Maquina Total: Crema El Bosc
By Manson
I immediately thought of this video when I was researching for the assignment. I follow Nowness across several platforms, and remembered watching this when it first came out. It is a music video for Spanish artist Virgili Jubero aka Maquina Total, and heavily features French architecture by Emile Aillaud and one of my favorite architects Ricardo Bofill. What I immediately appreciate about this music video is how the buildings act as a character. I almost feel they are watching the two main characters; looming over their shoulders, spinning around them, and staring directly at them. This inspired me to try and create a character for the architecture of New York in my video. Besides the draw of the postmodern architecture, I was impressed with the styling. Both characters were working pairs of Balenciaga heels and head to toe looks from their Spring Summer 17 collection. I think for some people having a man in heels is kind of “edgy” but thats very normal to me, most guys I know wear heels. The styling in my video will also mix “traditionally masculine and feminine” elements, for no reason other than that’s how I usually style. The director-collective does a decent job at creating a sense of (not quite mystery, but) intrigue. There is a following sequence that occurs in the beginning, as though the viewer is a voyeur watching these characters on a mission. This is reinforced by the many shots of both main characters shoes, and the camera zoom. Zooming is a technique I am very drawn to, it’s something the human eye cannot do. In my own video, I have some beautiful close up shots of windows that slowly zoom out into a much wider view. I want to exaggerate the intrigue and maybe take it to full blown mystery because I like a bit more drama.
