1-CONCEPT
Visual and surrealistic and spiritual
This is not a science fiction video, all the elements, places and characters are parts of a poetic dream. A surrealistic time Odyssey.
“Chemicals between us”, is what there is between people; the spirituality, the passion, the magic, and on a bigger scale, the fundamental similitude between people, what we have all in common, our chemicals and our mind.
It is about the Matter and the Mind.
In a surrealistic and poetic interpretation the video is a study about our quest of Knowledge.
It is a celebration of human nature, human matter, and the Power of the Mind.
“Chemicals between us” is about Accomplishment.
The action is set in an abstract metaphorical pure white dimension. Like in a dream, a white dimension turned into a Temple.
The Band is on a quest, Search of truth, purity, Serenity. It is a place of humbleness and introspection. A place to come to learn from very old or very young teachers.
Through the video there is a very important Teachers-disciples relation.
Without specification about any spiritual school, there is a mix of culture and believe.
Thai Buddist monk and Shao Lin masters, are all mixed together.
It is a Spiritual Odyssey in a surrealistic dimension, where all the philosophies and spirituality mix together.
The illustration of this experience goes through visual intense moment of colors and lights explosion.
2-ACTION
Control of the mind and control of the body.
The action is serene in contrast with the energy of the song. The effects are the action: surrealist effects illustrate the action.
It is control of the Mind that creates the energy that allows people to melt integrate, and transform their appearance.
A monk sitting down under a tree spit, out of his mouth, a huge quantity of floating colored liquid.
2 monk wearing different colors from different colors mix together into an explosion of light.
Some Teachers with their disciples, in slow motion, practice the different movement of Kung Fu, Tai Chi and other form or Asian discipline.
People wander around, like in a dream, there are coming from nowhere and going nowhere into the deep white.
Some obviuosly belong to a particular ethnic group (Mongolian Tiebetan) some are more a combination of different cultures and races.
Kids like Elves (i.e. kids on cover Led Zepplin “house of the holy”) are practicing the basic movement of Kung Fu.
3 steps of actions:
1-Solitude
Most of the time action is very quiet, poetic and meditative. each one seems to be absorbed in spiritual or philosophical thoughts.
2-Learning
In short parts of the video the action becomes violent electric and tormented, during those moments. we feel at the heart of a huge storm of colors and Matter. It is the power of the Mind in action…A positive force.
Pain shows on the face of the band and the people around. It is a positive pain, of learning, experience and knowledge.
3-Revelation
There is also spiritual connotation in the intense moments when people get closer move in slow motion in a beautiful choreography of Martial art and start to melt together.
3-ART DIRECTION
There is only one set
A huge giant white endless space, with no walls, no structure. Just emptiness, pure white where ever we look.
The best reference is the set in George Lucas’ “THX 1138” movie
Most of the time the cast of people wearing extremely detailed and colorful traditional-futuristic clothes dresses the set.
Nature
In some parts of the video there is amazing set of strange nature arrangement.
Few hills are dispersed in the set, posed like little islands in the middle of the white dimension.
On each of those hills beautiful trees, like giant Bonzais, stand harmoniously. They are covered of vibrant leaves and red flowers are blooming on the branches. The beautiful grass of beautiful pink is covered of tiny flowers everywhere. Few small polished rocks break through covered with moss.
It is a magical set, a wonderful world, (“Magician of Oz” “Mujan” “Fantasia”). It is a very rich surrealistic vegetation full of color and strange texture; its richness of nature is overwhelming.
Some islands are flatter than other, on those it is easier to have groups following the teaching in slow choreographic martial art movements.
There, the Teachers bring disciples to teach in a peaceful and serene surrounding.
The hills-islands are more dedicated to solitary experience and mediation.
The band is lying against trees and rocks, contemplating. It is a philosophical meditative moment.
(Optional) There is a Monolith in the middle of the space, it could remind us of the monolith in “2001 Space Odyssey”.
4-DESTRUCTURALIZATION
It is a quest through matter, for love and knowledge, travel through chemicals, and componets of all substance, travel through the mind.
The look is very modern because of the set , the style and the characters but also because of the post effects.
The bodies sometime change into lights and particles (not like a science fiction movie); in a very artistic poetical way human substance becomes colors and lights. (See the videos: Mirwais “Disco Science” and Fiona Apple “Sleep to dream” effects)
The bodies of two or more people melt together to become abstract matter, of color and light transform back to Gavin.
The band melts together becoming a 5-year-old monk.
People open their mouths; dark purple and pink liquid comes out of them and floats in the air (See effect at the end of REM “Lotus”)
There are no laws; it has to be abstract, magic and extremely visual. Behind the effects the is logic, we are all made of the same componets the same chemicals.
5-BUSH
Each member is either part of the action or just observers detached from the action.
By the way they dress we understand that there is a link between them. They maybe the only one wearing white clothes, it will link them together and reinforce the impression that they are always together, as they are appearing in different dimensions and always in contact with each other. The band has a timeless appearance.
The band is very active through the video. Gavin is standing full of passion and intensity. The band is completely part of the energy going on. Dave, Nigel, and Robin are sitting, standing, observing, and learning. The action is more theatrical than performing. There is a strange texture to everything, just like in a dream. Sometime more they are observers some other moment they become participants, interacting with some of the characters.
The situation becomes surreal in the violent part of the song when Dave, Nigel, Robin and Gavin are playing every notes of the song with their bodies. The movements are intense and strange,a surreal force possessed them, they contorsion themselves in every way, playing the song with their bodies; it is not painful it is like being under the power of an intense force. An ultimate experience.
6-CAST
The make up for the cast looks slightly like wax. It gives a statuesque unreal look to the all cast.
There is 4 directions regarding the type of characters to have in the video. I still hesitate.
1-Tibetan, Mongol & Inuit cast, they all have very particular features, they are beautiful and unexpected.
3-A complete wide range of Asian culture genre. The cast represents the fundamental orientation of Asian philosophy. They are here from different period (antiquity, renaissance, 20th century) and different parts of the world. There is a feeling of Zenitude.
-Samurai
-Shao in religious Kung Fu master from the future
-Japanese Akira type
-old indian Sadhu meditating
During intimate scenes between people from different horizons, there is close up, details of skin, faces and expressions of the people sitting, lying together; they start to amalgamate and creat an abstract fusion of lights and color that transform into A Shao Lin Master, or the Band.
7-REFERENCES
“Magician of Oz”
Walt Disney “Mujan”
Walt Disney “Fantasia”
George Lucas “THX 1138”
Stanley Kubrik “2001 the space Odyssey”
Nicholas Roegs “The man who felt to Earth”
8-REFERENCES from Stephane’s work
Mirwais “Disco Science”
Fiona Apple “Sleep to dream” for the special color effects
REM “Lotus”