powerful images.  Shot in New Orleans the film depicts a community, its struggles, culture and spirituality.  Bleak and gritty visuals from underground clubs, protests and female motorbike gangs contrasted with graffiti, extravagant outfits, neon-lit police cars and tricked out bikes, all symbolise the raw contradictions of life and the sense of spirituality in the vocals.

“Not since my work on the Same Love (Macklemore) film have I felt a deeper and more powerful connection.  Selfishly this was an experience I needed as a director, artist and person…" says JJ of the creative process behind the SOULS films.  “It was the hardest, most stressful and trying process for all of us but in the end what we made is beautiful and authentic.  And in a way I fell in love with filmmaking again because of it.  You could have given this project to a million different directors and had so many different and amazing projects, however what I made is my perspective of my country.  Of what America is.  To a mixed Filipino-American from Seattle collaborating with a white guy from Ohio, a Chino-Latino from the Bay and a British producer from London.  A postcard of this country that is not based on stereotype but actually something real and spiritual.  We bled to make this and I could not be more proud…there are hundreds of wild stories of how this was made - the stress, the doubt, the lack of sleep - but ultimately it’s a set of films I love and hold dear to my heart."

This is the first of four videos to be released. The album launches on the 14th October followed by a staggered release of the remaining three videos.

Credits