CALL MY BLUFF
RITHO
Ritho is a London-based British indie and dream-pop artist and multi-instrumentalist. His music is known for introspective lyrics about early twenties experiences, overthinking, daydreaming and dissociation. Call My Bluff comes from his album Quinn & Thea, a concept record built around two characters who represent conflicting sides of Ritho himself. Across the album, Quinn and Thea grow further apart, each going on their own journey of self-discovery before reuniting by the end. Call My Bluff is the moment they split and become two distinct people for the first time. Gunpowder House approached Ritho directly for this project.
BACKGROUND
The video opens with the performers wound together as a single form, and choreography peels them apart into Quinn and Thea. Quinn stays in colour but turns cold, the palette shifting to icy blues, with ice and frost building across his instruments as he plays every part alone. Thea is stripped to black and white, the world losing its colour around her as she runs out into a bare, uncomfortable outdoor world, searching for a way back to him. When they finally meet again, it's Thea who realises Quinn has changed too much to return to.
IDEA
Quinn's side was shot in a studio, with practical ice, snow and frost built onto the drums so it would explode outward the moment Ritho started playing. Thea's side was shot like street photography, using negative space and tight framing to isolate her within the shot. We worked with a movement director on the choreography for the split. To unsettle Quinn's isolation further, we shot parts of his side at a very low frame rate, so the movement falters and jumps, and we filmed one sequence from inside a guitar, looking out through the sound hole.
EXECUTION
ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES & PROCESS
DIRECTOR & PRODUCER
Led the project from brief to delivery
Managed communications with the client.
Directed the music video.
Produced the music video.
Cast the actress.
Sourced the locations.
Handled hiring for the crew.
Post-production producer, overseeing offline and online phases through to final delivery.
FILM
STILLS
