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31st August 2021
Force of nature
Title of film: Alewya, Jagna
Director: Alewya x Tom Ringsby
Production Company: Intergalactic Studios
We’re suckers for a simple idea and a mesmerising tracking shot but there was something about Alewya’s clip that made us sit up and rivet our eyes to the last frame. We talk with Intergalactic Studios’ director Tom Ringsby about ditching elaborate plans for one simple visual, a primal sprint across the ‘desert’.

 

What were your initial conversations like with Alewya ?

I flipped out when I first heard Jagna –  Alewya’s vocal performance has this animalistic quality and the beat somehow sounds like it was recorded while running across a savannah. 

Alewya talked a lot about primal drive and urgency and we sent each other references ranging from Tom Cruise running montages to Discovery Channel jaguar documentaries as we developed the idea. In the end we decided to strip it way back and take on the challenge of keeping people’s attention for a five minute sprint.

 

 

Was the production fairly straight forward?

The shoot was a pretty crazy day in the Dungeness “desert” in Kent where we strapped a spotlight, speaker and camera to an action vehicle and sped alongside Alewya until the location guards kicked us out. 

I had all these Brian De Palma-ideas for camera moves so ended up sitting in the action vehicle shouting directions over the playback speaker for the camera team to zoom and pan while tapping the driver’s shoulder to control the speed of the car and gaffer’s leg (who was poking out of the sunroof) to cue the spotlight swinging in and out.

We always planned to end on a slow-motion magic-hour shot and the final result was so powerful Alewya ended up recording an extra minute of music to end on.

 

 

Anything else you’d like to share?

Alewya, her styling team and the whole Intergalactic Studios gang gave 100% on this one, but DoP Karol Jurga was the star player running full-speed with an anamorphic-lensed Alexa and shouting “energy” all day.

 

Alewya instagram

Intergalactic Studios website

Intergalactic instagram

Tom Ringsby website

Tom Ringsby instagram

 

Credits
Directors: Alewya x Tom Ringsby Creative Director: Lee Trigg Producer: Rhory Danniells   Cinematographer: Karol Jurga 1st AC: Jannick Fjeldsøe Gaffer: Rufai AjalaMovi Op: Callum Tunmore Action Vehicle: Chris Wilkinson @ Uppercut Productions   Movement Director: Kikz Katika Make-up: Luz Giraldo Hair: Shamara Roper Styling: Lee Trigg BTS: Ayo Shasanya   1st AD: Jamie Alexander Runner: Henry Heffer Driver: Chris Barrios Editors: Lee Trigg x Omar Serge x Tom Ringsby Colourist: Tim Smith @ CHEAT Rotoscoping: David Calvet @ BANDITS Commissioner: Natalia Maus Production Company: Intergalactic Studios